Fiedler Family Blog

WCC Community Garden

2009-06-12T07:44:00.004-06:00

This summer, Water City Church took on a garden plot at our local community garden here in Oshkosh. This will be an ongoing service project, culminating in donating our harvest to a local food pantry.

Preparing the soil . . .
Supervising . . .
Using the on-site facilities . . .
Planting . . .
Finished!

More from May

2009-06-12T07:34:00.004-06:00

Getting ready to plant our flower pots (and showing off her new haircut).
Lucy - not walking yet, but definitely climbing!
"Daaaad! Don't kiss me in front of all my friends!"
Sophi and Mommy with the first harvest from our garden - organic lettuce! (Thanks to our cold frame where we started some seeds in early April). Big salads, oh how we've missed you all winter!

Memorial Day

2009-06-12T07:13:00.003-06:00

Our Memorial Day was spent at home this year, planting our family garden. It was beautiful weather and the girls really enjoyed helping . . .

We cooked out for dinner . . .

It was a perfect day!

Lucy Turns 1!

2009-05-14T21:58:00.007-06:00

Our little Lucy turned one on May 6! We had a wonderful celebration with family a few weeks ago. A few pics . . .

"L" for Lucy . . .

Favorite gift: wrapping paper!

We love you, Lucy!

April Showers

2009-04-28T11:57:00.005-06:00

My mom and sister-in-law and I recently threw a bridal shower for my brother's fiance, Sara. We just LOVE her and are so glad to have her joining the family!

The happy couple

My mom . . . who did most of the work, and arrived 4 hours early just to wash all the vases! (Okay, not really four hours. But you get my drift . . .)

Wendy and her lovely silverware creations . . .

Sara love carrots almost as much as she loves my brother. And cupcakes seem to be all the rage right now. So, we combined the two and came up with a lovely little treat for dessert.

If planning a bridal shower is in your future, here's a great "non-embarrassing" game idea that simply involves passing unmarked, numbered spice jars around the room for people to smell and examine. Not a single person guessed them all correctly. :)

We've got another story teller!

2009-04-25T22:30:00.002-06:00

Mom and Dad couldn't be more proud of our little Sophi.

In case you're wondering, the gardening gloves were from Grandma Fielder. Sophi loves them.

Easter

2009-04-25T14:28:00.005-06:00

We celebrated Easter with my family in Menasha on Saturday morning with brunch and an egg hunt in my parents' backyard.

Jason and Uncle Steve, hiding eggs . . .

Cousins Jack and Liam with Sophi . . .

Decorating eggs . . .

Easter morning . . .

Maple Syrup Saturday

2009-04-14T21:52:00.006-06:00

A few weeks back, Bubolz Nature Preserve in Appleton hosted Maple Syrup Saturday. We headed out with the girls and met up with my family for a pancake breakfast, followed by a tour of the sugar bush. Who knew that it takes 40 gallons of sap to produce 1 gallon of maple syrup?

Off to the sugar bush we go . . . (interestingly, the adults look much more excited about it than the kids).

The daddies, explaining the tree tapping process to the kids . . .
Jason & Sophi

My brother, Steve, and his boys, Liam & Jack
Jason and Sophi were about a mile behind the rest of us for most of the tour. There were just too many sticks to pick up and puddles to jump in along the way. :)

Liam and Sophi, having fun with Uncle Aaron after breakfast.

March . . .

2009-04-14T21:33:00.001-06:00

When it's still too cold for the sandbox . . . just dig in your mom's flowerpots!

Sisters . . .
Ready for Spring with new galoshes!

Headed out for a walk . . .Mom, Soph, and Baby Bear.

Lucy

Look out Oshkosh Lanes!

2009-03-11T14:10:00.004-06:00

We took the girls to the local bowling alley the other afternoon for a quick game - Sophi's first. She bowled an impressive 64 (with the help of a 6 lb. ball, a ramp to launch it off of, and bumpers - but who's keeping track?).

Poor Lucy had a cold and wasn't quite as excited to be there as her sister. :(

Eat your vegetables . .

2009-03-11T13:54:00.004-06:00

Sophi has been pretty excited about helping plan for our family's vegetable garden this year, which has made her dollhouse garden from Grandma and Grandpa Ullmer of particular interest.

Soph has successfully grown carrots, cauliflower, parsnips, and turnips.

AND, has gotten everyone to eat them, without complaining!
We're hoping for similar results in the Fiedler household. :)

No heat . . .

2009-03-11T13:46:00.002-06:00

. . . was what we woke up to a few weeks ago when our furnace went out.

So, we bundled up and waited for the repairman to arrive. :) Fun (and cold!) memories!(For the record, we TRIED to get Sophi to put on a coat and hat. She refused, and so we settled for letting her wrap up in her bathrobe and a blanket.)

winter projects . . .

2009-03-11T13:31:00.007-06:00

One of the things we loved about our house when we bought it was the fact that it was really old AND had huge walk in closets in every bedroom - a rare combination. Sophi's room happens to have two - so I'd been planning to turn one of them into a little playhouse, which we now call her "play closet".

Artwork is courtesy of Jason - age 5.

The wooden ironing board belonged to my mom, who played with it in her playhouse when she was little. :) Sophi now prefers to use it to iron the "sprinkles" (aka wrinkles) out of her blanket as a means of stalling before bed.

And, we finally painted our bedroom. It only took two years (and two coats)!

Valentine's Day

2009-03-11T12:58:00.006-06:00

making cookies with grandma

. . .and, birdseed cookies for the birds

making valentines @ aunt wendy's and uncle steve's with liam, jack, and owen (and his mommy)

delivering the finished product to daddyvaentine's day . . .special deliveries in a special mailbox

new valentine digs from daddy

Sophi turns 3!

2009-02-06T22:27:00.003-06:00

The cake - a Maisy Mouse masterpiece! (Mommy is slightly biased)
Uncle Seth and Erin came all the way from Chicago!
Lots more family were there as well to celebrate.

We love you, Sophi! You make three look beautiful!

Lucy~7mos, Sophi~3

2009-01-24T22:40:00.006-06:00

Here are a few of my favorite shots from the most recent photos I took of the girls . . .

"Okay, Mom. We're DONE!"

Ullmer Family Xmas @ Green Lake

2009-01-24T21:55:00.006-06:00

In lieu of buying gifts this year for each other, my family opted to chip in and spend three days together at a rented cottage in Green Lake. It was the highlight of our Christmas!

Borden Cottage
Grandma and Lucy

Aaron - using Sophi's sled for his own enjoyment

chess tournament

Mike - official barista
ullmer family trivia crossword puzzle
childcare, steve-style
making mittens out of old sweaters

finished products!

Xmas Morning

2009-01-24T21:26:00.004-06:00

Ahhh the Viewmaster - hours of fun for under $5!

good hat = necessity when you have a shaved head. :)
Lucy opening gifts . . .
My personal "best thrifting find of 2008" - this dollhouse for $15! Furniture and accessories were gifts from Sophi's grandparents and Jason and I.

The Graduate

2008-12-29T15:27:00.005-06:00

My brother, Mike, graduated from the University of Wisconsin - Madison the Sunday before Christmas with a degree in microbiology. We traveled down for the ceremony and to celebrate with him.

Mike on the jumbo tron at the Kohl Center. :)

Mike and his FIANCE(!) , Sara. They were just engaged a couple weeks ago! :)

One of Mike's best friends, Marcus, graduated as well. Their family and ours are lifelong friends so it was really special to be together for the graduation. We all headed to Glass Nickel Pizza to celebrate after the ceremony.

Congratulations, Mike and Marcus!!!!!

Getting ready for Christmas

2008-12-29T12:07:00.007-06:00

making cards

Soph playing with her nativity set

making an ornament in sunday school

"Tuba Christmas" concert in Appleton (all tubas!)
getting our tree
shoveling snow . . .

. . . with a sandbox shovel :)making cookies

christmas shopping

My girls

2008-12-29T11:41:00.004-06:00

Thanksgiving in Michigan

2008-12-29T09:05:00.005-06:00

Here are a few pictures (a little late) of the time we spent in Michigan celebrating Thanksgiving with Jason's family.

the whole family

Grandpa with Sophi and Morgan

reading with Grandma
Jason's brother, Mark, and his wife, Christi - Jason's parents - Jason's younger brother, Seth, and his fiance, Erin

The cousins - Mark's three kids and our girls

A Visit to Madison

2008-12-04T00:20:00.006-06:00

The four of us recently traveled to Madison to visit my brother, Mike. He's attending the University there and will be graduating with a degree in Microbiology in a few weeks, (My brother Aaron also attends UW Madison, and is in his second year studying Computer Engineering.)

Mike lives with his two best friends, Marcus and Bub . . .

. . . in a 1 bedroom apartment. Hence . . . "The Triple Bunk"! (It really is a sight to see, I have to say.)While we were there, we were able to help out with, what has come to be known as, "Free Food". Mike and 10 or so of his friends put together a hot meal (below is Bub with his famous chicken casserole that he makes every week), pair it with whatever donations they can gather (pizzas, day-old bagels, etc.) and head downtown. Every Sunday, no matter the weather, they are there at 4pm to serve anyone who might need a hot meal and someone to talk to. They've been doing this faithfully for a couple of years and have had the chance to meet and serve hundreds of people.

Out for lunch with Mike, his roommate, Marcus, and his girlfriend, Sara.

Mike and Sara also cooked for us while we were there. Here we're eating an African stew that was delicious!

Uncle Aaron with Sophi.Mike and Sara - she's not as dangerous as this picture makes her look. :)

Uncle Mike with Lucy.

Lefse

2008-12-04T00:18:00.001-06:00

Being of Norwegian descent, I've been eating lefse all my life. It's a delicious flatbread made mostly of potatoes. My grandmother was the first to teach me how to make it about 15 years ago. Since then , my mom and I try to make it every year. This year, my sister-in-law Wendy, cousin Mary, and Sophi joined us. We had a wonderful afternoon together and each went home that day with our precious little stacks of lefse. :)

The recipe we use comes from my grandma's sister, Mae, who actually worked in Door County making lefse to sell in a tourist shop for many years. She's known as the expert lefse-maker.

Wendy and Mary, mixing the riced potatoes with flour.

Sophi has her own, kid-sized, lefse rolling pin.
My mom, rolling one out.

The aftermath . . .

Telling Better Stories

2008-11-20T09:49:00.006-06:00

This is going to be a great chance to share some thoughts about how Christianity fits into our current economic situation. I'll be talking about the suicide machine of Theocapitalism, life in exile under the empire of consumerism/materialism, living simplicity & generosity... all in a fifteen minute window. I might have to shorten things up a tad.

I think I am most looking forward to unpacking some destructive views that have been grafted on modern Western Christianity.

You are welcome to join the conversation if you've got nothing going on Friday night (and happen to be in Oskosh) Did I mention there would be snacks?

A few more Halloween pics with Daddy

2008-11-14T12:05:00.004-06:00

Handing out cavities . . . I mean candy . . .
Braving the neighborhood . . .
What has Halloween come to???

Halloween

2008-11-13T14:16:00.005-06:00

Just a few photos of the girls in their costumes and pumpkin carving . . .

From the Land - folk art festival

2008-11-12T12:36:00.004-06:00

We recently visited a folk art festival nearby called "From the Land". Although it was pretty chilly, we had a wonderful time.

Lucy was dressed appropriately for the weather. :)

There were beekeepers there selling their honey and they had a live beehive encased in glass on display. We had a great science lesson with Sophi. :)

There were also sheep, which Sophi also LOVED!
And kittens . . .
Of course, Sophi wanted to bring one home. They were only $1 (I suspect there may have been some child marketing going on. But we resisted!)
We also stopped in Ripon, WI on the way home. This museum/ little house is located there and claims to be the location of the beginning of the Republican party. Jason insisted on getting a picture. Also worth noting is that Jason had planned on going inside with his mom, but ended up refusing to pay the "overpriced admission fee" of $1. My husband . . .

First Haircut!

2008-11-11T09:04:00.005-06:00

One of the fun things we were able to do while Jason's mom was visiting was take Sophi for her first haircut. It's amazing how cutting off just a few inches of baby hair (aka "baby mullet") seemed to instantly transform her into such a grown up little girl! :(

The mullet :) . . .

We brought Baby Bear along for moral support.

All done!
Sophi and Grandma . . .

A Visit from Grandma . . .

2008-11-11T08:24:00.005-06:00

Jason's mom recently came by train from Michigan for a visit and Sophi and Jason drove down to Chicago to pick her up. Needless to say, Sophi's first train ride proved to be pretty exciting!

Waiting to board . . .
Sophi and Grandma . . .

Riding an escalator downtown . . .
Grandma and Lucy . . .
Reading with Grandma (note: Jason's mom brought along this book especially for Sophi. Since she's gone back to Michagan, Sophi has refused to let anyone else read it to her. "Just Grandma reads this book!")

More pics . . .

2008-10-27T09:20:00.004-06:00

Jason and I babysat by brother's two boys the other night. Sophi and Liam had a great time making necklaces out of some wooden beads I found at a garage sale that day. :)

Sophi and fall leaves . . .a good combination.

My brother Mike's girlfriend, Sara, is an avid knitter and makes just beautiful things. She took on the challenge of knitting her first sweater this year . . . for Lucy! Adorable . . .

We're back!

2008-10-23T21:42:00.005-06:00

So . . .we just received the great news that Jason's parents (who live 10 hours away in Michigan) just got high speed internet hooked up and are able to view our family blog. Needless to say, I'm feeling a renewed sense of guilt for not having posted many photos lately. Here are a few recent ones . .

Sophi and I made applesauce the other day. I figured I needed to get into the swing of turning fruits and vegetables into mush as Lucy will be starting solids in a couple weeks.

"Please, Mom, can I try carrots first????" Actually, we've just been using a nice, cold carrot, straight from the fridge as a teether for Lucy. She loves it - as you can plainly see. (Thanks Brad and Geo for the idea!)

Bath time in the sink.

We met my brother and his family out at a local state park for a picnic and hiking last Sunday as the weather here was near 80 degrees! It was a perfect day.
Jason's recent "prize find" at a local thrift store - the Fisher Price Airport (circa 1972) for $1. Missing was the airplane (which my mom still had from when I was a kid) and the helicopter (still on the hunt for that). Luckily, all of the 70's-style decals were still in tact.

This is usually where you will find Jason seconds after walking in the door from a long day at work - spending time with his girls. He's truly is an awesome dad.

Jason's mom has worked as an early childhood teacher for many years. Lucky for us, she loves to send us all kinds of fun activities and books when she cleans out her closets. Here's a shot of Sophi and Jason, puzzling over a learning activity about colors and numbers. Jason actually looks a bit more puzzled, I think.

amy fiedler photography 2.0

2008-09-15T19:07:00.004-06:00

I am proud to say that Amy's new photography site is up AmyFiedlerPhotography.com It turned out incredibly nice!

Lucy ~ 3 Months Old

2008-09-10T21:38:00.003-06:00

I finally got around to editing Lucy's 3 month pictures. Here are a few of them . . .

(Thanks, Teirney and Leah for the darling little outfit!)

the switch

2008-08-31T22:48:00.003-06:00

for those of you who don't know, the fiedlers recently joined the world of mac and are saying goodbye to our pc. with that transition has come a bit of a set back in our blogging, as we try and figure out how all this new fancy, schmancy stuff works.

anyway, here are a few recent photos . . .

the girls
lucy - laughing at daddy

newest member of the family

time with friends

2008-07-30T13:36:00.007-06:00

our friends, brad and georgie and their little girl, molly, were in the states recently for an extended visit from ireland. we were able to spend some great time with them while they were here.

sophi and molly

also, a few photos from a weekend we spent in milwaukee together with brad and georgie, as well as our friends teirney and leah, and curt and dawn (everyone left their kids at home - except little lucy):

the guys - off to a brewer game

group photo

curt with lucy . . .seconds before she peed on him

teirney, brad, and geo making breakfast
alterra on the lake

our girls . . .

2008-07-30T13:14:00.007-06:00

these are for you, mom!

fresh from the tub

a smile from "juicy lean" - as opposed to lucy jean
(nickname lovingly given by her uncle tim.)

a hug from big sister

tea party with daddy

watering mommy's garden

trip to michigan

2008-07-13T21:45:00.003-06:00

Our family just returned from a week long visit to Port Huron, MI to visit Jason's family. We always have a great time spending some extended time with Jason's parents, brother, and grandparents, who all live in the same town where Jason grew up.

Jason's mom, Kathy . . .Jason's dad, Bob . . .

One thing we love to do when we're there is enjoy beautiful Lake Huron. Port Huron is located right on the lake (hence the name) and Jason's parents actually live right across the street from it as well. The bridge in the background of this photo connects Port Huron to Canada.

Lucy's first day at the beach . . .

Sophi and Daddy, pretending the water is warm . . .

cousin love . . .

2008-07-13T20:00:00.001-06:00

This was the first year the Sophi was old enough to really enjoy being with her cousins . Jason's oldest brother, Mark, has three kids and Sophi just LOVED her time with them.

random photos from june

2008-07-10T11:28:00.004-06:00

our budding artist
picnic in the park

lucy (6 wks.) and mommy

sophi and daddy getting ready for a bike ride

a visit from jason's brother

2008-07-10T11:12:00.004-06:00

jason's younger brother, seth, and his girlfriend, erin, came for a short visit at the end of june. they are living in western michigan right now, but are planning to move to chicago this year. we're looking forward to having them so close.

picking berries

2008-07-10T08:26:00.004-06:00

my sister-in-law and i decided the other day to pick strawberries . . .with our 4 children (sophi-2, liam-2, jack-1, lucy 2 mos.). somehow, we managed to pick enough berries to make jam later that day. great memories . . .

the wheels on the bus

2008-06-23T14:00:00.003-06:00

A few weeks ago, Jason took Sophi on a special date - a bus ride to the library!

june

2008-06-23T13:32:00.002-06:00

Having been through the infant stage once already, I've been trying to enjoy it as much as I can with Lucy. How very quickly these little beans grow into toddlers who shout, "Go away, Mommy! Go away!". (I still love you, Soph.)
In an effort to save on gas, Jason has been riding his bike a lot more around town. My brother Mike, who is extremely into biking, just built him this one out of parts he'd been collecting over the past year or so. Jason loves it!

What do you do when your city is flooded and your toddler hasn't been out to play in a few days? If you're Jason, you head down to the basement and open up a new case of paper towels and introduce them as building blocks. Sophi had a blast.

Can't get enough of this . . .

Father's Day

flood of '08

2008-06-19T13:16:00.004-06:00

I am very happy to say that we weathered last week's flood without so much as any water in our basement. The rest of the city was not as fortunate.

Over on the west side of town (where this video is from) the city officials had been proposing a new water capture/wetland area where there is currently a golf course. Up until last week most of the community was against the idea... I'm guessing most Oshkoshinites (is that the term?) have uhm, been swept over to the other side of the issue.

This biker is my new hero...

more photos . . .

2008-06-10T07:22:00.003-06:00

sisters
lucy - 1 month old

watering flowers
learning to ride

recent photos . . .

2008-06-01T20:39:00.003-06:00

jason with the girls (on mother's day, interestingly enough)
soph . . .

our generous neighbor gave us this swing set that his son had outgrown - a great addition to the backyard.

lucy can't go down the slide yet, but she likes to come outside just the same. :)

jason has also been introducing sophi to the incredible underground world of worms. surprisingly, she's thrilled to "pet"them and pick them up.

podcasting 2.0

2008-05-28T08:29:00.002-06:00

The other day we (WaterCityChurch) blogged about our new podcasting service... and then decided to pull it because the podcast hosting service was to glitchy. So now it's on to version 2.0.

Our hope is that this will be a way to connect more folks with what's going on at Water City. Whereas most church podcasts are simply the weekend's message... we are planning to use this as a chance to connect even on the off weeks. We'll do this by offering short thoughts that will continue the faith discussion that is taking place at our gatherings.

Who knows, maybe we'll even grow a real life discussion/coffee group from this little project. This would make for a very interesting and unique way to check out Christian faith in a new way.

I'm guessing that we'll have a laugh or two along the way. We even made it on iTunes! First a listing on Oxfam. Now iTunes. We may be beginning to tip the "cool" scale back from all those awkward high school years.

Lucy . . .the first days

2008-05-14T17:18:00.004-06:00

Sorry it's taken awhile to get some new photos up.
More to come, we promise. :)

Lucy . . . just a few minutes old, staring intently at Mommy.

Like we tell Sophi, "Sometimes babies cry."

Lucy and I were so lucky to have my brother's wife, Wendy, as our nurse for labor and delivery.

Sophi meeting Lucy for the first time.
"Dat's baby Sucy!" - Sophi

Lucy . . . one day old.

Famous Last Words

2008-05-09T19:00:00.004-06:00

"It's probably not..."
~ Amy

6 1/2 hours later...

Welcome little Lucy Jean Fiedler (5/6/08)

belly shots with big sister . . .

2008-04-26T12:48:00.002-06:00

With the new baby only a couple weeks from arriving, we decided to take a few belly photos with Sophi - a very anxious big sister!

add paparazzi to the resume

2008-04-23T21:28:00.004-06:00

I had to wait to post these photos...didn't want to steal the thunder from Sophi's new room and everything. But now that the shine has begun to fade I bring you one Mr. Johnny Depp.

You will notice that he was looking directly at my camera the whole time. Apparently screaming, "Say cheese!" at the top of my lungs threw Johnny off.

sophi grows up . . .

2008-04-18T12:38:00.003-06:00

baking cookies . . .

piggy tails . . .
sophi's new "big girl" room

good stuff

2008-04-08T15:18:00.003-06:00

In my never ending quest to find new music... I stumbled on this Canadian band. If you're into Sufjan, Great Lake Swimmers may just scratch the itch until his next work comes out. Their previous album was recorded in a grain silo... you gotta love the creativity.

Enjoy.

not even 15 seconds

2008-03-27T17:01:00.003-06:00

I wonder if this counts toward my collective fifteen minutes of fame? Obviously I had more to say about the changes to downtown Oshkosh... apparently I waxed too eloquent.

Fox11News.

I think this means I am both balanced as well as fair.

March . . .

2008-03-26T14:14:00.001-06:00

A few pictures from March, so far . . .

We've been working on restoring some furniture for Sophi so that we can move her out of the nursery and make room for Fiedler child #2 - slated to arrive in 8 weeks!

My sister-in-law, Wendy (furniture restoration expert), my middle brother, Mike, and Jason.

Does anyone else see orbs????? Okay, maybe it was just dust from the sanding.

We dyed eggs with Sophi this year and she loved it - although not quite as much as Jason, judging from this photo.

Soph got a tea set for Easter. Jason and I get invited to "tea potty's" several times a day lately.

Sophi and her cousin, Liam on Easter.

Sophi with her cousins, Jack and Liam (my brother Steve's kids) and three of her uncles - Mike, Aaron, and Bubba.

not to worry...

2008-03-05T17:15:00.005-06:00

In the summer of '99, Barry Sanders unexpectedly announced his retirement from the Detroit Lions. It was a dark time for Michigan and all football fans. Yesterday, news broke of Brett Favre's retirement. After 17 years in the NFL - Favre is done.

Let me just say Wisconsinites... although things seems dark today, the Packers will be just fine. Just look at how Detroit has risen to the challenge since Barry's departure. So, chin up. If Rogers doesn't work out, I think Andre Ware is available.

February . . .

2008-03-05T15:09:00.001-06:00

Making valentines . . .
"Explaining" the valentine to Daddy . . .

Our icicles of death . . .nearly 6 ft. long. Oscar could have been killed.

Our team working on the door hangers we're planning to distribute in a couple weeks to invite people to Water City Church.
Step 1 - coffee labels stuck on 1000 little bags

Jason corrupting Sophi . . .

Sophi Turns 2

2008-03-05T13:57:00.003-06:00

Sophi turned two back on January 15. Although that was nearly two months ago, here are a few pictures . . .

This was taken on her actual birthday, January 15, hours after we landed from our trip to Ireland. Hence . . .the Twinkie with candles. Sorry, Soph.
This was taken at her birthday celebration a couple weeks later with my family. Obviously this was a big let down, compared to the previous "Twinkie celebration", judging by the look on her face.

We took her sledding that afternoon. She hated it.

Two of her 2 year pictures that I took a few weeks back. We love you, Sophi!

Sesame Street Epiphany

2008-02-20T18:33:00.003-06:00

While sitting with Sophi on my lap watching classic Sesame Street on Youtube it hit me... this is a strange show. And that they just don't make television like this anymore. Can you dig it?

(un)official National David Gray Day

2008-02-17T11:09:00.005-06:00

In case you haven't heard (and if so where have you been?) I have declared this day, February 17th, 2008 National David Gray Day.

Enjoy.

WARNING: sophi video approaching

2008-02-07T16:42:00.000-06:00

i'm sorry, but it doesn't get much cuter than this.

video from water city

2008-02-07T16:35:00.000-06:00

This is just a short video that we are using as a first impression for Water City. Who doesn't have a bit of anxiety walking into an unfamiliar setting? Hopefully this will help with that.

our irish holiday

2008-01-18T14:12:00.001-06:00

It seems the itty bitty picture of the Irish coast just wasn't enough to display the magnitude of our recent trip to visit our good friends in Ireland. So here are a few snapshots from our travels.

Sophi has always been fascinated with airplanes, so O'Hare was quite fun.

The ladies out on the town (Amy, Georgie and Sophi) The buggy was never the same.

Just a view up the coast... no big deal.
Sophi and Molly got on splendidly.
The Fiedler ladies at Lemon Crepe & Coffee Co. in Dublin. Brad kept a watchful eye on our buggy (stroller) that we were forced to park next to the phone booth over Amy's shoulder. Fortunately the buggy bandits decided to leave the Quatro alone, most likely because of it's patented American widetrack hugeness. ("The States are so large we need things to be big... there is more ground to cover.") Oh yeah... crepes were very delicious.

A stroll through St. Stephens Green.

Grafton Street... just like Main Street Oshkosh
Sophi singing of the wonders of our adventures... actually she may have just been fed up with the walk.

Best fish & chips this side of heaven. (Three times in one week) "You have to beat your body into submission."
Poor Georgie was under the weather for most of our trip (Molly as well). Yet she "built a bridge" and even got us to the airport.It was great to spend time with such great people.

ireland... day two

2008-01-09T05:08:00.001-06:00

We woke up to this this morning... that would be the Irish Sea.

Lately . . .

2007-12-18T23:06:00.000-06:00

Every year, since I was a kid, my mom would have a little gift for my five brothers and I for St. Nick Night. My grandma always added to it a little something, along with an ornament for each of us. Every year, my brothers and I hang our ornaments from Grandma on the tree and they are a reminder of the special years we shared with her while she was alive. When Sophi was born, my mom decided to start her own "ornament every year from Grandma" tradition. So this year, Sophi got a little St. Nick treat, along with "ornament #2" from Grandma and Grandpa Ullmer. Thanks, Mom, for continuing this special tradition with your grandkids.

My friend Lori and I are enjoying being pregnant together. She's due just 6 weeks before me.

Last week, Jason and I had our leadership team from Water City over for a Christmas Dinner (not everyone made this particular photo - busy playing the Wii, I think).

After dinner, I forced/ strongly encouraged everyone to join me in a very fun and creative project - making our own ornaments. Here you can see the how much everyone enjoyed the 2 hour process of shoving tiny pins into styrofoam balls after threading them with beads and sequins.

We love you, Sophster!

2007-12-18T23:01:00.001-06:00

from Madeleine L'Engle

2007-12-13T10:48:00.000-06:00

I picked up a book of L'Engle's poetry (The Ordering of Love) for a couple bucks a few weeks back. Best find of the season... (sorry Bebo).

“The Risk of Birth, Christmas, 1973”
Madeleine L’Engle

This is no time for a child to be born,

With the earth betrayed by war & hate

And a comet slashing the sky to warn

That time runs out & the sun burns late

That was no time for a child to be born,

In a land in the crushing grip of Rome;

Honor & truth were trampled by scorn –

Yet here did the Saviour make his home.

When is the time for love to be born?

The inn is full on planet earth,

And by a comet the sky is torn –

Yet Love still takes the risk of birth.

Christmas tree . . .

2007-12-08T10:46:00.000-06:00

Two weekends ago, we took advantage of a semi-warm day and went to cut down a tree. We found a great little farm that had a horse-drawn wagon, cookies, cider . . . all the essentials. We all had a great time. And yes, the tree may be slightly crooked. :)

More from November . . .

2007-12-04T11:22:00.000-06:00

Daddy and Sophi playing - what they do best together.

Thanksgiving at my parents' - buffet style to accommodate the Packers/ Lions game.

The annual Ullmer family photo.

Christmas baking the day after Thanksgiving with my mom and sister in law.

just some pics of the little lady

2007-12-02T21:53:00.001-06:00

Lately Sophi has gotten into lounging on the couch. Who doesn't love to curl up with a good picture book?

We all have our temptations... the clock is Sophi's. I think it's those little numbers.

Finally, a prayer that the Lions would turn things around.

Bebo... we haven't given up on you.

2007-11-25T18:43:00.000-06:00

We were introduced to Bebo Norman very early on in his career. Ten Thousand Days was/is a fantastic album... since then they have been not so great.

Bebo just released a Christmas cd "Christmas...from the Realms of Glory". It is worth checking out. Mostly because it is pretty hard to slip in a cheesy love song when it's a holiday disc. Looking for something to balance out your melancholy Sarah McLaughlin "Wintersong"? This ones for you.

Bebo, are you finally coming home?

November so far . . .

2007-11-21T21:23:00.000-06:00

Here are some photos from the past few weeks . . .

We traveled to Port Huron, MI (where Jason grew up) earlier this month to celebrate his Grandma Ev's 80th birthday.

While we were there, Jason insisted on taking a detour to drive by the church he grew up attending - Marysville A/G.

The two maple trees in front of our house were just gorgeous.

Jason and I took Sophi to the holiday parade here in Oshkosh. She loved it. Also, we ended up standing right behind the announcer's booth for the local cable access. Seeing yourself on TV cheering for floats and marching bands never gets old - as we're discovering at least three times a week when they re-air the parade here locally.

Sophi has taken a new interest in hair styling. You can imagine the look of disappointment on her face every time she approaches Jason with a brush.

now arriving...

2007-10-25T13:16:00.000-06:00

How you know you've arrived...

http://calendar.oxfamamerica.org/events/black-gold-screening

Black Gold Screening Tonight

2007-10-25T12:10:00.000-06:00

"Trade is more important than aid." States one African leader at the World Trade Organization meeting a few years back. Tonight we are going to be exploring how, as Western consumers, we fit into this equation and what difference we can actually make. Black Gold is a fantastic film that brings much needed attention to some issues surrounding Ethiopian coffee growers, Fair Trade and justice.

The public is invited to join in, this is something we each can play a part in.

Important information...

When: 7:00pm (10/25/07)
Where: 210 Commerce St. Suite 300 (enter behind Great Estates downtown Oshkosh)
Cost: Free
Discussion to follow.

We should be done before 9:00pm.

My Ladies

2007-10-11T19:10:00.000-06:00

Just some pics of my two favorite ladies - that's all.

Water City Film Screening (Black Gold)

2007-10-11T14:02:00.001-06:00

Why would a church be screening a documentary about Fair Trade? What does this have to do with faith?

Water City has said that we believe in a God of movement. We understand the story of the Gospel to mean that God is very much interested in issues of justice, compassion and faithfulness (not simple sin and judgment). That God is at work restoring his creation... a work he invites his followers to join him in.

Is being paid a livable wage for growing coffee a spiritual issue? It is.

And so we've picked up the rights to publicly screen the documentary Black Gold. The community event will take place Thursday, October 25 at 7:00 pm in downtown Oshkosh. Previously featured on PBS’s Independent Lens, Black Gold is a 2006 documentary film that explores the international coffee trade and its ramifications for the farmers who grow coffee. The screening will be followed by a short group discussion. Open to the public. No cost.

Is this some Billy Graham switcheroo movie? No. Just a compelling documentary that we hope will inspire all of us to be agents of change.

EVENT DETAILS:
Location: Loft space - 300 Commerce St., suite 300 (behind Great Estates downtown) Oshkosh, WI 54901
Time: 7:00 PM (run time approx. 77 minutes)
Cost: Free
Presented by: Water City Church
Purpose: to raise public awareness of issues surrounding Fair Trade

Here we go again . . .

2007-09-11T21:17:00.001-06:00

It's getting harder and harder to keep this a secret and since the news seems to be leaking out anyway, we decided to just tell everyone that . . .

WE'RE HAVING ANOTHER BABY!!!

If all goes well, we'll be welcoming another little one into our family sometime around the 19th of May. So far, I've been feeling great and we couldn't be more excited!

The Porch Re-Do

2007-09-11T11:06:00.000-06:00

A couple of weeks ago, I decided to give our front porch a makeover. It took about a day to paint the floor, make a trip to Hobby Lobby, and pull together a few odds and ends. Since finishing it, we've all been spending a lot of time sitting out and enjoying the mild weather. Sophi especially enjoys the new porch swing (thank you, Carig's List - $10!).

before . . .

after . . .

cheap wall art idea . . .

Go the the scrapbooking store and buy some artistic paper (I paid $.50/ sheet) and pop it into a cheap frame. Voila!

End of August . . .

2007-09-01T21:42:00.000-06:00

Jason turned 33 on the 20th. We celebrated with a trip to the go kart track . . .

. . . and a minor league baseball game (Wisconsin Timber Rattlers). We had a BLAST, even though the weather was a little rainy. I'm so thankful to be married to someone I enjoy being with so much.

The ice cream man has been frequenting our neighborhood a little more regularly, much to Jason (and Sophi's) delight. (This may be because we actually put in a request for more "drive-bys".

With the gardening season coming to an end, I thought I'd post a picture of one of my recent harvests from the Fiedler Back 40. Is it weird to take pictures of vegetables???

With all the fresh produce around this summer, we've discovered that Sophi absolutely LOVES tomatoes. I'm thrilled, not only because they contain lycopene, but because this proves, once and for all, that she is also MY daughter (despite resembling only her father).

Some of our dearest family friends, the Rajalas, had us over for a cookout the other night . . .

. . . and they put a wig on Sophi. Good times. Good times.

Two of my friends from my teaching days at Nasonville School in Marshfield came over for a visit. We had a wonderful time catching up.

what i'm listening to

2007-08-30T11:01:00.000-06:00

In no particular order...

Collective Soul - Afterwords

Robbie Seay Band - Give Yourself Away

Project 86 - Rival Factions

The Bravery - The Sun & The Moon

now run... don't walk to your nearest iTunes and get these discs. i can't promise you won't be disappointed. you may or may not be... that is really out of my hands.

Fiedler/ Ullmer Camping Trip 2007

2007-08-27T11:40:00.000-06:00

Every summer, Jason and I go on a camping trip with my family for a few days. Hartman Creek State Park in Waupaca, WI is our campground of choice. Here are a few highlights from our trip this year . . .
Finally ready to leave from our home base (my parents' home). Leaving late, as usual . . .

Three of my younger brothers helping out with dishes (a definite FIRST!)

Sophi and her two cousins Liam and Jack, my oldest brother's kids, were the youngest of the campers. As you can see, childcare took many forms, from stroller hikes to PSP Baby Einstein viewings.

We rented a pontoon one day and took it out on the Chain of Lakes. Sophi loved the water - hated the life jacket.

Sophi vs. the Baked Beans

A group shot on the last day.

our need to confess

2007-08-14T14:06:00.000-06:00

fantastic. tragic. honest. sincere. performance.

somewhere along the way, we've forgotten how important confession really is. not only because it forces us to come to terms with those parts we would rather weren't there, but because it reminds us that we're not the only one. as a matter of fact, when it's all said and done the one who "has it all together" is a great/horrible myth. one that often divides us from authentic relationship.

you and i are bent. maybe in different places or to different degrees, but we are each not yet whole.

faith. reconciliation. hope. healing. forgiveness. i wonder what God would post to PostSecret?

thanks frank warren, for reminding us.

Random Pix: Part 2

2007-08-13T19:33:00.000-06:00

For all of our faithful blog-checking fans, here are more highlights from July, as promised.

Every summer, we spend a week or so in Port Huron, Michigan, visiting Jason's family. As always, the time flew by, but we had a great time reconnecting with family.

Jason's parents, Kathy and Bob, couldn't get enough of Sophi. She loved being with Grandma and Grandpa Fiedler.

Port Huron is right on Lake Huron and so there are beautiful beaches all around Jason's parents' home. Sophi took her first dip in Lake Huron (against her will, as you can see).

Jason's brother Mark is an avid competitive biker and his love for the sport has rubbed off on his brothers and his dad. Jason was able to do some riding with his dad and brothers while we were there. (Yes, Jason is wearing spandex in this picture. Look away if you must.)

Jason's Wii made the trip over with us. Everyone joined in the chaotic fun (even his parents). Jason had a certain "Miagi-ness" about him all week.

Random Pix - Part I

2007-08-05T20:57:00.000-06:00

Yes, the Fiedlers are still here. We've had a busy July and are actually heading out for a camping trip with my family tomorrow (I should be packing). Just wanted to post a few pictures of highlights from July. More to follow . . .

My roommate from college (Olivia), her husband Nick, and their son, Oliver came to visit us for a couple days. They are missionaries with the Assemblies of God in Armenia and are in the States for one year raising support. While they were here, I took a few family pictures for them.

We hosted a 4th of July picnic at our house. Our new friends Kenny and LaWight and their six children were among our guests.

As you can see from the photo, we kept Sophi up a bit too long waiting for the fireworks. Sorry, Soph . . .

Sophi had her first dip in the kiddie pool. She hated it with a passion.

I got in a bit of a fender bender with our new van "Charlie". Sophi and I weren't hurt, but Charlie was. He goes in for massive reconstructive surgery tomorrow. Oops.

crowder alive and kickin'

2007-07-13T12:29:00.000-06:00

wednesday night i headed over to lifest here in oshkosh. it's a christian music festival that i had been somewhat avoiding for a number of years now. but, when it's in your hoemtown... anyway, after walking away from the ticket booth because the day pass was crazy expensive, i bumped into a couple selling an extra full pass (which i managed to snag for ten bones less than the day pass). so, i proudly walked through the gates and into the tiny microcosm that is lifest.

swallowing hard, i walked past the tshirt vendors and various other booths that have come to embody all that is consumer on the dark side of faith (maybe not that bad, but close. "i'm the christian the devil warned you about"... are you kidding?).

all this to see david crowder band. good show. good times. he did a few new songs and some time worn ones. check out this video of "for the glory of it all" (not from lifest, but you'll get the idea)

good stuff.

you know you're a parent when . . .

2007-07-10T22:04:00.000-06:00

. . . you have footage of yourself coaching your child to "poop it out" while holding up a picture card to inspire them.

good effort, sophster!

June happenings . . .

2007-07-03T18:56:00.001-06:00

A few highlights from June . . .

Jason successfully chases down the ice cream truck. He claims that the ice cream man has been intentionally avoiding our street all summer. I am married to a child . . .at heart. :)

Sophi begins her training as a master chef with her new kitchen set.

Our friends, Teirney and Leah visited from Madison. We ate at a great new Mongolian restaurant in Appleton - HuHot.

My mom and I got together with some of our relatives to make lefse - a soft, Norwegian flatbread.

Water City Church attended a Brewer game at Miller Park. Jason and Tim sang "Take me Out to the Ballgame" like true baseball fans.

Also, it was bobblehead day and all the fans were given a Bill Hall bobblehead!!! Here you see our friend, Paul (who runs this minor league sports site) showing his excitement.

My brother, Mike, is an avid fixed gear biker. He decided to ride his bike from his apartment in Madison, WI 35 miles to the town of Columbus. I picked him up there, along with his bike, and his 60lb. backpack! Mike, you're hardcore!

My garden is growing!!!

2007-06-21T21:32:00.000-06:00

Just wanted to report that the Fiedler Garden is producing! Radishes and lettuce have been harvested the past few days, and baby green peppers and tomatoes have appeared!

Also . . . Sophi has been eating dirt.

Sophi vs. dog harness

2007-06-19T23:41:00.000-06:00

No, we didn't do this to her. It was self-inflicted.

Happy Father's Day!

2007-06-17T21:43:00.000-06:00

This slideshow was part of the gift Sophi and I gave Jason for Father's Day today. It's a collection of "father-daughter moments" since Sophi was born. Thanks to my brother, Aaron, for creating it and also to our friend, Brad, for introducing me to this great Paul Simon song.

Happy Father's Day, Jason. Thank you for all you invest into being a father to Sophi.

Sophi - 17 mos.

2007-06-13T08:26:00.000-06:00

Jason and I were at the park with Sophi last night for a picnic. We brought along our camera and couldn't help but force Sophi into a photo shoot of sorts. Here are a few of the pictures we took . . .

more on segway golf

2007-06-10T13:56:00.000-06:00

lets face it, when you are as bad at golf as i am, bringing it closer to the video game experience can only help. which is where the segway comes in. i may never go back to walking a round of golf again... why? when you could cruise along effortlessly simply by leaning forward or back.

the fun of everyone having never segway'd before was that we all looked equally dorky during the manditory training exercise. but the payoff was well worth it... three hours of floating bliss.

some have wondered who won the round. technology won, for in the end we gave up keeping score and just tooled around the course. as you can see, it was quite dark when we finally rustled those puppies back into the clubhouse corral

video link

Random Pictures of Recent Happenings

2007-06-09T22:40:00.000-06:00

I'm trying a new format for this update of the Fiedler Family Blog. As much as I'd love to compose a beautifully creative and informative blog entry for each one of these very important happenings, it's just not going to happen. We, the Fiedlers, continue to admire all the bloggers in our lives who amaze us daily with their interesting, well-crafted entries. You are cool . . .we are not.

My oldest brother, Steve, and his wife, Wendy, gave birth to a son (their second) on May 31. Welcome Jackson (Jack) Paul Ullmer!

I turned 29.
p.s. I will be 29 next year and the year after also. :)

A group of five guys from our church launch team went golfing at a golf course here in Oshkosh that rents Segways. Yes, Jason flipped his while screwing around. And yes, he had signed a release form obligating him to replace it, should he break it, at a price of $12,000.

My friend, Corrine, introduced me to this GREAT new
online computer game called "Bloons".
It's extremely addicting. Check it out here.

So, there you have it . . . a complete update. :)

How does your garden grow?

2007-06-05T11:05:00.000-06:00

This is Amy . . .

First of all, you may have noticed that the frequency of posting has dramatically increased on the Fiedler blog page. Not sure if we'll be able to keep this up, but we have good intentions . . .

Any of you who have ever met my mother, Shirley, know that we are two peas in a pod. We look alike, talk alike, and sound alike - or so I'm told. I guess I shouldn't have been surprised when I realized that, like my mom, I had buried inside of me (no pun intended), an intense love for gardening.

Since moving to Oshkosh in February, I found myself with many of the necessary ingredients for creating and maintaining a successful garden - sunny backyard, more time, a garden friend (yes Andrea, that's you!), and an expert gardener (my mother) who lives 20 minutes away. And so, as the weather began to warm, my dream of having my own vegetable garden began to grow. With my garden journal in hand, some seed packets, and a skeptical husband (I tend to START things with great zeal . . .), I headed out into the Fiedler "back 40" to bust some sod for my little project.

I'm proud to report that nearly a month later, my 10'x10' vegetable garden is in and growing! (Thanks to Sophster and Jason for all their help!). Green beans, brussel sprouts, tomatoes, green peppers, eggplant, zucchini, butternut squash, acorn squash, cucumbers, carrots, lettuce, radishes, and peas . . .all growing in the Fiedler backyard!

Anyway, like I said, Jason and I are determined to do a better job of keeping everyone updated on the goings on around here. For me, that will probably mean a garden update from time to time (bear with me). And please, feel free to stop by in August for some fresh produce! (Of course , we want all of you to feel free to stop by anytime - not just during our bountiful harvest.) :)

sophi fix

2007-06-03T08:58:00.000-06:00

it's been a while... too long some might say. so enjoy the latest installment of sophi pics.

taken at a moms group gathering at mom and pops place over in neenah... fair trade organic goods, well worth checking out.

we felt she was old enough for her first car date...

at play in the kitchen. like mother, like daughter.

newest edition and being real

2007-06-03T08:32:00.001-06:00

that's right, we are now a part of a movement i like to think of as the "minivan army". not to be confused with the "giant truck with confederate flags in the rear window army".

our green beast, the mazda 626, has had a good life, but we felt we should send it out to pasture. 215,000 miles and loads of memories... we are a bit sad to see it go. but as you can plainly see, it was a good run.

looking at the badly faded paint, the huge dent in the corner (which may or may not have helped pay for tickets to ireland years ago) and the nearly rusted out windshield I can't help but think of the words of the Skin Horse...

"It doesn't happen all at once," said the Skin Horse. "You become. It takes a long time. That's why it doesn't happen often to people who break easily, or have sharp edges, or who have to be carefully kept. Generally, by the time you are Real, most of your hair has been loved off, and your eyes drop out and you get loose in your joints and very shabby. But these things don't matter at all, because once you are Real you can't be ugly, except to people who don't understand."

thanks 626, for being such a great velveteen vehichle.

Memorial Day

2007-05-28T08:11:00.000-06:00

to all who have served our country... thank you

heros and the worship industry

2007-05-07T21:18:00.000-06:00

now i remember why mclaren is my hero.

what does the resurrection mean?

2007-04-07T15:44:00.000-06:00

it's Easter tomorrow. which is a bit strange by itself, the first Easter in years that i haven't had "ministry" responsibilities. and to be honest this has forced me to come to terms with a harsh reality. our message does not seem to have saturated our culture as much as we think it has... step back, most could probably give the basic idea if asked about the importance of easter. but simply knowing the plot line isn't the point.

what i'm getting to here is this... how are we/i LIVING the trueness of the resurrection of Jesus? not defending. but demonstrating. being honest with our/my struggles and journey to wholeness. speaking hope in a culture of despair. living generously when you're/i'm told to be consumers. are we/i living in a way that continues the Story of life from death?

a person doesn't have to look around too hard to see how much our culture needs individuals and communities of faith living the nowness of the Resurrection. so let's not only celebrate what the death, burial and resurrection of Christ means to us personally... let's put our heads together to dream of what it means in our relationships, checkbooks, planners, communities, even our environment. may your life be a proof text to the reality of the empty tomb.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cwz9gtxBT-E