the telephone pole

First haircut & lollipop

2011-04-02T17:20:00.001-05:00

Packed and ready to go

2010-08-18T10:15:00.001-05:00

Spending the day w/ mom n dad

2010-08-07T15:58:00.001-05:00

Went to the farmer's market. No shade in 98 degree weather. J's cheeks show that he's hot.

Casual dining

2010-07-31T10:25:00.001-05:00

Skype me!

2010-07-25T14:31:00.001-05:00

2010-06-26T13:35:00.001-05:00

Sleepy after weekend trip to the hill country.

Birthday car

2010-06-24T19:39:00.000-05:00

30 3/4" L, 22.9 lbs, (75th%, 50th%)

2010-06-24T18:02:00.001-05:00

Happy first birthday!

2010-06-22T21:04:00.000-05:00

Kissing fishy face

2010-06-20T21:07:00.000-05:00

Banana monster (watch after 'Banana boy')

2010-06-13T20:33:00.000-05:00

Banana boy

2010-06-13T18:37:00.000-05:00

Makin copies

2010-06-10T13:29:00.000-05:00

New chair, new sandals

2010-06-03T17:08:00.001-05:00

Army crawling

2010-06-02T11:02:00.000-05:00

First Japanese food

2010-05-29T14:08:00.000-05:00

Josiah and his buddy Judah

2010-05-23T07:18:00.001-05:00

Packing up the house

2010-05-21T14:28:00.001-05:00

Chicken 'n broccoli

2010-05-17T15:55:00.000-05:00

2010-05-12T19:10:00.000-05:00

Yummy avocado

Clapper

2010-05-10T18:46:00.000-05:00

Dinner in Orlando

2010-05-06T17:25:00.001-05:00

Florida morning

2010-05-04T06:36:00.000-05:00

Belly laughs

2010-05-03T12:43:00.000-05:00

Heading to Campus Crusade headquarters

2010-05-03T06:55:00.000-05:00

Story time

2010-04-28T14:12:00.000-05:00

HipstaPrint

2010-04-28T13:32:00.001-05:00

Shot with my Hipstamatic for iPhone
Lens: John S
Film: Kodot Verichrome
Flash: Off

Redhead

2010-04-27T18:51:00.001-05:00

Wildflowers a block from our house

2010-04-23T12:52:00.000-05:00

10 months old today!

2010-04-22T17:04:00.001-05:00

swinging baby video (test)

2010-04-21T21:41:00.001-05:00

thrilling footage!

Gma & baby

2010-04-20T10:51:00.001-05:00

Beach hat fashion show

2010-04-19T12:45:00.001-05:00

Swing baby swing

2010-04-19T00:35:00.001-05:00

big boy bath

2010-03-27T08:50:00.002-05:00

is there something on my face?

2010-02-23T15:40:00.003-05:00

mango mustache.

bath time

2010-02-14T18:19:00.004-05:00

close up (w/ pacifier)

2010-01-28T19:16:00.002-05:00

baby sitter

2010-01-17T19:59:00.003-05:00

Merry Christmas!

2009-12-25T14:23:00.003-05:00

from: Baby Santa

young man winter

2009-12-21T21:12:00.003-05:00

coming soon: Santa Baby!

sleepy giggles

2009-12-02T21:40:00.002-05:00

Sorry the video is so dark!

Billy Josiah Bob

2009-11-09T20:15:00.003-05:00

first halloween!

2009-11-03T18:10:00.005-05:00

mommy and her boy

2009-10-27T19:36:00.003-05:00

Thanks to our friends who got us the ERGO baby carrier!

weekend outing

2009-10-20T09:57:00.001-05:00

happy boy

2009-10-15T08:45:00.001-05:00

chilling in his room

2009-10-14T19:11:00.003-05:00

catching up

2009-10-08T17:07:00.008-05:00

birthday-

month one-

month two-

month three-

more pics and videos coming soon...

first baby pic

2009-03-21T12:49:00.005-05:00

Yesterday we had the anatomical sonogram to make sure everything is moving right along with this little one growing inside of me. It was so exciting and emotional. For some reason it feels more real than before (despite the size of my belly). Good news is that everything is right on track. Healthy baby and healthy mama. The baby was so active it was difficult for the sonographer to get a good image for a 3-D photo because the baby has to be still. I like it though.

december emusic downloads

2008-12-25T18:29:00.002-05:00

albums of note:

➀Both the Rilo Kiley and Tokyo Police Club albums arrived at emusic with the new addition of Saddle Creek Records.

➁The Welcome Wagon is a great new band consisting of a Presbyterian minister and his wife. They produce some beautiful Christian music with the help of Sufjan Stevens. Do yourself a favor and check out their music and read their story here.

➂Of the four Christmas albums I downloaded I'm really into the Rosie Thomas and Shawn Lee releases.

Merry Christmas!

Albert Collins, Robert Cray & Johnny Copeland - Showdown

Mal Waldron Quintet - The Git Go - Live At The Village Vanguard

My Brightest Diamond - A Thousand Shark's Teeth

Rilo Kiley - The Execution of All Things

The Stills - Oceans Will Rise

Tokyo Police Club - Elephant Shell

Welcome Wagon - Welcome to the Welcome Wagon

❄Christmas Music❄

Over the Rhine - Snow Angels

Petula Clark - Christmas Cards

Rosie Thomas - A Very Rosie Christmas

Shawn Lee's Ping Pong Orchestra - A Very Ping Pong Christmas: Funky Treats From Santa's Bag

general theology reading list

2008-12-15T17:22:00.003-05:00

a friend requested a list of suggested reading for further theological study. it is obviously not a comprehensive list, but choosing a few of these selections should provide ample study material. i hope this helps.

click on the book covers to be directed to the book info @wtsbooks.com.

november emusic downloads

2008-12-05T13:30:00.007-05:00

albums of note:
*A couple of new songs from David Bazan.
*Billy Harper's Black Saint which arrived on emusic with the huge drop of the Black Saint/Soul Note jazz labels.
*An amazing blend of Arab music and jazz from Rabih Abou-Khalil.

Aaron Thomas - Follow The Elephants

Bo Carter - Banana In Your Fruit Basket

David Bazan - American Flags

Great Lake Swimmers - Bodies And Minds

Horse Feathers - House With No Home

Billy Harper - Black Saint

Junior Kimbrough - All Night Long

Kuldeep Purewal - Make Or Break

Rabih Abou-Khalil - Blue Camel

Stars - Sad Robots

october emusic downloads: part ii

2008-11-20T22:38:00.003-05:00

i had to do a lot of downloading in october thanks to the circuit city sale on emusic cards. hard to beat 8¢ a track!!

Steinski - What Does It All Mean? - 1983 2006 Retrospective

+/- - Xs On Your Eyes

The Perishers - Let There Be Morning

Mother Mother - O My ♥

Albert King - I'll Play The Blues For You

Juliana Hatfield - Beautiful Creature

Frightened Rabbit - Liver! Lung! FR!

Bombay Dub Orchestra - 3 Cities

Andrew Bird - The Mysterious Production of Eggs

Syd Matters - A Whisper & A Sigh

Sean Costello - We Can Get Together

our first house

2008-10-06T11:47:00.004-05:00

october emusic downloads

2008-10-05T21:56:00.002-05:00

enjoy browsing through my october downloads. i don't think any of these songs are about Obama, but i could be wrong.

Wayne Hancock - A-Town Blues
Stars - Heart
Sandra McCracken - Red Balloon
Pelle Carlberg - The Lilac Time
Mississippi John Hurt - 1928 Sessions
Michna - Magic Monday
John Brown's Body - Amplify
Great Lake Swimmers - Great Lake Swimmers
Gemma Hayes - Hollow of Morning
Bobby Bare Jr. - Young Criminals' Starvation League

Army Navy - Army Navy

obamaniac mixtape

2008-09-17T13:28:00.003-05:00

there are so many reasons to love Obama. you might love him for his great humility, his considerable experience, his honorable associates.

i love Obama for his tunes.

"This song was born when Barack Obama accepted the Democratic Party's nomination for President. Hope is alive! Ordinary people count!! Big money will finally meet its match!!! Thank you, Senator (and President!) Obama!!!!"
-Written, performed and recorded by Peter Armetta in Portland, Oregon.

Obama will help us turn off the dark, so we might see. yes, we can repair this world! vote for Obama or the end is near! will you help America make it to the promised land? have you found "the ONE?"

september emusic downloads

2008-09-13T11:44:00.018-05:00

emusic added a bunch of barsuk record releases in september, so I had to grab a few of their albums. visit the band websites by clicking on the band names. once again, click on the album to go to the album page on emusic to listen to samples and read reviews.

John Vanderslice - Emerald City

The Long Winters - Putting The Days To Bed

Nada Surf - The Weight Is a Gift

Ra Ra Riot - The Rhumb Line

Starlight Mints - Drowaton

Damien Jurado - Caught In The Trees

The Gaslight Anthem - The '59 Sound

Jennifer O'Connor - Here With Me

Nati Cano's Mariachi Los Camperos - Llegaron Los Camperos!: Nati Cano's Mariachi Los Camperos

Okkervil River - The Stand Ins

The Uglysuit - The Uglysuit

august emusic downloads

2008-09-09T18:59:00.025-05:00

here are my august music downloads from emusic.com. click on the album covers to listen to samples and read reviews.

Thao - We Brave Bee Stings and All

Ólöf Arnalds - Við og við

Marching Band - Spark Large

Juliana Hatfield - How To Walk Away

Conor Oberst - Conor Oberst

Broken Social Scene Presents: Brendan Canning - Something For All Of Us...

British Sea Power - Do You Like Rock Music?

The Avett Brothers - The Second Gleam

Greg Laswell - Through Toledo

Isaac Hayes - The Isaac Hayes Movement

The Coral Sea - Firelight

2007-12-13T17:41:00.000-05:00

As you may know, I was in TX for my cousin's funeral. His name was Aaron. He died unexpectedly on December 5, 2007. He was only 24 years old, has a wife and 3 children. It's been an awful experience for the whole family obviously. The grieving process is complicated with a sudden death such as this. Joe and I were able to be with family and attend the memorial services and I'm so thankful for that.

I have so many memories of Aaron. He had a wonderful smile, would give the greatest bear hugs and was very protective of the women in the family. He was really loved although I think sometimes he questioned that. We get so carried away with the business of life and allow superficiality to permeate our schedules and relationships. We forget to slow down and articulate our care and concern for those around us. We don't realize that loving another person does not stop with just knowing we love them or having a warm fuzzy feeling. It's about living out that love relentlessly. How does that person know we care about them? When was the last time we told them? What do our actions or lack of actions say about our love, care and concern for another? Is it at all incongruent with our claim that we love and care for that individual? I'm not sure at all if you relate to this, I'm exposing more of my internal dialogue through this grieving process than anything else.
A few lessons/reminders I've had:
1) We are here to love others the way that He first loved us.
2) People will still make poor choices and people will still feel unloved despite our efforts to love them.
3) I have grown too comfortable in focusing on what's best for me instead of how can I bring comfort to those closest to my heart emotionally, physically, spiritually.
4) You never know what's around the corner in the streets of life.
5) "Too Late" comes quicker than you could ever imagine.
6) The incredible pain that is felt in times of loss is a ear-piercing reminder that we were not created for this broken and aching world and that we should be forever grateful for the grace, mercy, forgiveness, comfort and love that we are blessed with and looking forward to the time when the tears will dry and hurts will fade only to be replaced by pure joy and peace.

long time-no post.

2007-09-30T20:39:00.000-05:00

i knew when we started this blog thing that i would probably not keep up with posting as diligently as i intend. i can search for endless excuses including i've been busy with a new job, adjusting to living in a new place, haven't been feeling well lately but despite all of those wonderful excuses, the truth is that sometimes the motivation just isn't there. BUT i have to take advantage of the present time when my shame is enough to motivate me to add another post.

so much has happened here in lanky. i started a new job as a "child and adolescent therapist" at a mental health agency in the area. with that, i'm working more with the amish population than i expected and i'm seeing a range of clients from age 6 to 55. sometimes it's just good to roll with it. i'm not so sure the original job title still fits but i am enjoying what i'm doing anyway. here's a few pics of my office although things have been improved since these were taken:

not the greatest pictures but you get the idea. it's nice to have a lot of space to work with and the kids seem to like it. i feel lucky to be where i am at right now. co-workers seem to be really encouraging and supportive. working with people is challenging and difficult but there have already been rewarding times that encourage me to keep moving forward. it's nice to work for a faith-based agency as well. there is a different feel from other settings i've been in.

outside of working, this summer we helped pick a TON of tomatoes from the garden in the backyard. we've made it to philly a few times since we moved (a couple times to see Nate and Sabi -we miss you! and another time to see The National play at the TLA). See The National if you can. It's a great show--as is Peter Bjorn and John. Fabulous! Now that fall is here, Joe is back in school, I'm just working, we're watching Netflix movies, loving emusic and going to shows when we can. later.

the headliner: club 8

2007-09-22T18:11:00.000-05:00

the headliner returns after a lengthy absence and a flood of emails and phone calls begging for its return. i'm truly touched by the outpour of support and i'm bringing you a good band in return. club 8 delivers some fine dreamy pop all the way from sweden and is set to release their 6th album next week. have a listen to the new album right here:

enjoy!

i'm so glad i'm a jayhawk!!!

2007-09-06T21:28:00.000-05:00

don't forget your power towel!
embarrassing on so many levels.

the headliner: wax tailor

2007-08-20T22:21:00.000-05:00

Check out this hip hop with a heavy use of strange movie soundclips. Fun stuff to listen to, but some songs can be freaky if listening alone in the dark as you nod off to sleep.

wax tailor

enjoy!

the headliner: the twilight sad

2007-08-08T21:44:00.000-05:00

this week's headliner hails from glasgow and kicks out some powerful tunes with a great scottish accent supplied by singer James Graham. follow the link to hear full-length songs to their most recent album 'Fourteen Autumns and Fifteen Winters'

the twilight sad

enjoy!

Congrats Carolyn!!

2007-08-03T22:02:00.000-05:00

Congratulations on finishing up at your old job. I'm glad you won't have the 4 hours of driving anymore and I'm really excited about your new job. The change will definitely be a good one! XOXO

coming soon: new and improved carolyn and joe

2007-08-02T23:08:00.000-05:00

So....we took the plunge and joined a gym. It is time for us to lose the chunk and the junk and hopefully you will see some improvement. If we ever remember to bring our camera we will take some pics of the place and our new rock hard abs.

Universal Athletic Club

the headliner: tilly and the wall

2007-07-30T21:24:00.000-05:00

Here is a new feature called "the headliner" where I will bring you a new musical act to explore every week. I don't plan to say too much about the bands, but rather point you toward their music so you can have a listen. As a general rule I will most likely enjoy the bands that are featured, but don't hold back from telling me if you think they suck. Occasionally it would be nice to receive some positive feedback for bands that you grow to love. So without further ado I bring you this week's headliner:

tilly and the wall

If you click on the two album covers you should be able to download all the tracks individually. That is two free albums people!!

Enjoy!

Meet Elephat

2007-07-29T22:55:00.000-05:00

Calvin got a new hat. He loves it.

So when you don't have kiddos of your own....

2007-07-29T22:37:00.000-05:00

Post pics of your friends' kiddos! Our friends Ray and Hope recently moved back to Texas with their two little girls. We went to the same church and co-facilitated a small group in Philly. Of course if you ask Cana, we were only arriving to her house for our weekly play date. She would serve elaborate meals of bread, cheese, wine and vegetables. In her diligent preparation, we learned that the food had been prepped a bit as the pieces were usually held together by velcro. Sorry, no pics of that but have you seen these play veggies? They're pretty cool. So are these little ones.

new music feature added

2007-07-25T00:31:00.000-05:00

I've added a new music feature, but I'm not all that thrilled about it. As of now I'm pretty restricted as to what songs I can add to the player. I'll be looking and thinking through other options to share music without actually breaking any laws. As always I will kindly take any suggestions.

anti-blogger gone blogger

2007-07-23T21:57:00.000-05:00

okay so why not join the club? practically everyone we know has a blog and even our anti-blog allies now have blogs (uh-hum-you know who you are). so we throw our hands up in the air and say, "here goes, although of what interest is this going to be to you?" maybe some or maybe none but you will check it. i know you will 'cause i can't help but check yours weekly if not daily! fascinating, this blog thing.

this is a shared blog between joe and carolyn.

welcome to the telephone pole. if you're interested in what's up with us, you'll find it here. side note- the telephone pole shown above is located in west philly (university city is a marketing ploy) on the street we use to live on.

there i did it. my first blog post ever. now how do you post pictures to this thing?

there we go. meet calvin. he's our 2 year old reformed kitty. he loves you.