Tag Archives: 2013

Wayfarer's Journal

Christmas 2013 (Part 2)

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This weekend was the culmination of our 2013 Christmas celebrations. On Saturday, the Halls came down from Boone for the Vander Hart gathering at Grandma Vander Hart’s. It was a small crew this year as many family couldn’t make it. There didn’t seem to be a lack of food, however, and we enjoyed lunch together and a game of cards. Brant and Amy’s newborn, Clayton, enjoyed his first Christmas with the clan and was a big hit.

On Saturday afternoon our friends, Kevin and Becky, arrived and we spent a quiet evening together here at Vander Well Manor. We made homemade pizza, opened a couple of bottles of wine, and enjoyed good conversation late into the night. Kev and Beck spent the night with us and attended church with us on Sunday morning.

After church on Sunday, Wendy and I ran to Des Moines to pick up Becky and Courtney from the airport, though their flight was delayed from Denver by about an hour. We then drove up to Boone with Taylor in caravan behind us. We feasted with Wendy’s family and opened gifts. Luke’s fiancé, Polley, was able to join us. It was, however, a relatively small crew as many of the family are scattered across the globe. We were able to enjoy Skype conversation with Nathan’s crew in Arizona and Josh in Korea. We watched football and enjoyed one another’s company into the evening. Wendy and I then headed back home to Pella. We watched our Vikings win their final game at the Metrodome against the Lions on the DVR before calling it a night.

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Thanksgiving 2013 (Rocky Mountain High)

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ROAD TRIP!!!

Wendy, Suzanna, and I headed west this past Wednesday morning. We picked up Taylor in Des Moines. Clayton and his younger brother, Spence, followed us on I-80 westbound and we made the long trek to Colorado. Clayton jumped in the car with us at Fort Morgan while Spencer headed to Fort Collins to meet up with their brother, Ty. We arrived in Denver in the early evening and dropped Suzanna off at sister, Becky’s, house. Wendy, Taylor, Clayton, and I headed south to Colorado Springs and arrived around 8:00 p.m. Madison was working at P.F. Chang’s that night so after checking into the hotel we dropped in for a later dinner. It was so good to see Madison and to meet her friend, Aubrey, who is a hostess at Chang’s. We were wiped out after a long day of travel and sacked out early.

Wendy and I spent Thanksgiving morning getting a little work done in the hotel room while Taylor helped Madison make Thanksgiving dinner at her friend, Mike’s, house. We grabbed Clayton and headed to Mike’s about 11:00 a.m. It was a relaxing Thanksgiving dinner as we watched football, chatted, and admired the feast being prepared. Mike prepared what was, hand’s down, the BEST Thanksgiving turkey any of us had ever eaten. It was an incredible feast along with a buffalo cranberry stew that Madison made. Wow! We ate well. So well, in fact, that we decided to let things settle and make dessert our evening meal. Wendy’s peanut butter chocolate cheesecake and dark chocolate cupcakes with salted caramel frosting were more than enough to satisfy us. We watched football,  Anchorman, and chatted the evening away. It was late by the time we made our way back to the hotel.

Friday morning dawned. We enjoyed incredibly wonderful weather the entire weekend. Madison and Wendy headed for a coffee date. Taylor, Clayton and I decided we had to get out into the sunshine. So we headed Garden of the Gods and enjoyed a leisurely hike. We headed to Denver mid-day, picked up Suzanna, and headed to Broomfield to enjoy a late lunch at Buca Di Beppo’s with Clayton’s family. Every Buca’s has a “Pope Room” which is adorned with various papal pictures and includes a giant table with lazy susan adorned by a bust of the pope. We all had an amazing meal and a lot of laughter as we feasted for the second straight day. Clayton’s family (along with Taylor) headed to the Denver Nuggets’ game, Mike and Madison headed back to the Springs, and Wendy, Suzanna and I headed back to Becky and Court’s house.

Friday evening was spent at Becky and Courtney’s house. We all felt fat and lazy as we lounged and enjoyed catching up with Wendy’s sister and her husband. Clayton had to head back to Des Moines with his family to work, but Taylor joined us for the remainder of the weekend.

On Saturday we all headed to the Denver Art Museum and enjoyed a exhibition of French artwork and paintings of nature by the Impressionists. Madison drove up from Colorado Springs and joined us mid-afternoon. We dined together at Cap City pub and talked about the artwork we enjoyed before Madison headed back to the springs and the rest of us headed back to Court and Becky’s.

It was an early start this morning (5:00 a.m. MST) but we made good time and arrive home late in the afternoon. It was a WONDERFUL Thanksgiving weekend and we returned home with a full Rocky Mountain High.

Wayfarer's Journal

Summer 2013 Wraps Up

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It’s another warm morning as I sit on the front porch and write my daily blog posts. School is back in session, Wendy and attended our final I-Cubs game of the summer last night, and we’re preparing to head to the Playhouse with friends today for what will be summer’s final hurrah at the lake.

It was a wonderful summer full of activity:

  • We are excited to have Wendy’s youngest sibling, Suzanna, move in with us a few weeks ago to attend her final year of high school at Pella High.
  • The large home project this year was pouring a new front patio to replace the crumbling and settling old stoop and stairs.
  • We got to spend a long 4th of July weekend at the lake with a bunch of family including Madison who made what has become a rare trip back to Iowa.
  • We had spectacular weekends at the lake with friends.
  • There were the requisite business trips here and there.
  • We produced and acted in a Tulip Time show for the Pella Opera House which was reprised on the campus of Central College for a convention of folks celebrating Dutch American heritage.
  • Wendy and I lent administrative assistance to the summer production for the local community theatre.
  • We were voted back onto the Board of Union Street Players (USP) for the ninth straight year.
  • We enjoyed a visit to the church where I was a youth pastor a quarter century ago to help the church celebrate their sesquicentennial.
  • Wendy and I faithfully followed and watched our Chicago Cubs in another disappointing season.

With a teenager back in the house the fall looks a little different than what we had planned earlier in the summer, but that’s okay. Next week I will take the helm as Director of USP’s holiday show with Wendy acting as my Producer. I’m teaching a Wednesday night class at our church. Work looks to get a little busier with new projects in the queue that will likely be kicking off in the coming month or two. Things definitely don’t slow down.

Life is good.

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Decompression

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2013 08 03 McQuades Playhouse Collage

Wendy and I enjoyed our weekend at the lake with our friends Kevin and Linda. We enjoyed a very quiet couple of days. It was a godsend for all of us, I believe. Wendy and I were straining a bit under the weight of late. As Kevin messaged me on Facebook yesterday, it was a weekend of “decompression” for all of us. There was a whole lot of nothing going on for a good part of the time, which was absolutely the point. The only excitement of the weekend came on Friday night after a pleasant dinner at Fish & Company. We had to make a fun sprint home in the boat to avoid a rapidly advancing and ominous looking thunderstorm. Glad to say we timed it perfectly. Right as we pulled into the safety of the dock the rain started to pour down.

On Saturday afternoon I was reading and dozing on the couch when I looked out on the dock to see Kevin and Linda sitting on the dock reading and doing crossword puzzles. A few minutes later they were gone and I knew exactly what had happened. They’d experienced the healthy meltdown that happens to everyone at the Playhouse. Sure enough, they’d come in for a nap. I smiled as I shut my eyes and drifted off to the sounds of Pat Hughes giving me the play-by-play of a Cubs’ loss (again).

Our evenings were equally relaxing. Sitting out on the deck under the light of the tiki torches enjoying good food, good drink, good cigars, and great conversation until the wee hours.

It doesn’t get much better than that.

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What Really Matters

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For I want you to understand what really matters, so that you may live pure and blameless lives until the day of Christ’s return.
Philippians 1:10 (NLT)

This Fourth of July holiday weekend was spent with a good number of our family members at the lake. As children grow and spread out on their own path, it becomes more and more rare for many of us to gather together. Even during high holidays like Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas our gatherings become more and more limited. We share a meal. We have an hour or two together before various members begin to scatter to their own personal schedules and priorities. Such is life.

So, Wendy and I headed to the lake last Wednesday recognizing the rare opportunity for family members to have three full days and four nights cloistered together. My parents, my sister, her husband and two of her three kids, our two daughters, our son-in-law, along with Wendy’s youngest sister enjoyed eating, playing, talking, resting, and laughing together. We celebrated Taylor’s 23rd birthday on the Fourth. We celebrated Scott and Jody’s 25th wedding anniversary. We celebrated life together.

On Saturday night the entire crew gathered around the dining room table to play a game of Quelf. It’s a little known game with no real objective other than to inspire and motivate corporate silliness. I have a great photograph of Wendy with tears of laughter streaking down her face as she attempted to quell her laughter long enough to read one of the game cards. Someone at the table remarked that what we were experiencing together that night would become family legend. Twenty years from now when we gather together for a meal with children and grandchildren out will come the stories of the Fourth of July weekend at the lake when Taylor and Clayton made masks out of paper plates, when Grandpa acted like a woman, and when Grandma introduced us to Wendy the sock puppet. Long forgotten will be the work deadlines that stressed me out so much over the past few weeks.

The further I progress in my life journey, the more capably I believe that I am able to discern and refine my understanding of what really matters. So much of that with which we concern our daily time and energy does not really matter in any significant, eternal sense. We rather become entangled and distracted. We pour time, energy and resources into those things which drain our lives without providing any worthwhile return on the investment.

Today, I am thinking about what matters, and what does not. God, grant me the wisdom to know the difference between the two and the grace to concern myself with the former as I increasingly divest myself of the latter.

Wayfarer's Journal

Kev & Beck at the Lake (a Late Post)

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So, it was a month ago that Kev and Beck joined us at the lake for our annual weekend together. We spent some time that weekend trying to figure out how many years we’ve been making the early summer pilgrimage. I think we landed on this being our 7th year. The trip has typically been a weekend before Memorial Day event, though this year we pushed it into the weekend after Memorial Day so as to ensure a little warmer weather. With it being such a cold, wet spring, we’re glad we did. We had wonderful weather and, as usual, a great time together.

The thing about the weekend with Kevin and Becky is that the agenda is pretty simple:

  • Breakfast and conversation.
  • Sun and conversation.
  • Lunch and conversation.
  • Boat ride and conversation.
  • Drinks and conversation.
  • Dinner and conversation.
  • Wine, chocolate and conversation.
  • Sleep.
  • Repeat.
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Memorial Day Weekend 2013

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It was a gorgeous Memorial Day weekend at the lake with the VLs and the VWs sharing in lots of sun and fun. The weather was cool and the water a little chilly, but the sun was warm and the moon was full.

Tom & Wendy arrived on Thursday evening and the VLs arrived late that night. The sun was out despite the air being a little cool for most of the weekend. Tom spent most of Friday fighting with two Waverunners that were fresh from the shop but still weren’t working right. One eventually did work for the weekend but the other one ended up back at the shop. Friday afternoon was spent at Captain Ron’s with dinner on the patio there. Tom received a visit from an old school buddy and his friends in the late afternoon who joined in the excursion to Cap’n Ron’s. The adults huddled out on the deck in the evening as the full moon rose.

Saturday morning was spent playing Disc Golf and enjoying the gorgeous weather. A boat ride to Bulldog’s Beach House was the perfect lunch excursion. The afternoon was spent  with afternoon naps a definite requisite. We enjoyed a leisurely dinner and conversation.

Sunday was a day spent in the sun getting sunburned. Tom inflated the Relaxation Station and we enjoyed floating on the water and soaking up the rays. Chad manned the grill for a burger and hot dog feast and the adults watched a movie together in the evening.

Memorial Day dawned with a run to Sunrise Donuts with the whole crew. The men then managed kid duty while the ladies went shopping in town. We enjoyed one last meal together before the VLs packed up and headed home.

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Snowstorm Caps a Busy Birthday Week

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Earlier this week I shared about the birthday celebrations which began a week ago today with an overnight trip to Des Moines. I felt really celebrated this year. I took Tuesday, my birthday, off of work. And, what a day to take off. It was gorgeous, sunny and warm. When I came downstairs from writing my morning blog post I found my stack of birthday gifts sitting on the table with breakfast. Wendy and I enjoyed a quiet breakfast reading the paper and I got to open my gifts. Bob Leonard came by and interviewed Wendy and me about our roles in the Tulip Time production of The Dominie’s Wife for KNIA/KRLS radio.

2013 04 30 Birthday at the ICubs

We then headed to Des Moines for a noon Iowa Cubs game. We sat in the sun, ate hot dogs, drank beer, and watched the hometown boys celebrate my birthday with a 7-2 win over the Round Rock Express. We got fried to a crisp in the hot sun, but after a cool, wet spring that seemed like a worthwhile luxury.

We got back to Pella in time to get our stuff gathered and up to the Pella Opera House for  our final dress rehearsal. The Tulip Queen and her court came to see the show, which was nice. After the show, our friends in the cast, crew (Moriarity’s, Van Zante’s, Ann W., Lisa W. along with Kevin M.) went out to Kaldera for food and drinks. We enjoyed a marvelous evening together. It was the perfect way to end my birthday.

The celebrations weren’t over, however. There was no rehearsal on Wednesday. My friend Matthew took me to Des Moines for a burger and a pint at Rock Bottom before seeing the movie Oblivion at Jordan Creek. It was great to spend time with a friend. Wendy and I enjoyed the evening on the couch watching Scott Feldman pitch a complete game in a Cubs’ victory of San Diego.

Pella Tulip Time arrived yesterday along with a rare, late winter storm. It was cold, windy and wet all morning. Then the snow started flying. The parades were cancelled. After trying to open for a few hours, all the food stands shut down. Wendy and I bundled up in our scarves, winter coats and gloves to walk through the blizzard like conditions to the Pella Opera House. Since it was one of the few things people could do indoors, we had a good crowd for our opening performance of The Dominie’s Wife. After the show we braved the elements to walk home and holed up to have dinner and call it an early evening.

How our backyard looks on a previous May day.
How our backyard looks on a previous May day.
How our backyard looked this morning.
How our backyard looked this morning.

This morning I could hardly believe my eyes when I looked out the window at the blanket of newly fallen snow. Our show will still go on this afternoon. Tomorrow the high is predicted at 58 with light rain, so there may yet be hope for at least one soggy parade or two. What an awful disappointment for the community. No one we’ve spoken with can remember a Tulip Time this miserable! 🙁

We have performances of The Dominie’s Wife this afternoon at 4:30 and again tomorrow at 12:30.

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Easter 2013

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Taylor, Grandma Jeanne, and Jody celebrating Easter with us!
Taylor, Grandma Jeanne, and Jody celebrating Easter with us!

Families tend to get into traditions. The VWs have for years celebrated Easter with a nice dinner at Grandpa Dean and Grandma Jean’s house in the early afternoon. As Wendy and I planned for Easter this year, we thought it might be nice to shake things up and give my folks a break from having to make a meal and host. After getting the quick and joyful approval of my mother (“I don’t have to cook? YAY!”) we decided to broadcast the invite to the rest of our nearby family members.

I wasn’t sure how this was going to go. Sometimes traditions are hard to break and to be honest I didn’t think everyone would want to drive the 1-2 hours from Des Moines, Ames and Boone on a holiday. To our surprise, the only family to turn us down were the two college boys. So it was that 13 of us gathered here at cozy little Vander Well Manor for Easter.

My folks came down early and went to the 11:00 worship service with Wendy and me. Wendy’s folks and Suzanna, Taylor and Clayton, Grandma Vander Hart, and the Keithley clan (Scott, Jody & Emma) all joined us between 12:30 and 1:00. I took care of the main meal (Roast in the crock pot, herbed potatoes and glazed carrots with homemade Italkian bread). Others brought relish, veggies and cinnamon rolls. Wendy took care of the desserts: a key lime cheesecake  and white cupcakes decorated in a spring flower theme.

The weather cooperated with sunny skies and relatively warm temps for late March in Iowa. It was an awesome day with the family! Later in the evening after cleaning up, Wendy and got to FaceTime with Maddy Kate who celebrated Easter with Brett & Micki Strait in Colorado Springs. It was so nice to know she had some good Iowa love to share with on Resurrection Day!

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Valentine’s Weekend 2013

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Table Set for ValentinesWith my being in the throes of rehearsal for Ah, Wilderness!, the Valentine’s plans had to flex this year. I was actually scheduled in rehearsal on Valentine’s Day and so Wendy and I decided to delay any Valentine’s plans until my next free evening which was Saturday. Wendy made plans to run to Des Moines on the afternoon of Valentine’s Day and any thought of celebrating on that day were scuttled.

Then, at the last minute, my rehearsal time was pushed back and a window of opportunity opened. So, while Wendy was in Des Moines I threw together one of our favorite crock-pot recipes, set the table, got out a nice bottle of wine and surprised her with an impromptu dinner together which was wonderful.

We still celebrated on Saturday with Chad and Shay, who came over for a steak dinner here at Vander Well Manor. It was one of those dinners that had us eating, drinking, talking and laughing at the table for four hours before someone made the mistake of looking at their watch and realizing how late it was. I love those kind of dinners! 😉