Yosemite!!

We went up to visit our friend Bobby in Fresno this week. (We studied together with Bobby in England ~ jolly good) He took us up to Yosemite for the day. To get to the Yosemite valley ~ the center of the park ~ we had to drive a ways in beyond the gate. The road led through a tunnel and as we came out the other side, the view is amazing. It suddenly opens up and there is this beautiful green valley in front of us. There are waterfalls, huge rock formations and just a breathtaking view of Yosemite. Sort of the kind of view I picture in the movie "The Land Before Time." We kept waiting for a dinosaur head to pop up out of the trees... We decided to take a hike and ended up spending the afternoon hiking up to the top of Yosemite Falls. Wow ~ that was an incredible hike. Very hard, very steep but very rewarding. The view from up there was incredible, we could see all over the valley. It was neat to be at the top of the Falls and see all the water going down over the edge. And can I just say "ouch." We are all feeling the after effects of that hike and are babying our muscles now. Here are some pictures from our trip, but obviously pictures don't do it justice... OH - and if you're wondering just how high we hiked - take a look at the last picture of the falls from a distance and then look at how tiny the people are next to it (they're a good 200 yards in front of it too) - and then look up at where the falls begin - yep - we went that high!

We hung out with Bobby and he showed us around Fresno the next day and we bought some amazingly delicious fruit at some roadside stands. I have never tasted strawberries that taste this good before! And fresh oranges too. California is so good to us! :) It seems like it has just been one big vacation since we moved out here ~ getting to do all these fun things and see all these cool places, and, oh yeah, working every once in awhile... (not that we're complaining!!!) Anyway, we're off to get ready for our next adventure (camping in Sonoma next weekend) Hope all is well out there!!!

Baja Bike Ride

Last weekend we packed up Dot (our car), loaded up our bikes and headed down for Mexico! We rode down with our pals Ben and Meredith, spent the night along the border and crossed into Mexico in the morning. We joined about 7500 other bikers at the start line for the Baja Bike Ride. It was an awesome ride ~ 50 miles along the coast ~ starting in Rosarito and ending in Ensenada and traveling mainly along the ocean. A lot of families came out and watched along the bike route and cheered us on. And a bunch of little kids lined up and reached out their hands to get a high-5 as we biked past. They also yelled out "candy!" (one of the few English words they knew) as the bikers rode by - some of the bikers knew to bring candy and treats down to throw to the kids in the sidelines. It was great. At the end, they had a big finish line fiesta with all sorts of tacos, burritos, churros and yummy (authentic) Mexican food. We packed up and headed back home afterwards. We all slept pretty well that night... :)

Bikes and Workout Videos...

Hey Everyone!

It's Timmy. Deb would write this - but she's next to me sleeping. Something about having to go be a nurse tomorrow or something - i don't know. Well - it's been nearly a month - forgive us. Some new things - I just released a NEW VIDEO!! It's called 'Timlates: An Exercise ExtravaFUNza." It's a new workout that is sweeping the nation and changing lives! It's only 4 1/2 minutes long - and that's all you need to have your life changed. Trust me. It's just below. ENJOY!! And please - if this has impacted your life - don't keep it to yourself. Share it with your friends and family. Together...well, you know the rest.




As for what's going on out here - well - Debbie and I just keep falling more and more in love with California!! We've been biking a whole lot. Last Friday we went with our friends Ben and Meredith Wideman (faithful readers of our blog) to Santa Monica and biked 44 miles up and down the coast. it was amazing! Parts of us were sore - but it was a fantastic time. We're getting our money's worth out of those wonderful bikes!!

We have a lot to look forward to this spring. Next week I take my class, finally, to be a substitute. It's been a long road - but it's finally here. Next weekend - we're driving down to Baja, Mexico and riding in a 50 mile century race. It's really low key and will be a blast. In the beginning of May we're planning a trip up to wine country which we can't wait for and then - WE'RE GETTING VISITORS! My parents are planning to come out west for their - your ready for this - 35TH WEDDING ANNIVERSARY!!! So we're going to get to see them. And then the very next week, our dear friend Rachel Moury is coming out!! So like I said - much to look forward to. Deb is still waiting to hear from Cal State as to whether she's in for their nursing education grad program - but we're not worried. Deb rocks!!

We hope you all are well and blessed! We love you all!! Leave a comment and say hey!

love,
Tim and Deb

The Latest...

Well hey there people! How's life? I hope all is quite well with you! We are doing well ourselves. Let me just say how much we love living in California right now. This week's weather has been absolutely fabulous (an adjective I don't typically use to describe anything). It's been consistently in the mid to upper 70's and nothing but sun - though, today is a little cooler and more overcast. Deb has 3 days in a row off this week - so we decided to take a day vacation down to Santa Monica. The nice thing about California is that you literally only have to drive a few miles and you feel like you're on vacation in a place that you'd have to fly to. It was a great day. We rode our brand new bikes (yes - we purchased new bikes!!) on a 22 mile ride up and down the coast on this awesome trail that runs from Malibu down past Hermosa Beach. Out butts were quite sore by the end - but it was awesome.

So yeah - we have new bikes. Deb was due to get one and I, yet again, crashed my bike and this time, totaled it beyond repair. We got a great deal at a beautiful shop nearby and have been enjoying them as much as we can (which is often out here). Enjoy the attached pics.

Deb and I both enjoyed trips back east (not at the same time sadly). Deb and her two sisters (Katie and Pat) flew home to surprise their mom for her birthday. Since it's been over a year since all three girls were at home at the same time - this was a HUGE surprise indeed. They enjoyed a nice, relaxing, snowy three days together eating food, sitting by the fire, and playing games! I was sad not to be there - but so happy for Mom!

I just returned last week from a week at home. I was flown out by Paeoli Presbyterian Church (near Philly) to be the speaker at their annual winter retreat up in the Poconos. Friday night, Feb 29th, I just did comedy. Then I actually preached twice on Saturday. I was a bit nervous about crossing over from goofy comedy to a serious talk about faith - but it actually went quite well. I was amazed at how comfortable I was talking about Jesus and faith and abundant life and all the wonderful stuff! I was also able to just enjoy a great visit with my family for a few days before and after the weekend. I got to meet my BEAUTIFUL new niece Lily! She is a blessing. Lucy is an absolute trip. She's singing and like most little kids - is utterly obsessed with Elmo.

Now I'm back and getting back into things out here. I'm currently editing my workout video - Timlates - and it should be out by the end of the month. Stay tuned! Deb is continuing to enjoy her nursing and is awaiting word from Cal. State to see if she's in for grad school! I don't have any doubts - who wouldn't want Debbie!!! Last weekend was outdoors weekend for us. Friday we went skiing with our friends Ben and Meredith, Saturday we took a 6 mile hike, and Sunday we took a nice bike ride!

So all is well. Please drop us a line and say Hi! Hope life is well for you!

blessings,
Tim and Deb

Way too long - forgive us!!

Hey You Wonderfuls!!
Please forgive me for not writing a blog for a month and a half. I know it must be really really tough to feel so disconnected from our lives - like being without milk, bread, or eggs during a snowstorm no doubt. We miss you all so much and hope you are super well! Let me quickly catch you up on things.

I'll start with Deb. Deb is still a nurse. She's now off orientation and she's doing amazingly. As you can imagine - there's always a degree of stress in nursing - but Debbie is doing so well and handling her work with skill and grace! Some MAJORLY EXCITING NEWS in Deb's life. Just two days ago - Deb mailed in her application in to California State University to pursue a masters in nursing with a concentration in nurse education. It appears to be a great program! She'll be able to go part time, work full time, and still finish in just two years. It will be through the internet - so she can hog our computer right from home ;) And it's an incredibly affordable program. There will be no need to take on loans! And what's even more exciting - we have good friends Ben and Meredith Wideman - well, Meredith is a nurse and she will be pursuing the same program at the same time. So Deb will have someone to work through it with. How exciting is this?!! It's truly a blessing!

Ok - so on the comedy/acting front. I've been able to get involved with some great projects so far this year. Last weekend I was in a shoot called West Guild Story (you can see it on youtube if you just type the title in the search bar). It's a parody on the writers strike that just ended. It was super fun. We spent a week rehearsing (dance and singing) and shot it on New York Street on CBS studios lot - the very same street where they filmed much of Seinfeld!! I have a supporting role - but was so thankful to be part of it and develop new friendships. Just two weeks ago - I shot my own workout video called "Timlates - A Workout Extravafunzga!!!" I still have yet to do much of the editing - so stay tuned. But it should be funny - and, of course, revolutionize the way the world works out!! I have a few standup gigs lined up - but nothing huge to speak of. Still deliberating over whether or not that's what I want to passionately pursue. We'll see.

As I type - Deb is actually in Pittsburgh. She and her sisters flew back to surprise her mother for her Birthday - and if you know Deb's mom then you'll know that is a wonderful gift indeed. She flies back tomorrow. It's been a wonderful visit. I am actually flying back east on Tuesday for a week. I'm being flone out to speak at a youth group retreat - to do comedy and then be the main speaker. I'm really excited do both. I love making people laugh and I love to talk about Jesus - so this should be a cool experience! Perhaps I'll see some of you while I'm home!

Well - that's the past month and a half - basically. Exciting no? Hope you are well. Please feel free to say HI!! Love you all!


blessings,
Tim (and Deb)

HAPPY 2008!!!

Hey faithful readers!! Sorry so much for the long delay. Long story short - our mac had a couple issues installing the new operating system - Leopard - so our computer was rendered inoperable for 2 weeks. But thanks to my friend Lee who happens to work at a Mac store and his genius friend - our computer is up and running!!

So - last time we wrote - we were getting ready to go home for our Holiday visit. The visit was AWESOME! We got to split it down the middle and spend 8 days in Harrisburg and 8 in Pittsburgh. We even got to go to a wedding - the wedding of Deb's bestest friend ever Natalie. It was a great celebration. It was so refreshing to spend time with family and friends. Of course - it was way too short. But we're so thankful to be blessed with such wonderful friends and families and the means to return to visit when we need!

We got back to Pasadena late the 18th and returned to work on the 20th. I'll be honest, when Christmas day rolled around - it was actually quite weird. Deb had to work and I was left alone for most of the day. It just didn't feel like Christmas. Deb and I got to celebrate a lovely Christmas together on Christmas eve - so that was nice! When I picked Deb up after work on Christmas night - we drove around San Marino and looked at some of the Christmas lights on the HUGE houses. We were half tempted to walk up to one of the houses and ask if we could come in and hang out - haha. We just missed being with our families a whole lot. It's interesting how Christmas in our culture has become the family climax of the year. So not being with our families was sad. But we bounced back! :)

Deb and I had an AMAZING new years. We decided that we were going to rough it and camp out on Colorado Avenue - the main drag of the Rose Parade (which happens to be just two and a half blocks up from where we live!). We decided to scope out the territory around 1:30 on New Years Eve and it was already filling up. We were talking with one family that was camped out and part of the family happened to be from PA! Well - they just took us under their wing and told us to go get our stuff and camp out with them. it was AWESOME! They gave us their food, they gave us cots to sleep on, they even let us borrow marshmallows to throw at oncoming traffic (a pre-rose parade tradition). We were literally part of the family. IT WAS SOOOO FUN! There wasn't any organized New Years count down - we kinda all the sudden just started cheering and throwing more stuff. We didn't, or course, get much sleep and when we woke up at 6AM - there were 10x more people all around us then when we went to sleep. The parade was awesome! We had front row seats and could actually smell the floats. Debbie and I both felt that it was just so worth it! AND we made some new friends! Enjoy the some of the pictures!

So who knows what 2008 holds for us - but we'll certainly keep posted on everything! We love you all! God Bless you in this new year!

love,
timmy and deb

One more week!

Hey there everyone! We're getting excited! One week from tomorrow - we will be getting on an airplane at LAX and flying home to PENNSYLVANIA!!! We can't wait. I'll be honest though - it's so hard to believe that we've been here for 3 months already. How ridiculously fast time goes. It's really only felt like a couple of weeks. But we've been having a blast out here - so that probalby explains it. But we're excited to smell the sweet PA air, to enjoy some cold weather, and of course, to see the people we love most in this world! We'll be home for 8 days - four days in Harrisburg and four in Pittsburgh! We hope we get to see as many of you as possible!

Ok - well, that's it. A short one. We'll give you a better update once we see you - AT HOME!!!