wow, it was been a while :)

   I've moved virtually! ...I'm starting up a new blog to keep updated about my new year with CTI music ministries. If you want to keep in touch, check out www.xanga.com/heytomorrow  :)

Currently Listening The Everglow By Mae The Ocean see related

Only the pure in heart can make good soup...

it's been too long...

Oh, where to start. The last couple weeks have been hhmmmm alright I guess….and by alright I mean a-Mazing ! But let me go back.

About two weeks ago, a close friend and I went on a very long awaited trip to Willmar, Minnesota, soon to be my second home. We had the idea of going for the weekend since last summer, but actual, serious planning finally came together in typical Kikkert/Rintjema fashion about a half hour before we left. The road trip was very, very long. 17hrs - filled with lots of sleeping on my part, lots of driving on James part, stupid Michigan roads, a bagillion toll booths every blink of an eye, starbucks and stretch breaks, and lots and lots of music to get us through the night from Anberlin, Scott Normandy, Great Big Sea, Skylines and Archives, John Mayer, Frou Frou, Jungle Jam even and of course Switchfoot.

But the best part was when we showed up in Willmar. I was so excited, the last hour of the trip James had to tighten my seatbelt every 2 km. I just watched those Willmar-ites walking round town, having no idea the amount of excitement and fun that would be happening in one part of their fair town in 2 minutes flat.

No one knew. (except for 2 special people…)

We showed up and can’t believe it, it was awesome to see everyone! Oh i can't even tell you...I can’t believe it. I just keep thinking about it, and smiling and just filling my head with good memories. So good to see Brooke, Ruthie, Paul, Nate, Julie, Lauren, Chris Reed, Melody, Corey, David Lanning, ahhhhhh….and all other people that I got to see and meet!

I got to spend the whole weekend kicking around the summer teams and full-timers. We celebrated an ending and beginning of each of them. Highlights include Lulu Beans which is & will always be a hit,  finding out whether I’m a P or a J, butchering the Minnesota accent , scenic drive round the lake with Shorty-after, full-throttles with Brooke,  campfires, listening to summer teams, cramming 1 hour of conversation into 3 with Ruth, Final concert - so worth it!….Serial is a good way to describe it the whole weekend, really just kept thinking….”what the heck am I doing here, this can’t be happening!” And yet it was . The whole weekend really was like that. I loved hanging out with musicians whose talent makes me content to be a listener at heart.

That weekend gave me a lot to miss and a lot to look forward to when I go back in a little bit. Never fully knew the depth to which some people meant to me, I’m afraid absence makes the heart grow fonder.

Hhhmmm...well yes, I have a job at a high-end inn in the tourist part of town. Overall, I love the job - it’s very conducive to thinking, I’ve also been keeping busy with my other job, the Paperbag Posies cards, they have taken a fly. They take up my free time, but it’s what I love doing.  They are like my children; I love them even when they turn out crappy.

Ruth is coming to visit Canada in a week! An epic camping trip is planned and at my favorite place in the world - Fair Havens - I’m biased, but can’t wait to go back. I’ve been going since I was 2 and summer won’t be summer without it, now Ruth gets to see what James and I love bout that place.

Ok, then...so I don’t want your heads to absorb more than the butt can endure…

Bye ‘now

in motion...

 Alright, something productive done today ! Website is semi up and running for my cards. Check it out at www.paperbagposies.blogspot.com , do not pass go....do not collect $200. go. :)

Currently Listening Memory Man By Aqualung see related

I feel so...twenty?

It’s official!

This is the first time in a really, really long time that the day of my birthday arrived and I felt older. I woke up and felt 20, not 19, not 21….20. I felt my birthday! I’m not really sure what feeling 20 is supposed to be like, but if it has a feeling, I have it. I feel like I now have all unwritten rules of maturity applied to me. How excitingly scary!

I woke up to balloons and streamers…the last time that happened; I was wishing for a pony, it was a very nice surprise. :)

I love birthday’s cause they remind me of how wonderful life is, how much you take for granted, and how blessed you really are. I think I’m going to explode from the number of smiles, laughs, bagillion facebook messages, phone calls, hallmark cards, snail-mail cards, and heart-taps that I’ve gotten from people this weekend. Ahh, thank you friends!

A girlfriend of mine surprised me on Friday, by taking me to the Nail Spa. Ok, this was new for me, never done this before, but I’m never felt prettier until after we had pedicure. We dressed up and meet up with some other friends and went off to St. Catharine’s for a fancy night out for my b’day. We went to this fancy, classy restaurant called Stella’s...and then went to walk around on the Port Dalhousie pier. Gorgeous night! Lovely, lovely fun :)

Yesterday was so chill, loved it, did nothing but make more Paperbag Posies….website coming soon!! I’ve been workin like a banshee trying to work on cards….got about 2 ½ weeks! 

My little brother, ten years old and constantly surprising me woke me up to his “present.” He said that he decided to give me the gift of breakfast in bed. It was soo cute, and the best part was that the toast wasn’t burnt and the coffee had no awkward lumps in it! He made coffee, and with that skill he will make some lady a fine husband one day...Ahh…one of the better gifts this weekend…

Today for time for the family...got a sweet laptop case for my mac baby, Hillsongs United cd, the new Donald Miller book - stoked to read that, and some other fantastic assortment of surprises. I spent the night out with cousins and extended family, spent the night laughin my butt off...We are the type of family that takes one normal statement and just runs with it. We make everything into a joke, and just butcher it to death with comment after comment. It was so much fun….Tim, we wrote you a birthday card during that time. If it’s a little confusing you’ll understand why… :)

It was a little unsettling celebrating without my better half there. This was the first time we’ve ever spent the day celebrating our twinship alone. I’m not too sure I like it, it feels wrong to get people saying “happy birthday” just to me, when it’s not just my day. I’ve shared it my whole life. Kinda strange just having one name on the birthday cake and only one name in the song.

Thank you all for making my day and weekend such a heart tug. felt and Ioved it.

p.s. my sister bought me a cd from a guy by the name of Scott Normandy....quality, quality music...a friend of most of my family, Mike Tuyp, is the guitarist - electric....check him out....www.myspace.com/scottnormandy

Currently Listening Phantom Limb By The Shins see related

Written last night...much ado about nothing really...