UglyDolls

December 21, 2006   

a little too much Homer?

December 10, 2006   

3 weeks

December 9, 2006   

Lena is now 3 weeks old. It's hard to believe. At the same time we are getting used to her being around and it seems crazy that she's ONLY 3 weeks old. That number seems so small. She's still so new to this world. My favorite thing is waking up in the morning to find her next to me. I sleep deeply with the time I'm given so I often wake out of a dream, totally disoriented to find this little, beautiful baby snuggling next to me. The other day her eyes were open and she was just silently staring at me. It was a magical moment.
Right now the time of her needs cannot be anticipated so Jason and I are at the whim of the Lena coaster. We tag team during the night and often sleep until noon. Again, props to maternity leave. However, if we are to enter back into mornings, this cycle must be broken!
I must share with you one of my favorite Lena toys. Amanda bought her a snoozy pal. It's a sheep, it's stuffed, it snores, it's brilliant.

December 3, 2006   

Last night we took a walk to the cliffs and enjoyed a beautiful sunset. It was Lena's first glimpse of the ocean. It feels so good to be outside going for walks and slowly getting back into the swing of everyday life. After dinner we decided to go for a late coffee downtown. It was Lena's first trip to the Bean (Nancy would be proud). At two weeks old, she attracts mucho attention.

Kim, Lena, & Gram Triplat; Uncle Matt & Lena getting to know one another.

My mom came to stay with us last week. My parents were out of the country for Lena's birth and I wanted to make sure Mom had prime Lena time these first few weeks. We had a great visit laughing over my baby photos, sharing tips, making Christmas treats, shopping, and enjoying 5am coffee & conversation while up with Lena. It's fun to be growing closer to my mom over the years as we share more life experiences.
My brother, Matt, drove up on Friday to meet Lena. Doesn't she look excited in the photo? He & his wife Ashley have been very encouraging through my entire pregnancy and Lena's birth. They are stoked to finally have a niece, despite the fact Matt lost the gender bet with my dad! Jaythen and Jax are now the elder cousins around the Triplat pad. Christmas is going to be a treat this year!

new photos

November 28, 2006   

Yippee. More Lena photos. It's only the beginning of the maddness folks! Here's Lena this morning, 10 days old.

reading & listening

November 27, 2006   

Nightly shifts with Lena make for excellent reading times. Here's what were into.
Kim: Comatose by Skillet (check out the "Rebirthing" video) and The Birth of Venus by Sarah Dunant. hmm...seems I'm on an appropriate theme after giving birth.
Jason: The Odyssey by Homer and various Torrey Honors lectures. Jason is fond of listening to Homer on CD while reading through the texts. He makes me laugh. He & Lena were up listening to Torrey lectures when she was four days old.

thanksgiving

November 26, 2006   

Tom & Anastasia, Tresser Family on Thanksgiving

Were thankful for health, family, and Lena Jo. This year we had a wonderful Thanksgiving feast with Tom and Cathy Moller and Cathy's parents here in SB. It was our first outing with Lena. She was great and even let us stay out late to watch a movie with everyone. We are also thankful to have a break from work. I tend to run at a high speed, flying from one activity to the next. I'm a multitasker. I like to be efficient. I have a hard time napping, saying "no", and what I like to call lounging. Just isn't me. Maternity leave has been a breath of fresh air and Lena has forced me to slow my pace. Anyone seen the Santa Cruz "Slow Walker"? That's me. It's an answer to prayer to feel relaxed for once. To not worry about what I'm doing tomorrow and to take life one hour at a time. Odd that we feel so relaxed during one of the biggest changes in life.

I forgot to share the fabulous photos that Katie took of us a couple weekends ago -> pre-Lena. I avoided most preggie photo ops the last 9 months, so when Katie offered we agreed it would be fun. Check out the slideshow .

Baby Nugget has landed!

November 22, 2006   

Lena Josephine Tresser
Born Saturday, November 18th
7lbs 12 oz, 20in long

Baby Tresser is here! We are in complete awe of God's goodness. Lena is named after two people we adore, Jason's grandmother Lena Marjorie Eady Bleigh and my grandmother Bonnie Josephine Kiefer. We made it through eight days of labor (pre, early, active, whatever!) and the three of us are blessed beyond belief to be healthy and recovering quickly. Thank you for all your prayers and words of encouragement. We have lots of photos (thanks Grandpa Tresser!) so come back for updates.

the pattern is full

November 16, 2006   

To draw upon my years of flight lingo, Jason, Nugget, and I are currently stuck in a holding pattern awaiting the tower to allow us to land, a.k.a. prodromal labor. or pre-labor. Since last Friday I've had all the priviledges of contractions with little progress toward birthing a baby. It's completely frustrating and tiring. Jason has been such a calming spirit and stronghold. Without him, I think I would have shrivelled up and begged for medical induction already. It's the middle of the night and since I can't sleep I might as well type through the contractions.

Over the last few months, as I prepared my mind for natural labor & delivery, I found comfort & insight in three different texts I've been reading. Little did I know I was preparing for an intense week (maybe more?) of labor and I would find myself holding fast to these insights. First our homegroup is studying the book of James. The obvious parallel there being persevering through trials of various kinds. It's been completely new for me to think of birth as a trial. One that will stretch me in order to find joy amidst the struggle. "... because you know the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish it's work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything."

Second, The Contented Soul by McMinn. As Americans, living the "dream," we all too easily want an immediate cure for pain and suffering. Does suffering have value? "Progress that eases struggle is good, yet the paradox is that stuggle is also good, ... it builds fortitude... reminds us that we are not to live solitary lives..." It's not God's will that we suffer, but knowing that when we do, God is withus and will give us strength to endure. McMinn says, instead of trying to fix all discomforts, or escape boring or unpleasant tasks, she is striving to learn to respond virtously in each moment. We need to trust that God is doing something transformative through hardship. Jason's dad always says, "Don't waste your suffering." This little phrase, although difficult, has brought me comfort.

Finally, National Geographic Adventure magazine. Yep. It's always fascinated me to read about feats of endurance and wonder if I would have the strength and courage to make it through such ordeals. (adrift at sea for a week, stuck in the Alaskan cold for days, hurt, w/o food & water. And of course I'm reminded of the 2003 climbing film Touching the Void- crazy but intense.) Prodromal labor hasn't been life threatening, but a hard challenge indeed. Many friends said that labor and delivery has many parallels to running a marathon & I'd be fine - getting past the wall, keeping your mind active and encouraging, running through the pain, and keeping up energy intake when you don't want to drink any more water(!!) But, Jason and I have now have graduated to a multiple day endurance sport. It's just as much a mind game as a physical one waiting through pain, wondering when release will come. I can't wait to be on the other side of the finish line.

We pray that baby nugget comes quickly and safely! And for God's unmistakable peace and guidance amidst discouragement. We are holding fast to the knowledge that God is giving us a wedding gift. We get to meet our precious child at the end of the ordeal. (infinitely more than a finisher's medal)

Happy Birthday Mom!

October 31, 2006   

Best wishes mom. We will celebrate in November!
Here's me at 2 months old wishing mom a happy 30th birthday and dressed to impress the neighborhood. I wonder how much candy Dad was able to trick out of the neighbors for my cuteness? I resurrected this photo a couple years back to use in a photoshop retouching assignment. Fun. I highly doubt Jason will EVER dress our children in clown costumes. He has a thing about clowns. Interestingly he's a yo-yo, unicycling, tumblin', jugglin', accordian playin' man. If the biology thing doesn't work out we are hiring him out for 5-year-old birthday parties.

tea for 2

October 20, 2006   

Last weekend my Mom and my sis-n-law Ashley celebrated Baby Nugget with a Baby Shower Tea. It was an intimate gathering of people I love and don't get to see very often- namely Emily, Kerri, Sheila, and Becky. And... like close friends do, they spoiled us. The surprise of the weekend was an unexpected visitor from Seattle. My Aunt Ruth, whom I adore, flew down to spend the weekend with us. I had absolutely no idea and was speechless when I found her in the livingroom on Friday evening. It took me a spell to realize that she was the "friend" my mom spoke about helping to prepare for the tea. duh. Thank you Ashley and Mom!

Our second bedroom is now looking like we are expecting company. Little company. This adventure to baby-dom seems closer than ever with wee clothes, fuzzy blankets, and diapers piling up. After many showers for other people it's hard to imagine that the diaper cake I spy across the room (a la Ashley) was made for me. 35 weeks and counting.

more bliss

October 8, 2006   

Yesterday marked the last of Bridal Bonanza 2006. The ebb and flow of wedding maddness is interesting. Four out of seven of my close friends from bible study all tied their knots this past year. Incredible. Maybe it was the vanilla powder at the Bean? Stacy Keil and David Demmin could not have designed a more gorgeous Santa Barbara day. At the reception (Chase Palm Park) myself and fellow drive-by'ers were seated together at the "Flourless Chocolate Cake" table - a nod to Stacy's love of chocolate desserts. Katie and I flew solo without our men so we decided to pair up for the event. According to practice there was a pre-reception stop at 7-11 for you know what. (I can always count on Katie!) Nance and Jason were back in town which made me happy, however it's now ever so apparent they are living in Seattle. (tear) In addition to the Kauffmann family we now have one more reason to make that city a holiday destination. I must mention the best song of the evening... "Stacy's Mom" by Fountains of Wayne. Awesome day.

Of Fish and Men

October 2, 2006   

Matt, Jason, and Doug

Two Fridays ago the men in my life went deep sea fishing off Port Hueneme. They are all novices at the sport but quickly fell into conversation with some of the crew and other more skilled fishermen who taught them about the "deep sea" part. Apparently my dad was the winner of the three hooking 21, including a sheepshead. Mom and I met the guys in Ventura after a long day of baby registering (a sport in itself!) and got to hear all the stories. Tired, sunburnt and happy, they each brought home an ice cooler of fish for their wife. ahhh...if that isn't romantic...

because you asked nicely

September 26, 2006   

No one asks for photos when I get a new haircut or when I gain/lose a few lbs. Why when you become pregnant are people suddenly interested in a visual? As if you can actually see the baby. That would be cool! Honestly, I don't have many photos. Partly because I forget I'm pregnant half the time. Not to mention I'm just now starting to really look the part. I have a feeling that as I get bigger it will become more and more funny. And... it will become irresistible for Jason not to take silly photos. This one is from the beginning of Sept - Week 29.

the official word

September 25, 2006   

It's time to introduce our golden child. Please give a warm hand for Nugget Jr. (insert cheer) Right now I'm 32 weeks and growing. We are expecting to meet the kicker around November 20th, give or take 3 weeks. What does this mean for you? Well, tresser*ize will inevitably be taken over by proud parents and loads of photos of one particular munchkin. Hooray!

Where does "nugget" come from? Nugget is actually my nickname. Given to me by Stacy Keil, who deemed me the "golden nugget." Pretty soon after becoming pregnant "Baby Nugget" or "Nugget Jr." just seemed to fit and now it's a household name. Our household anyway.

Here are the obligatory "ultra-blurry" photos. If you can make out a "baby", +5 points.

       
Ultrasound shots from Week 21.

a few things

September 21, 2006   

Happy Thursday in the 3am hour. Something tells me this is going to be a regular mac romance. Here are a few items to discuss at the dinner table.

1. One of our favs, Nickel Creek, is planning a break at the end of 2007. Sad, but true. All we can say is you better plan a family outing!

"All three members say they are ready to expand their musical horizons by "getting a life. When you're on the road all the time and meet all these people who love your music, you can't always relate to them because stuff never happens to you. We're supposed to be writing songs that relate to other people," Sean Watkins says. "I need to be out there and having a different life than that. I ready to write about real things again."
-Billboard

2. And what's this waiting in the wings? Could it be a nice glass of H2O..."seanjon" to the rescue!

"So Jon Foreman and I [Sean] did 4 or 5 days of recording during our last little break from Nickel Creek touring. We've been writing songs for the last year or so and have been wanting to do a musical project for a while but it hard to find common time when Nickel Creek and Switchfoot are both off the road and at home..."

You can read about seanjon on Sean's myspace. We always wondered if these bands would collaborate seeing as how they grew up in the same neighborhood.

3. "The Chronic(What?)cles of Naria" Mr. Pibb + Red Licorice = Crazy Delicious!

4. On a truely sad note, have you seen the latest HP digi feature for joe-schmoe? Slimming-- "WIth the slimming feature anyone can appear more slender." Is this a joke? Does it fulfill consumer demand? Should we let the virtual market take over? argh! I'm down with photoshop, but why call it "slimming" & why does it need to be so convienent? More lies from the world.

5. Bodies need sleep. Go to bed.

wandering

September 5, 2006   

A co-worker sent me this photo today from National Geographic. The camels are the white lines and their shadows cast the large dark images across the sand. I dig aerial photography.

another good-bye for toad

September 1, 2006   

Two Wednesdays ago we saw Toad at Humprey's in San Diego along with Big Head Todd and the Monsters. Toad played first and although it was pretty mellow - it was heartfelt. That was the last for the band. Tear.
Glenn is taking a break and going to Europe with his family for the next year but it's nice to know that he's local and will still be around making music.

start of a new decade

August 31, 2006   

"30" has arrived! Since August 26th I now have the priviledge of ticking the 30 + category on all demographic surveys. woo hoo. I enjoyed a lovely, quiet Saturday birthday this year. None of this lame working on my birthday stuff like last year. Jason and I woke early and helped clean up the east-side with "Looking Good Santa Barbara" and a ton of local church folk. I highly recommend doing something completely selfless on your birthday. Why do birthdays have to be what other's do for you? That night we enjoyed Indian food with our friends Datie & Kan (Katie & Dan). It was a double birthday date with Katie-mister!
I've been taking a break from website posting. The self regulation was key in finishing up some overdue projects. I'm happy to announce that the church photo directory is done, printed, and in everyone's hot little hands. It was a nightmare to color correct 400 b/w photos, for printing at a copy shop. Probably not a piece for the portfolio. Let's just say my perfectionist tendencies had to be curbed.
So - now I'm back. And part-time. And ready to post. Although now I must go and meet Jason to babysit our godson Caleb and his lil bro Cruz. If we are lucky maybe we can tease out Cruz's hair! Think awesome, curly, blonde, 1-year-old, fro.

weekly musings

August 11, 2006   

1.Yann Arthus-Bertrand: Earth From Above. Spectacular photos of over 100 different countries using aerial photography. The beauty of the earth is unmistakable. He also has a larger website with info on his team, projects, and sustainable development which sprang out of his photography. Watch out - you can spend a fair bit of time on this site.

2. Radical Cartography: A maze of interesting maps and links. City Income Donuts, scale comparisons of the Isle of Manhattan (check out the comparison to LA - or for that matter - to Catalina Island!), and other fun linked sites such as 24 hour ship & plane tracking around the world.

3. RISEN: Still one of my favorite mags despite the fact it changed editorial staff about a year ago. Based in San Diego, I have to give props to the team for layout & content selection, not to mention stellar photography. (blame the design-snob in me.) The features are all interview style with a matching photo shoot.

"RISEN Magazine is a popular culture collage of exclusive interviews, photography, and design. Each interview cuts to the heart, revealing the belief systems and world views of the actors, artists, musicians, and athletes that we profile."

swiss chard smoothies?

July 26, 2006   

Salsa Man goes to great heights for the best ingredients.

We have to give props to the Haydens and their avacado-tree-of-plenty. It takes up a third of their backyard and supplies a good number of friends with a dose of vitamin C. Everytime we visit Jason fills his pockets with avacados and makes good on the "I'll help you move, if..." agreement with Josh and Jenna. Caleb is always nervous he's going to fall. I'm always nervous he's going to grab a powerline instead of a tree branch. Regardless, once ripe, Jason is the fresh salsa/guac man. Just look at his happiness slicing and dicing!
His other favorite menu item these days is swiss chard smoothies. Yes, no joke. Another influence of the Haydens. Some frozen strawberries, maybe a banana, juice, a dollop of yogurt or ice cream and a healthy handful of swiss chard. yummmm. Actually its not bad once you get used to the green flecks and plant taste. I'm a convert.

four green thumbs

July 25, 2006   

Tomato and Pepper Seedlings are next in line for harvest.

This season our favorite color is green! We are in the second summer of working the "family paradise plot." Currently we boast a fortress that has left all gophers, birds, voles, bunnies, and squirrels crying and happily eating other peoples food. Namely I give Jason credit for the great wall of ornamental garlic that currently parades around our plot dissuading invaders from attempting entry.

Current roll call: lettuce, spinach, swiss chard, pole beans, yellow squash, zucchini, 4 types of tomatoes, an assortment of peppers, green onions, yellow onions, and of course the herbs - dill, mint, chives, rosemary, basil, & cilantro.

Conglomeration of Procrastination

July 21, 2006   

A weekly dose.

1. Thanks Neil for alerting me to the fact that interpretive dancing needs to make a come back in the biology classrooms of America! And now it's your turn to take this rare chance to "participate in a molecular happening!" (Just keep watching through the prof's description at the beginning!)

2. Free podcast tours of LA. I know yawn, but you may discover something new... like culture in LA?

3. RandomShirts.com Thanks Katie. Two guys on a mission to "impact the world through business by generating $$ for those in need." Fun.

3 Candles for Caleb

July 4, 2006   

Last night Josh & Jenna & 15 friends celebrated Caleb's 3rd Birthday at Shoreline Park with a kite-flying party. In true Caleb fashion he was talkative & charming. The best part of every fairwell with Caleb is his anxious, "Where's Jason?" Okay, I admit, his favorite Tresser is obvious and well deserved. Jason is a kid magnet.

"Caleb is that soda?" "No that's Horchata."

Excellent Weather

July 3, 2006  

Friday night Nate & Cora came over for BBQ, and some harmless 'Settlers' action. I am now the reigning Master of Catan, thank you very much. I didn't really like the game until this turn of events. Hours later Christiane and Tim arrived at the wee hour of 2am. We had a fun-filled weekend with them lounging at the beach downtown, dining at the Palace - yum, and basically having a rip roaring SB time. Jason and Tim played a thrilling game of Tiddily Winks post BBQ Sunday night that left them longing to come back for more of the Goodland. Jason reacquainted himself with his pink kite on Saturday. The wind wasn't obeying so he only had a small bit of flying time.

Tresser*ize 2.1

June 24, 2006  

Who else was tired of a blue site? I'm the type who rearranged my room every 2 months as a kid so it's no surprise I need a fresh look.

Life is starting to slow down. I dropped a job, finished a graphics class, and we just returned from summer camp with our soon-to-be 10th graders. With only a single part-time job (EAP) to offically keep me busy I'm hoping to dive back into two things. Naps and creativity!

May was plain mad. It's hard to believe I had time to breathe. A few highlights --> Scott & Sarah's wedding, Brian & Laura's wedding (both here in SB) and visit with Jason's parents. Also, my friend Sherine moved back to SB and stayed with us for a little while. It's a treat that she's back in the US and I'm so thrilled that she and Emre are calling SB home. Also of note was Jason's reading list. Due to a back injury and lots of down time he finally conceded to the world of wizards and muggles in the Harry Potter series. Despite his positive review he still received a fair bit of teasing from his wife, who dressed as Hermione last Halloween. :)

And can it be... June. The last 6 months have been a blur. The most exciting June news thus far was the birth of Sophie Grace Smith. Born June 3rd at 1:24am. There she is. Congrats to Camille and Garry! Why aren't trips to London free?

May Showers

May 18, 2006  

When it rains ...
When life is busy tresser*ize gets neglected. Be back in June.

New Friends

April 28, 2006  

We have two new friends in the world! Annie Jean was born to Paul & Terri (& Elizabeth) early Saturday morning, April 15th. And just 24 hours later, on Easter morning, Korban Yeshuah, arrived to Kerri and Forest!
Hmm...a future prom date?

Space Saver

March 29, 2006  

Check out the cool German parkade. My dad forwarded me an email with this image last week and I was immediately captivated. After a bit of research I discovered the image is not a german public parking structure, although similar types exist in Dresden, but a storage tower for new Volkswagens at the Autostadt, in Wolfsburg, Germany. Jason and I have talked about how fun it would be to take delivery of our next car in Europe. Maybe one day we will get to experience the 20-story towers up-close and personal:

"At Autostadt, collecting your new car is an event in itself. The best idea is to begin that special day with a relaxing trip to Autostadt followed by a tour until the big moment arrives: In a fully automated procedure, your new car is brought down to you from one of the 20-story Car Towers. Large signboards in the Customer Center show you when your turn has come. Then, you're handed the keys, your picture is taken, the glass doors open and your brand-new car appears. You're all set to go."

Japan & Costa Rica

March 6, 2006  

In celebration of the recent Baseball World Classic winner Japan, 10-6 over Cuba, Jason and I have finally uploaded photos from our own venture to the land of the rising sun. In March '05 Jason went to Japan to work on his research through a grant provided by the Japanese Space Forum. I joined him after three weeks and we traveled to Himenji, Osaka, Kyoto, and Tokyo. So - after nearly a year of procrastination I've finally posted a few highlights from our trip. As an added bonus I found time to post photos from our more recent trip to Costa Rica. We highly recommend both countries! It was so groovy to get to see Panfilo and the beautiful countryside of CR. Enjoy!

  

What's Happening?

February 27, 2006  

Happy 30th Birthday Camille! London is so far away, I wish I could celebrate with you.

It's been hard to keep up the website lately. There are so many things I want to add, fix, improve, etc. My creative energies have been occupied with a final project for my InDesign class, among other things. The good news is I am very close to posting our Japan and Costa Rica photos. It's hard to pick your favorites among hundreds of memories. As soon as I can get Jason to identify some of the characters from Japan we will be in business. Meanwhile I thought I'd post some images of our February.


Dan & Katie's Wedding, the 4th

Mike & Lisa's Wedding, the 11th

Game Night & Jolley Apple Dumples with Chris & Michelle, Valentines's Day Rose

Celebrating Toby's Birthday at Disneyland

iLife

February 6, 2006  

Life is full in 2006. Visitors, weddings, classes, small groups, work! No wonder we are tired. Good times. Last weekend we were priviledged to attend Katie & Dan's wedding. It was gorgeous (two thumbs up for a stained-glass church) and so much fun. We feel like we have arrived! We have lived here long enough to see a relationship blossom and attend our first SB wedding. Quite the mile marker. And as any good wedding deserves, we celebrated with slurpees! Straight Cherry with a topper of Pina Colada. yum. Jason had a full strength Pina Colada.

If I haven't mentioned it before I'm hooked on Yahoo Music. Every day is new. My latest craze is Eisley. Texas, family-band, unique sound, voice. Just dig 'em. Back in '03 they opened for no less than Coldplay. not bad. And these days I believe they are touring with Switchfoot. Also spinning - Plumb, Kutless, Frou Frou, DC4C.

The Grand Inquisitor On Stage

January 7, 2006  

Last night I took Jason to see "The Brothers Karamozov" at [INSIDE] THE FORD. The novel is one of our favorites so it made a stellar Christmas gift. The Circle X Theatre Company did an incredible job. Who wouldn't with a vision like this:

"CIRCLE X is a non-profit ensemble theatre company dedicated to highly provocative and boldly theatrical productions of new & rarely-seen plays. We believe in imagination over budget, adrenaline over inertia and excellence over all. Through art and action we cultivate a better community."

The Ford theatre space seats 87 people total, however, you would have thought the company was showcasing to hundreds. It was intimate & well directed. We particularly enjoyed John Getz who played Fyodor, The Judge & the Devil. Four thumbs up! It runs through early February for all you Dostoevsky fans.

2006, Year of the Dog

January 1, 2006  

The apple cider was flowing this New Year's Eve. We rang in the New Year with our high school students from the youth group. It was a sweet black & white themed house party with all the trimmings.

It's fun thinking about what the new year holds for the Tressers of Goleta. a move? a new job? new friends? new stories? new york? newcastle? Going to this party was another reminder that God not only wants us to be a part of these students lives but that he wants them to be a part of our lives.

Previous entries --> 2005