Shake the Shadow's Big Night

As you all are probably very aware, Saturday night was Treehouse Sanctum's big night!

 

All of my obnoxious marketing and unashamed plugs finally paid off.

 

Oh, and their hard work, countless hours, crazy talent and blood, sweat and tears did too.

 

It was an amazing night!

 



 

It's not everyday you see your band's name on a sign. Nope.

And all those people you see? They were waiting in line for pizza because this past weekend just happened to be Denver's St. Patrick's Day weekend celebration. And these people had been partying hard since 9:00 am and nothing screams "I am already hungover and need my second wind" like pizza.

You guys, it was a constant stream of crazy outside. Men were running around like grown toddlers, doing anything for attention, and women were wobbling around in high heels looking like drunk giraffes who desperately needed a shower and the Bible.

And when you add the occasional fight, argument, tantrum, face-plant and overall lack of coordination, the night was ripe for entertainment and poor choices.

However, there was a lot happening inside!

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For instance, these two: the heart, soul and drive behind Treehouse Sanctum. This was their big night!

 

 

 

 

And you can't forget the moms. Here is one of them with her firstborn. She sold t-shirts and handed out CDs like only a mom could do.

 

 

 

 

And here I am with half of the band. I admit, I was proud.

 



 

 

 My home girl Tara and I. We ate pizza and talked about selling t-shirts with the best of them.

Here is my favorite trumpet player. He was home just for the concert and layed down some sweet notes for a few of the songs. Double proud.

 

 

And here is 4/7 of our family.

 

 

 

 

After two great opening bands, Treehouse Sanctum hit the stage. And let me tell you, they were in it to win it. They played and sang their hearts out. And as the night went on, the crowds kept growing.

 

A blurry father/son shot.

 

 

Jam session.

 

 

 

 

Dancing crowds.

 

 

 

And this? Well, it could be one of my most favorite pictures ever. Play on, Daddio!

By 11:00, Treehouse Sanctum called it a night and the last band went on to close the show. Hundreds of people came, hundreds of dollars were raised for the Denver Rescue Mission and one very hard-working band got to usher in a new phase in their musical career.

It was music magic.

A huge special thanks to those who came far and wide to attend: Nadine, Mike, Bev, Mandy, Robyn, Gretchen, Chrystal, Tara, Alethea, Doug, Colleen, Ryan, Loren and Denise. You are pretty groovy.

And don't worry, I'll keep posting updates about Treehouse Sanctum. They deserve the shout-outs.

Besides, Treehouse Sanctum may need to open for me when I have my own cooking/talent/variety show. Hey, it could happen.

The Album Release Concert of Awesomeness

You guys. It is here. The big bash, the big night, the big concert to celebrate their album release: "Shake the Shadow."

And I could not be more excited for Treehouse Sanctum.

And can I tell you something? I have heard an early release copy of their album and it is freaking great.

FUH-REAKING GREAT.

I'm not making that up. You guys know that they pay me in high-fives to promote them. Their album is beautiful and soulful and fun and creative and amazing. There's even been some buzz:

“Shake the Shadow is Colorado proud . . . Steady guitar work and soulful lyrics dominate the music and leave a pleasant taste in the ear of the listener.” Tim Wenger, Colorado Music Buzz Magazine


“The art of the song is not lost on Treehouse Sanctum, who seem to explore new and interesting ways to harness the beautifully rich vocal palette of Rymer and Prado, with each subsequent track they produce.” Markus Greybeard, Literati Records


“That girls voice is kickin’.” Trevor O’Connor, Trevor Rocks Denver

I guess they are totally legit now.

And now here is the fun part: you are invited to the party!

YES YOU ARE! You are invited to the big, honking party that will rock downtown Denver for one glorious night on March 15. You do not want to miss this.

Details:
Who: Treehouse Sanctum with awesome guests
When: March 15
Where: Marquis Theater (2009 Larimer Street, Denver)
Time: 7:00 pm
Cover: $8
**All proceeds from the Shake the Shadow album will be donated to the Denver Rescue Mission.



I will be there. Treehouse Sanctum will be there. My dad will be there. Others will be there. You should totally be there.

Like Stretchy Pants

I spent this past weekend in Oklahoma, the land of my birth, the home of my soul, the source of my twang.

This trip was fast but filled to the brim of everything I love. We ate a lot, we talked even more and we sat around looking at each other, soaking up all that we had missed and everything we had experienced together.

Our discussions included (but were not limited to): pizza, nude beaches, Alamosa, cupcakes, OU football, the 4th of July, my grandpa, hair, gray hair, ping pong, cheating at board games, children, church, chips and queso, sleep apnea, Sonic milkshakes, colonoscopies, chickens and pregnant cows.

You know, typical.

Oh, and we also talked about my dating life, which is always awesome.

I may even say this was my favorite trip, and that's saying a lot, especially since we have had some epic talent shows, golf tournaments and Velveeta dips. This mini-reunion was like wearing your favorite pair of stretchy pants: comforting, familiar and forgiving.

Long live stretchy pants. And long live my family.

Dear Me at 33

Dear Me,
You survived 33.

You have more wrinkles. And your gray hairs now require more than just tweezers. You can't stay up late like you used to and the thought of having a night at home in your PJ's is almost equal to a night away dancing.

Almost.

You have battle scars from this year. It beat you up a little. It made you fight to be more of who you are. It made you grieve over things not yet happened, over too many things that went awry and it made you long for the the Home in which you were created.

You learned how to make the salted caramel sauce that has completely revolutionized your life.

You de-cluttered, simplified, and ate a lot of quinoa. You lost weight, gained weight and then lost it again (almost).

You had some unbelievably great cooking classes, completely void of food poisoning, house fires or blood. You realized that food is more than just something to eat, it a vehicle for friendship, comfort, culture and love.

You went on a few horrendous dates.  And then you had a few really good ones. They almost balance out except for the guy who looked like serial killer.

You now have to sleep with an oxygen machine. It is zero percent sexy.

You had to release a few of your dreams and plans. This was the hardest part of your year as you wrestled and waited and wrestled some more. God brought you to a place of heartache and then you (eventually) allowed Him to help you rebuild something new and better.

You have been blown away by high school students who know more about the Bible than you do.

Your car is still running. That will always be a highlight to any year.

You spent three days on the beach by yourself and it was exactly what you needed...especially when the Navy SEALS ran by.

Your friendships grew deeper, richer, became more valuable. You saw God work through people who then worked through you.

You cried over a boy. I hate when that happens, but you did. And he wasn't worth it.

You spent an entire day with your nephew and you found yourself completely in awe of who he is becoming: one part child, one part young man.

You became a bigger fan of your dad, more amazed at your mom, a more obnoxious cheerleader of your siblings and a better friend to yourself.

You survived year 33, but let's conquer 34. You are more than a conqueror in Him.


With great anticipation,
You

Shades of Blue - A Treehouse Video

Treehouse Sanctum is wrapping up their last song in the recording studio and are in the process of planning their big record launch!

Can I get a "Woot Woot?!"

Here is a glimpse behind the scenes of what it takes to make one of their songs, kids and all. It is totally a toe-tapping song.



Shades of Blue from Treehouse Sanctum on Vimeo.


Check them out on Facebook. I dig 'em.

Thanks

I love this week. I think I love the anticipation of Thanksgiving more than Christmas. I am pretty sure it has something to do with expectations and the lack-there-of for this upcoming holiday. You basically just have to show up and eat.

I can handle that.

As I think about this week, I am especially thankful for this guy:

He gets to come home this year. Noodles, Grandparents' Day, raking leaves, setting up a Christmas tree, pecan pie and his own bed are in his future. I cannot wait.

I am giving a big thanks for this kid, who although shot me in the forehead with a Nerf gun yesterday, is still young enough to cuddle and old enough to realize he has a very important place in our family.

I would be remiss if I didn't tell you that these two lovebirds are finally going on their long-awaited honeymoon. They deserve it, even if they do gross me out with their public displays of affection. It's out of control.

And of course there is Ferris Bueller my older brother, who is still thankful for all those who helped make his debut album dreams come true.

I am thankful for that too because now I won't have to sell a kidney for that to happen.

I am grateful beyond words for all those who have given me love and money for butter with Gourmet Girl to Go. I have had a blast with you in the kitchen!

 

I am thankful for more, like a car that is currently running and hot water in my shower. But for now, I'll just leave it at these. It is more than enough for this girl.

Four Black Suburbans

Last night I dreamt that I was going to jail.

Needless to say, it was stressful.

I tried to run, scream, explain my way out of the situation. At one point, I even put on a disguise and tried to slip out of town.

Nothing worked.

Finally, four black suburbans parked in front of my house. Men in dark suits with sunglasses approached my door. I let them in and then proceeded to bake them cookies.  (I bake in times of crisis. True story.) After they ate a few, they took me away in handcuffs.

And then my alarm went off. I have never been more thankful for my alarm. (Actually, I have never ever been thankful for my alarm.)

I woke up tired, sad and relieved. Isn't it strange how dreams do that to you? I felt like I had just fought a battle and waded through the loss of what my life would/could/should look like.

It seemed so tragic yet strangely familiar.

So, I called my dad.

And do you know what he said? He said, "Sarah, stop watching all of those shows on TV with black suburbans and men in black suits. It's not good for you."

A voice of reason from one on the inside.

Carr

I have the best brother-in-law in the world. He makes my sister oh-so happy, and for that, he makes the rest of us happy too.

Ten days after he married Claire, Carr stood before the judge and told him how much he admired my dad. He spoke with authority, never wavering in his conviction, about a man he barely knew but would defend with all his might. And as a navy chaplain whose heart and mind were created to both lead and serve, he has stepped into our family, often leading with words of compassion, wisdom and truth and serving with humility and patience.

Or in other words, he stepped into our freak show and has not looked back.

That is a rare man, indeed.

So, to honor this man who volunteered to join our family, we decided to celebrate his birthday in the only way we knew how: hurtling ourselves down a mountain.

My dad was home over the weekend so we took advantage of family togetherness and warm weather and headed up to Heritage Square to do a friendly race down the alpine slide.

Dad and I on the chair lift. Don't be fooled, I am really not that tan.

The course. It's intense.

 

We may look all nice and smiley but there was some serious smack-talk happening.

 

 

Mandy, Sam and Carr lined up and ready. They wouldn't let them go in tandem, something about mangled limbs and lawsuits, but they did try to catch up with each other.

(Between that picture and the next, 3 minutes of my life went by. It was exhilarating and only twice did I think I was going to fly off the side of the mountain and die.

I would call that a successful trip.)

At the end, I made in time to see Noah coming to a stop. He only rode on the fast track. Whatever. I was totally that brave when I was eight.

 

 

And here comes my dad, or as I like to call him, The Runaway Felon.

 

 

And here is the group shot. My dad is slightly hidden but that's okay, it was Carr's birthday and he can stand where he wants. A successful day in every way: no injuries and 3 minutes of awesome.

Happy, happy birthday, bro-in-law. I think we'll keep you.

 

The Airport

It is October! Somehow we have made it through 3/4 of this year and here we sit, with the holidays before us and the summer behind us. It amazes me that we are here already.

October also signifies the second anniversary of my dad being in Alamosa. He is still there, by the way.

Somehow we hit a routine this summer. For a girl who thrives on routine, this is a very welcome change. He comes home once a month for 72 hours and we go down there once a month for a day filled with chips, salsa and Walmart. It is in no way normal; it is bizarre down to its roots. But it has become familiar and there is a strange comfort in the familiar.

I realize that I rarely write about this journey, partly because of this new routine and partly because I do not always have the words. But, for the next month, I want to share the big and small ways God has kept us afloat, kept our noses barely above water, for the past 23 long months. These are His stories and His stories must be shared.

***

It is 460 miles round trip to Alamosa. That is seven hours on the road, any way you slice it. Thankfully, you have the Great Plains and one very long mountain pass to keep you entertained. Oh, and there is a Taco Bell.

However, there is an airport in Alamosa. AN AIRPORT. The chances of this town having an airport are slim to none, especially since they only have one Starbucks and zero Targets, all the things that point towards civilization and modernity. But yet, there it is, in the middle of a valley, exactly 100 yards from Camp Alamosa.

There just so happens to be direct flights in and out of Denver everyday, and one combination in particular allows for a 72-hour window. Exactly 72 hours.

When does that ever happen in your schedule? I'll tell you when: never. It never happens.

The drives down there and back (x2) would definitely cost more than a plane ticket. And it would inevitably mean that a person is taking a day off of work each month to drive down and pick him up. When you combine that with traffic, bad weather and the possibility of car trouble, his 72 hour furlough would become more like 50. And trust me when I say this: that his a huge difference!

Somehow, in some way, God placed my dad in a location that would allow for 72 hours of normalcy every month in the most cost-effective, time-maximizing way. And he allowed for this airport to be walking distance from his residence. He can literally walk to the airport and hop on a plane.

God took something mundane, like planes and cars and roads and airways, and made them miraculous to us. And this does not go unnoticed each and every month.

The Trumpet Player



Sam, Danya and the Treehouse Sanctum posse had a great show on Friday night! They came ready to rock in their rock/indie/folk/Americana sort of way.

 

 

They busted out some of my favorites and brought in a few new ones, like "The Cup Song", "I Think We're Alone Now," and a brand new one that Sam wrote.

And to help him play that new song, he brought in a musician all the way from Alamosa.

Big D.

Sam sent my dad this new song last week via email and he learned to play it by ear. They practiced it right before the show.

And they NAILED IT.

I cannot tell you how happy this made me.

 

Really, really happy.

 

Since he is now a part of the band, I am hoping the powers-that-be in Alamosa will see this as a new work-release program. I am sure it will go over well since musicians have such great reputations for staying out of trouble.



But stranger things have happened.

Treehouse Sanctum and A Special Guest

Hey hey, party people!

I know I have already posted about Herb and his ability to represent. But I have more words to share.

**SHOCKER!!**

(Actually, it is kind of a shocking since this summer is now known as The Summer I Had Nothing To Do But Sit In My Funk.)

(But, I digress.)

Treehouse Sanctum will be playing at Paris on the Platte this Friday night. They have played there multiple times and I have now decided it is my favorite venue. It is casual, fun, relaxed, with good parking and no cover charge. And they have great food.

So, you're invited.

And as an added bonus: my dad will be in attendance.

He is in town this weekend (which, you know, completely boggles the mind. Thank you, Correctional System.) and will be joining in on the festivities with Treehouse Sanctum.

I can't even handle the anticipation.

Can't. Even. Handle.

So, here are the details:

Who: Treehouse Sanctum and other musical geniuses
When: Friday, August 23
Where: Paris on the Platte
Time: 8:00

Be there.

Or be somewhere else.

But hopefully there.

And the Trophy Goes To...

Do you remember when I said that my family was having a miniature golf tournament? I think I mentioned duct tape and a trophy were involved. Between work and a general lack of will, I never updated you on the results. It was neck and neck until the bitter end.

I will just tell you now that this was one of the most fun things my family has ever done. Trust me, if you want to have a good time, just go throw some boards together, add a water hazard and dig a few holes in your yard.

Not wanting to leave you hanging, I thought I would show you just how impressive our course turned out to be.

Correction: I may have gotten the word "impressive" confused with "ghetto fabulous."

Behold. The Course:

 

 

(Try not to be intimidated by our engineering genius.)

 

The Prize:

 

 

 

 A few of the players:

 

 

 

The game was intense. And brutal. And hilarious. No clubs were thrown but there were a few disputes about the score. The good part was that you maxed out at 10 strokes per hole. The bad part was that some holes required at least 15. (I'm talking to you, Hole #2.)

 

The game was close. As evident by the scoreboard, I had the lowest score for the first round, which I consider a minor miracle.

However, like all good professional backyard miniature golf tournaments, a playoff round was necessary for the top three players. So Sam, Noah and I hit up three more holes.

By the end, only one true champion emerged, and he gave a speech during the trophy ceremony and thanked his fans.

 

 

 

 

All in all, it was a highly successful, extremely robust game of homemade miniature golf. The yard is back to normal, Noah has found a spot for his trophy and we are already plotting next year's holes. It looks like this has now become a Father's Day tradition.

 

Good luck to whomever I marry, apparently "Miniature Golf Hole Construction and Execution" is now part of the criteria.

 

 

The Gateway Weekend

This could be my most favorite weekend of the entire year. It is the kick-off to all things warm and wonderful.

Here are a few things I would like to accomplish:

Eat some watermelon.

Wear flip flops.

Attempt to tan.

Ride a bicycle.

Sleep in late.

Bake a cake.

Drink some coffee.

Laugh.

See my dad.

I hope your weekend is full of everything wonderful. Happy Memorial Day weekend, my friends.

Valedictorian

Yesterday, my dad had a review with his case manager. It appears that regular assessments are of utmost importance down there...unless of course they decide they aren't anymore. They tend to change their minds quite frequently.

Anyway, I am here to tell you that my dad has the best report card of anyone at Camp Alamosa.

In fact, he has the best report card of anyone in over nine years.

Way to go, Pops!

Not only are you Student Body President, you are also Valedictorian.

Good Monday Morning

Hello peeps (and no, not the marshmallow kind)!

Today is the day where all things pastel and sugary are thrown into the garbage, never to be seen again. Not even an evening binge and the very strong desire to pilfer through the trash will bring those suckers back into my home. It is time to focus on summer and trying not to actually look like an inflated, chocolate-covered version of myself.

Speaking of which, that would not be pretty. Nope.

Easter around my house was blissful. March was not the easiest month. In fact, I am really happy to see it leave. But this past weekend was filled with things I had been craving: stability, rest and comfort. My dad was able to come home for the weekend, the first time since Christmas. His time went by way too fast but there are no words to express how much peace his presence brings. For a few hours, there was a sense of normalcy. I'll take that any day.

We also ate a lot of bacon.

And I watched a Duck Dynasty marathon. Nothing says Resurrection Sunday quite like Phil Robertson preaching the Word in camouflage. Hands down, that could be my favorite show on TV right now. And call me crazy, but I think I could marry a man with beard. But then again, that could just be the sugar detox talking.

I have also found a new nail polish color that I am just LOVING. It is currently on my toes and if it weren't for the snow/rain/hail/sunshine mix we are forecasted for today, I would be wearing some sort of sandal just to show them off. It is called "Brisk Blue" and it is summer in a bottle:

I implore you buy this. In the insightful words of Uncle Si, it will make you happy, happy, happy.

Yeah, perhaps I need a camouflage detox too.

My Dusty Brain and His Holy Presence

"Where is God in the midst of this season, Sarah? He could easily make things different for you and your family."

I got this question and statement yesterday. In the midst of this season with my dad and all the many things that are impacted by his indefinite detainment, I have often asked the question myself: Where is He?

There is so much weight behind that plea.

In my mind, I can picture myself having coffee with Jesus and asking question after question, being enlightened, intrigued and humbled by his patient answers. And in some ways, I think He does that with us: slowly enlightening us on who He is and how He works.

In other ways, He remains silent because there are some things that my dust-made brain cannot comprehend. His plan is too big, too involved, too complex to fathom. And knowing that, He uses these seasons to show me that faith is not simply a formula (there was no formula for him crawling upon a cross for the sake of the world). Nor is faith dependent on getting what you want, like some celestial game show in the sky.

Faith is believing in what is not seen. And right now, I do not see God.

Sheesh. That is a big statement for me.

However, as much as I want to stomp my foot and throw a gigantic toddler fit (toddler fits are not pretty when you are 33), I either simply believe that He loves, He fights, He knows or I don't.

The complexity of my emotions are not that simple but the act of me choosing is.

Simple does not equal easy. Yet it does mean that all the extra stuff, extra fluff crowding my mind can fall away. And all I am left with, all I need to be left with, is whether or not I believe in a Jesus who has never left me.

Some days, I wholeheartedly do.

Other days, it takes me a while.

But at the end of the day, my hope is that I not only choose to believe it, but I wallow in it.

So, when the next person asks me, "Sarah, where is God in all of this?" I can simply say that I do not exactly know.

But I am choosing to believe that He is there, working, waiting, planning, perfecting. And my dusty little pea-brain can only hope that I see Him soon.

FAQ's for the FC - Part 2

Occasionally, I get a few questions thrown my way. Most are by friends or cousins, but sometimes I will run into someone who reads this blog and wants to know a little more. As you may have noticed, I am a bit wanting in the news department, so I am dedicating today's post to everything you never wanted to know about me.

Stand back, people.

1. Have you cut your hair yet?
No. I have chickened out for the moment. I think that is largely due to the fact that it acts as insulation during these frigid winter days. And also because I am not quite ready to part with it. It is curling rather nicely these days.

2. Do you have any trips coming up soon?
I wish! At the moment, I have nothing on my itinerary. A trip to Oklahoma may be in order soon but I won't need my passport for that. I think.

3. Are you dating anyone right now?
[Le sigh.]

No. Are you?

4. How is Gourmet Girl to Go going?
GGtG is going great! I have a couple of catering events coming up and few cooking classes on the calendar. The website is almost finished, which I will be happy to share with you once it is complete. The only problem I am facing is what to do with all of my baking experiments, besides, you know, eating them all.

5. How is your dad?
My dad is doing very well. It has been 17 months. Can you believe it? I am planning on visiting him this weekend and taking him a gift: my taxes. I am just trying to do my part in keeping things as normal as possible around here.

6. What were your favorite dresses from the Oscars this year?
Oooooh! Tough question! Since Vicki and I were "stranded" in Philadelphia and were "forced" to watch the entire four-hour show plus the red carpet arrivals, I would say that I was particularly fond of Charlize Theron's dress, followed closely by Jessica Chastain's. To round out the top three, I would have to pick my girl Jennifer Garner. I loved the purple ruffle in the back. And no, I did not think she looked like a dinosaur. What were yours?

7. Have you ever thought of writing a book?
Yes, and I would call it "Awkward" because that is exactly what it would be. Honestly, I have never truly thought about it. I have very funny family stories and a few crazy traveling stories but I have no idea what I would actually write about, as evidenced by this blog. But thank you for the question, your esteem of my writing abilities is humbling, although completely delusional.


So there you have it. Enlightenment running amuck! Happy Tuesday to you.

The Tuesday That I Thought Was Monday

As you may have guessed in my title, I woke up thinking that today was Monday. I know that does not make any sense since we just lived through Monday, but I did not have to work yesterday so I must have just thought that yesterday was my second Sunday.

However, can you imagine my SHEER DELIGHT when I realized that today is actually Tuesday?! It's the small things, people, that help us get through our days. Even days that we thought we had already lived or had not yet lived or were living twice.

This weekend was all about catching up with friends, catching up on laundry and catching up on sleep. I took Friday off from work as a day to recover from our marathon of meetings in the last two weeks. I tried to lay as horizontal as possible for most of the day, with the exception of eating pancakes with my girl Tara.

Saturday, my mom and I trekked to Alamosa where we spent time with my dad. Alamosa is known as one of the coldest towns in Colorado but thankfully the day was beautiful and you could actually enjoy walking outside. I have come to greatly appreciate the Walmart in Alamosa. Not only is it the only place to shop, but it also has items that I cannot find anywhere else, like cinnamon chips (for this amazing recipe) and cupcake liners that look like soccer balls.

Again, it is the small things that make our world a better place.

Sunday, I finally did a few loads of laundry. I also nearly got bucked off the elliptical machine while I was trying to text (thanks a lot, Melissa) and went to a crazy delicious restaurant with my great friend Sara. Since I knew I did not have to work yesterday, I stayed up way too late eating ice cream and finally finishing the West Wing series. I always hate ending a series. I feel like I have lost some close friends who I know are completely imaginary. But still, goodbyes are never easy.

Monday dawned bright and early with a few work emails, a breakfast burrito with Lizzy and a quick drive up to see Sam and Noah. Noah also had the day off and Sam was working from home. When I left, I wished them all a very happy President's Day in which Noah promptly replied, "You have made this the best President's Day of my life."

And then my heart melted into a puddle and I died.

The rest of the day was spent grocery shopping, vacuuming, having a quick but wonderful meal with Melanie, Bible study and making a chocolate ganache tart for a birthday party. I don't think the presidents thought that the day set aside to celebrate their collective birthdays would be filled with vacuuming and tarts, but what they don't know won't kill them, right?

Tomorrow, I head out to the bustling city of brotherly love, also known as Philadelphia. My colleague and I are recruiting for job positions overseas and will return on Sunday. Since Dowtown Abbey has concluded for the year, (which, by the way, WHAT THE HECK, Julian Fellowes!?) my goal is to go to bed early and sleep until Easter. If that actually happens, eat a marshmallow peep for me.