More Chicago

Just after we began walking the streets we were stopped by the biggest group of bicyclers we've ever seen! Apparently it was critical mass, which we weren't aware of!! Its an event that is world wide from what we gathered and people come out once a month on friday nites to represent rights for bikers?!?
After watching them go by, most in coustumes, we shopped around a bit at the Mac Store then headed to dinner at Gino's Pizza where you can write all over the walls....even on the mirror like my mom did!! They relocated from the orginal location downtown so the facility was only a year old if that, so there was alot of space to write on....and we took full advantage!!

Chicago

Well, a couple weekends ago, we spent the weekend in the Chicago/Milwaukee area. We had alot of fun with my parents and lil bro Micah and his friend William (aka Willy to me!)

This was our first stop, Dennys on the south side of Chicago...yumm?!?!




Someone had a hard time reading the menu!!




Once we made it to Milwaukee, my dad and John went to the mitchell domes. They are unique to Milwaukee and nice to visit on a cole cloudy day like they took advantage of. The domes are very warm and beautiful with tons of tropical plants which my dad loves.







While Dad and John enjoyed the domes, the boys and my mom and I took full advantage of some great shopping in the area. Then we were back to Chicago to check into our hotel and head into downtown for the evening.

New Post on John's Grad Blog

John has just posted a couple thoughts on William Shakespeare's "Hamlet" and Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg Address. Enjoy and check in often. He has a couple papers coming due in the next couple of weeks.

FUEL CONFRENCE and Scary Raccoon!!!

Hey Everyone!! This past weekend was a fun filled event. I got to lead my first seminar...and it was good to do it with friends! We explored a lot of different ideas for small groups and sunday school. I shared Danielle and I's experience with Breakfast club and Life Groups, and how much they were an impact on us, our ministry, and our philosophy of ministry. To all of you who have joined in the adventure of LIfe Groups, thanks for teaching us so so much!! Here are a couple pics from the FUEL Conf. and bowling at PinHeads on friday night with new and old friends from Wisconsin Dist.

Thanks Stevan for the pictures! Check out more from FUEL Conf. @ Stevansheets.com one of our favorite sites...we go there almost daily!!

Also, we had a little adventure on Friday night, we were rushing back to see Bo Boshers talk, and as Andy, Danielle and I were leaving the apartment a wild ferocious raccoon was on our front porch, and another crazy killer raccoon on our back porch! We were trapped!! So i did the only natural thing a true trained hunter would do...I grabbed a broom, cocked the collar and was ready to fight. As you can see from the pictures, it was me against death! Luckily, the raccoon was sick, very sick and did not put up a fight. However it didn't run away either, so we scared the killer raccoon from the back porch and ran around back. It was a great adventure and gave us a great laugh!

Finally, more pictures of the Zoe. Ok, i know you are all probably sick of pictures of this dog, but we love it...so bare through it with us! We think she is so cool. But this past Saturday, we took Zoe for a long walk in the woods. It was crazy, as soon as we got into the woods she changed into a totally different dog. She was jumping around, sniffing everything and having the time of her life. We were barley able to capture these pictures. She loves the woods and I can't wait to take her back!









Well, just a little update, we will be in Chicago at the end of the week. We are looking for some good time away! We really need a good rest and time to relax, and what better place the Chicago Land and my favorite restaurant.

Well we love you all, and look forward to the month of November. Plus you know what November is in the Freed family? It is the time where Jane and Bud celebrate the birth of their favorite child...their first born!

Beautiful? Yes you are! Just the way you are!

Our friends Jay and Ann sent us to this link, you have to see this video! This gives Danielle and I encouragement in what we do. We show girls they are beautiful, not just on the outside, but in the soul, where it counts!

True beauty!! Found only in a relationship with the creator of beauty!

To all the ladies and young ladies in our ministries, we love you, and think you all are beautiful!!!

http://www.campaignforrealbeauty.com/

and to everyone on the face of the planet. I have the prettiest wife in the whole world! I am so lucky!!!




Also, we have attached some great pictures of an awesome family! Dan, Marsha, Adam, and Amanda were here last night and today! We love them, and praise the Lord for their friendship and encouragement. They always know how to make you smiel! From looking at rich people's houses, watching "Click" after a long day, pillow fight at 1am, breakfast at Bob Evans or just a big hug saying goodbye! We love ya!

Thank you for stopping by on the way home!
and oh yeah...
You're welcome=) hahaha I crack myself up!!!

Look who got an owie:(

Last night was our yearly BARN BASH PARTY you can catch all the great pictures at www.FUSIONstudents.com And of course we took our little lady Zoe with us. Everyone loved her and the White's dog Carlie LOVED HER! They played together ALL NIGHT LONG! I don't think I have ever seen Zoe play so long! We all had an awesome time!

However, when we woke up this morning we found the Zoe didn't sleep very well because she had a sore on her foot. As you can see, we bandaged her up and let her rest by the fire this morning.

By the way, I have to brag about Danielle! Last night she MC'd the Barn Bash and did an awesome job! This was her first Barn Bash here, but her 9th year of Barn Bash Fun!! She did an awesome job, and her costume was inspired by "My Name is Earl"! You will have to see it and laugh! Notice the Spice Girls Shirt!

It's A Bird! IT'S A PLANE!!! ...IT'S.....

Well we are getting ready for our Halloween season here in Fishers. This Friday night is our annual BARN BASH 2006! We are excited about the awesome games, prizes [tv], hilarious costumes [hillbilly] and an opportunity to share the gospel with some students.
Tonight, Danielle and I are trying to think of some costumes for halloween. Even though we don't celebrate the scary stuff of halloween, we do celebrate the free candy and funny costumes.
This year we got an awesome little Super Dog and we are HER pet dogs. She is going to walk us door to door for free candy!! We plan on going to all of our student's houses. This should be fun!!


When we put Zoe's costume on, she loved it!! She could tell we were laughing really hard [and you know what that means for Danielle!] and it was at her! But then things changed when we showed her our costumes. She was not laughing, not having fun...she was scared...scared to death! Rather then laughing and being excited she was barking, and all the hair on her back stood straight up! She did not like our costumes!

Well this is our first halloween with Zoe, so we hope she has fun!! We also hopes she learns that Christian dogs don't celebrate halloween, we just celebrate the fact that everyone is handing out free candy!!!

FINALLY....An update on the Freed's crazyness!!

WOW, what a past few weeks!
I started a few weeks ago with a week of training about an hour away from here, 8 hours a day...and the monday morning that it all started, I rear-ended a ford F150 with the Sable....hurt the sable, but not me, the other driver or the truck! That's the good side of it, however, we are still driving a rental car, so that kinda stinks.
Then several days later, a HUGE tree hit our apartment building, and the coolest part is that I saw it happen. No one was hurt, but it messed up the roof and gutters, and punctured the side of the building way down at the bottom, which was weird.
Here is the wreckage, this is after they began chopping it all up, only 1/3 of it actually fell, they cut the rest down!



So, it's been crazy around here, we also started our afterschool program, "The Rock" and that is going well! we have about 40 5th and 6th graders!! Talk about a room full!!:) It's a good program and good kids and a fantastic staff of 6 adults and 7 or 8 highschoolers. Check out the website www.hserock.com

Here is our cute pup amongst the rubble! Tell me she isn't adorable!!


Do you think this log was rotten?!? HA! They said it was lightning, and I saw it fall, but didn't see lightening, either way, it really fell. I thought it was just rotten and the thunder shook it...but the more I think about that, the more it doesn't make sense?!?


I'm sure this is what I looked like after the log fell! However, this pic is from a nature walk we took with friends...and we saw a REALLY FREAKY spider!!:)



If you regularly check our blog, leave us some love in the comment area!! That'll make us smile. We love to update this, but we love it even more when we get comments and know that we aren't throwing our time away posting!! Also look at our new youth ministry website that John created on his fancy Mac www.fusionstudents.com

Toodles

Zoe's Top 9 Pet Peeves about Us!

Ok I don't normally like forwards...and honestly unless I really love the person, I don't even read them anymore. But this one was from my wife, and of course it was really funny. So I thought i would post it here. If you have a dog, and love them like we do...you will love this list!!

All dog owners and lovers will understand

1. Blaming your farts on me... Not funny.. Not funny at all !!!

2. Yelling at me for barking.. I'M A FRIGGIN' DOG, YOU IDIOT!

3. Taking me for a walk, then not letting me check stuff out. Exactly whose walk is this anyway?

4. Any trick that involves balancing food on my nose... Stop it!

5. Any haircut that involves bows or ribbons. Now you know why we chew your stuff up when you're not home.

6. The sleight of hand, fake fetch throw. You fooled a dog! Whoooo Hoooooooo what a proud moment for the top of the food chain.

7. Taking me to the vet for "the big snip", then acting surprised when I freak out every time we go back!

8. Getting upset when I sniff the crotches of your guests. Sorry, but I haven't quite mastered that handshake thing yet.

9.Dog sweaters. Hello ???, Haven't you noticed the fur?

I LOVE MY MAC!

IF you are thinking about getting a new computer...get a MAC. Going on my 4th year with my MAC I am stuck for good. Thanks Gerry for getting my hooked!!

Check out these funny video's by clicking on the title of this post.
have a great day, tomorrow we leave at 3:30AM for Cedar Point!!! We are looking forward to this trip because it will be another great time to bond with our students. However, Danielle is really looking forward to the roller coasters!!

Who Knew??

WOW, who knew our leaving CrossRoad Ministries would have such an affect on our Adult Life Coaches! We hope everything turns out okay for them!?!



HAHA!! These guys ROCK! They are so much fun, we miss you! Rock ON!!!!

More Labor Day Fun!!

More Labor Day Fun!!

Grandpa Freed's first meeting with his first GrandDog! :)

Zoe was ALL tired out after a weekend with the Freed Family!!

The Bud Freed Family! Thanks Aubree (James' "friend") for taking the pic!!


A quick reunion with some high school friends. Randie, Nicole, Shanna and Julie!! We had some Chilis and Starbucks to follow, we had a great time!! It was really good to catch up with these gals! This was the perfect ending to my fun friend and family filled weekend!!:)

Happy Labor Day!!

Happy Labor Day to all our friends and fam! We had an action packed weekend with friends, old and new, and family! We kept very busy heading from here to there, seeing so many people, it was very exciting!! :) We had alot of fun, even though it was a big cool outside.
I (danielle) started the weekend with a class for the Afternoon's ROCK in Indiana program that I am becoming certified to supervise. I had to go downtown with my friend Mark, who is the current director of Fall Creek's program to get curriculum training. That was short and sweet, which was kind of the teacher since it's a holiday weekend!! John headed up to IWU with Zoe for move in day to see our friends from WI & IN move in! We are excited for the Freshman and his brothers who are Jr's this year.
Saturday we headed to Wabash to see Zoe's Mom, Star, oh...and my family!! hehe I love to go to my Aunt and Uncles new home up there, there is so much to do, and it's so beautiful, and the added bonus now is that Zoe gets to see her mommy!
Here they are, can ya tell they're related!!!!!:)



PLAYING!!:)




This is for real, we stopped in Wabash to take a pic, we thought it was funny yet disturbing?!?! What do you think??


After we left Wabash on Saturday afternoon we headed back to Marion to see Lynn and baby LEVI!!! I was SO happy to finally meet Levi! He's a DOLL! We had alot of fun cathing up, I wish we had more time to have connected!! Anyway, here we are!:)