Faces and Places

Long Time - No See!

2015-07-15T11:39:00.000-07:00

Hi Family and Friends!

I apologize greatly for the HUGE absence here. Let me tell ya, it's all for the good! I promise. Just to catch you up on how we have been...I can sum it up with one word...BUSY!! lol So without further adieu, here it is...

Since we have started pioneering, our life has been non-stop. We basically have this schedule:

Monday - secular work/family study

Tuesday - service (ministry) all day

Wednesday - secular work/meeting

Thursday - secular work/clean house for Saturday service

Friday - service (ministry) all day (bible studies mixed in)/relax

Saturday - service and then more bible studies..we get home around 3-4pm

Sunday - rest a bit before 1pm meeting.

So as you can see, there isn't much room for anything else. I'm not complaining here, it's just our reality. Since September of 2014, this has been our life. We don't regret it but we do get tired. We are only human after all. I do have to say, that we enjoy our free time much more. When we have our free time, we spend it doing personal study or watching a movie or being outside with Teddy. Sometimes just hanging out with friends. It's much more enjoyable now'a'days since we don't get that association much often anymore. Back in May Jon and I went to Miami, Florida. It was around our 4 year anniversary (June 4th)...that we decided to mix in the trip with anniversary fun. Miami was everything we could ask for. Warm weather, SUN! and beautiful white sand beaches with turquoise water. We really really loved it. The month of June was filled with the goal of reaching 100 hours in the ministry. We knew the month of July would be packed with Convention and other activities that we needed to get our time in early. We reached our goal! We were super tired but we were happy we had great support. We had campaign for convention so lots of friends were out. It was super nice. We just came back from the Regional Convention...July 10-12 at the Cow Palace. Good'ol Cow Palace!! We were fed so well that we cried! haha...It was really enjoyable and the new set up is amazing, lots of videos that reach the heart. We thank Jehovah for giving us such food. We really need it. I don't know about you but being in Satan's system is not easy and it can easily tear you down. However, with food like this, it just makes the next day seem like a piece of cake. We love you Jehovah!!

Now that convention is over, we are now gearing up for PIONEER SCHOOL!!! We got our books and we were assigned a few assignments so we have been spending as much time as possible to take in what we can. The new arrangement makes it easier for us to study ahead of time so we don't get 'lost' in the class. We are really looking forward to pioneer school. I can't wait to see who else is in our class. I hear it might be a big one. We'll see.

Since we started this process of pioneering, I have to tell ya...it seemed a little daunting at first. But when I sit back and look at all that we accomplished, it doesn't seem as hard now. When we over think things at times, we can talk ourselves out of it. So I have learned to just focus on the day at hand. Just like Matthew 6:27 tells us: Who of you by being anxious can add one cubit* to his life span? It is so true! Applying bible principles has really spared us a lot of unnecessary stress. So we take it as it comes. It's working! We made it to Pioneer School!! How awesome is that?! Our class is scheduled for August 3-8...and we can't wait!

Here are a few pictures from the convention! I actually used a point and shoot camera and I got a lot of laughs...people were like "WOAH! A REAL CAMERA!?" haha...I'm like YES, leave it alone hahaha...

Enjoy!

xoxo

Enjoli + Jon

With Shane and Carissa

With Natalia and Kira

With Ron and Joyce O'Neill

With Yumi and a few young sisters

with Sister Lunadeli and Sister Jackson (from our hall)

with Sister Poto (our old hall = Golden Gate Park). A wonderful sister!

A special place in my heart...growing up we ALWAYS sat in section 20. Castro Fam fave

Portfolio

2015-02-02T11:02:00.001-08:00

Hi Friends,

Sorry it's been a while since my last post. Within the month I will post our most recent trip to New York...aka: our backyard! It's been 5 years in a row since we've gone! I can't believe it. We love New York, we always come back feeling refreshed (ironic I know)....when we visit our friends in Bethel and tour Bethel, it helps us to keep moving forward!

Speaking of moving forward...I was recently tasked with the idea to create a portfolio for various reason I will explain later...IF I ever get accepted. I went ahead and created a home for my photography; it doesn't show case ALL of the photos (because there would be no room) but I picked a few that stood out. I'm so excited to see the end result and I think you'll enjoy it too.
Please take a look:

http://enjoliscott.foliohd.com/

Thank you to my family and friends who keep encouraging me to pursue my photography! It's something I tend to be shy about because I feel I am not at the level of various other people.
However, Galatians 6:4 keeps me in check:
But let each one examine his own actions,+
and then he will have cause for rejoicing in regard to himself alone,
and not in comparison with the other person.

Thanks again!! Enjoy the photos!!

xoxo

Enjoli

The Sum of 2014...per Google

2015-01-05T15:20:00.000-08:00

Hello Smilz

2014-12-01T14:15:00.001-08:00

Hi Friends and Family!

I don't know if you knew this but I have my own photography website! I specialize in portrait photography. I am a natural light photographer and shoot outside using the beautiful scenery that is around us. You can check out the website here if you'd like and feel free to reach out to book a session. The website explains it all and has the breakdown of rates.

I hope to work with you and your loved ones in the near future.

www.hellosmilz.com

Follow me on Instagram: http://iconosquare.com/hellosmilz

Follow me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hellosmilz

xoxo

Enjoli Scott

Up to Lately

2014-11-24T15:21:00.000-08:00

Fall Is Here!!

That means the following for Witnesses:

-More Coffee Breaks (LOL)

-Gain 5 pounds

-Sisters buy thicker leggings

-More RV's

-Telephone witnessing and letter writing become the regular form of service.

It's weird how you can feel the shift from summer to fall! It goes unnoticed for the most part but when you start feeling the crisp air, it becomes more and more evident that summer is totally gone! Since we have been in a drought, the rain hasn't posed too much of a problem. We have had two rainy days that required more RV's but it's been pretty good other than that. Jon and I have been helping our local congregation with the cart witnessing and that requires that we stand in one place for about 4 hours! It's a little hard when you start the day cold but then it warms up. You don't want to be over dressed or under dressed! I found myself battling this over the past month. It's hard to figure it out! We have been busy with everyday life....our schedules are super busy and we are finding it hard to find the balance to make time for ourselves. We are learning to take a half day to just rest or get personal things done. Since each day is accounted for, it's been non-stop! We have been asking around how others take their time off and they suggest a half day if you can't get a full day to rest. It's very important that you rest because you will burn out too fast and be rendered useless for the ministry. So to speak! haha....I'll keep you posted in a few months how this turns out for us! We are still learning how to figure it out.

Just a few things we've been up to. So I have been wanting to reach out within my own congregation to the friends that don't normally get invited to functions. I seeked out a few of our older sisters in my hall and asked them to join me in a movie night! It was so cute, one of them was so excited to come she said she had never been invited to such an thing. Sadly she couldn't make it since she got the flu!! Darn flu season!! It was so nice, we had wine, watched the movie and had some uplifting conversations. I will definitely be doing that again! I really enjoyed myself. It was so fun! Lastly, we went to San Jose to visit Ryan and Alicia and their new baby boy Jayden. Ryan gave his second public talk (first one was 8 years ago) in his new Cong. Jon really wanted to see it so we spent the night at their house Saturday night and hung out together Sunday after the meeting. Ryan did an awesome job, he was a natural!

So far this has been it...we have had some nice ministry experiences...I would like to give them sometime to see how they develop before I share them. I have really enjoyed going door to door looking for interested ones. I think my favorite part of the ministry is the return visits! In the past I used to dread that part but I have come to find it's the most rewarding part of the ministry. It's super hard to find people at home but I have been enjoying the conversations I have with interested ones. I get anxious if I haven't returned on my RV's within a few days!

Enjoy the photos below and feel free to comment on anything or ask questions!

xoxo

Enjoli + Jon

He's ready to conduct the service meeting!

I Could Never Be A Painter

2014-11-10T10:38:00.003-08:00

When words become unclear, I shall focus with photographs.

When images become inadequate, I shall be content with silence.

~Ansel Adams

I never had the nack to paint or draw...so I found the art of photography! Pictures capture so many moments and emotions. I love taking photos! I prefer portrait photography...however, not everyone wants their photo taken. So I just work with what I see around me...here are a few shots from San Francisco and Capitola CA. I shared the New York photos in the previous post.

Enjoy!!

xoxo

Enjoli

Adieu! Adieu...Parting is such sweet sorrow...

2014-11-06T10:48:00.002-08:00

Oh New York...you haven't failed us yet. Since we have been married we have been making an annual family visit to New York. It's not intentional but it always seems to be a family trip. However, this year we didn't think we would make it, that's because we traveled all over Europe and are now pioneering...so who has the time?!

It wasn't until we got a phone call from our good friend in New York. He said: "Uh, hey guys, so I am moving to Finland and Russia! I was asked to move and it'll be in December of this year"....HOLD THE PHONE YOU'RE DOING WHAT?! It came out of now where, it was a shock at first but to know it's for the benefit of the organization it wasn't so much of a sting. So Vadim - this one is for you! YOU WILL BE MISSED BUT LISTEN, OBEY and BE BLESSED! haha....It's such a sacrifice you're doing but you will no doubt find that there was a reason for the move. Not only for Jehovah but for yourself personally. I just can't wait to hear what it is.

So Jon and I packed our bags, loaded up the car, headed for the airport and we were on our way! The Scott's take New York 2014!

Vadim was able to get us a bethel room; for those who don't know it's basically three free nights in Brooklyn and you have the same benefits as a bethelite. Food, Morning Worship and Family Worship night (we'll come to this later). Friday we arrive and spend the afternoon with Vadim...then James and Bobby (friends of mine I grew up with in Sacramento who are now in bethel)....meet up with us. We had a chill night and then walked around the neighborhood. Just taking it easy.

Saturday starts the mayhem. So as per usual, James, Vadim and I have a tradition of planking. This planking has been going on since 2011. At first it was just me but then Vadim and James decided to join in. Each one with their own pose. So Jon was our great photographer and snapped this shot!! It was awesome! One of the last ones in New York...3 years strong!

After that, we get some delicious coffee that James suggested. Des met up with us and it was nice to catch up. After that, we all took a stroll around Central Park; there was a beautiful garden I just had to check out. I am so glad I did! It's called the Conservatory Garden. Also, check out these images here on Google Images: MORE
It didn't disappoint.

Exit Des and enter Dinosaur BBQ. WoW, JUST WOW. The ribs were amazing, the greens were salivating and the corn bread was breath taking! haha I wanted to walk around Harlem and I am glad I suggested it, James pointed us to this delish bbq joint and it was so tasty!!

End Saturday...enter Sunday. Sunday, lazy Sunday. It was a day of rest! Minor jet lag, just being tired from life took a toll on all of us. James and Vadim came over to our bethel room and we cooked breakfast. It was simple but good...eggs, beacon, toast, OJ and coffee (of course, these boys are coffee fanatics).

We chill and then get ready for the mtg. It was special because James was able to give the talk...IN RUSSIAN! It was so nice to see James be on stage, he understood what he was talking about and teaching it others who speak Russian as their native tongue. It was really impressive. He did a good job. After the mtg we had hospitality and it was so nice to be surrounded by the friends and eat some delicious Russian/Georgian food!

Monday morning rolls around and Jon and I were scheduled to leave bethel. We didn't want to leave because we wanted to be apart of the Family Worship night. However we couldn't because our stay was up!! Bobby's roommate, however, was able to get us in the room for one more night! THANK YOU JEHOVAH! We are SOO grateful that he did! We were able to be apart of the Family Worship night. This was a special night though, it was Gilead Introductions!! Oh my word, I had no idea they did this....before we got to the introductions, we did a summary of the WT. After that we were able to meet the 138th Gilead Class. The experiences of each couple AND SINGLE ONES was so encouraging. I wish I could relate all of it but I hope it can be shared soon on tv.jw.org. We will see. Let's just say, it was memorable.

Tuesday came all too quickly and it was time to say "see you later". We caught our flight and back to reality we went. We ended on such a good spiritual note that we were sad it had to end.

Vadim - we know you will do well in your new assignment. You will struggle with certain things but just know it was Jehovah who sent you and for a good reason! Jon and I are already planning a trip to see you!! haha....Hopefully you can stay there long enough! tehehe...Keep up the good work!! BTW - Pssssh! What is distance anyway?! It makes the times we spend together that much more rewarding. So I say MORE DISTANCE because the next time Jon and I see you, we will have such a good time and just like our visit to you in New York, it will be memorable!

Ciao

xoxo

Jonathan and Enjoli Scott

PS
Don't forget to select the photo, a slide show will help view the pics.

THANK YOU FOR GIVING US THE BEST NEW YORK EXPERIENCE! IT WAS RICH WITH SPIRITUAL FOOD, IT'S A MEAL WE WILL NEVER FORGET!! WE ARE SO PROUD OF YOU!

San Francisco

2014-09-29T11:14:00.000-07:00

Our Home....

I took this shot over the weekend, the city was clear (no fog) and the weather was warm. I couldn't help reflect on the beauty of this bridge. We take it for-granted all time while living here. We look at is as something that is expensive ($7 to cross) and also think of traffic but when you stop to just admire, it really is a sight.

xoxo

Enjoli

Here and There

2014-09-25T14:16:00.002-07:00

"If Jehovah wanted us to focus on the things behind, he would have given us eyes in the back of our head".

Phew! Oh Boy!! What a busy busy month! It's not even over yet! So by the lack of posting you can probably guess life has been busy for us and you would be right! Long story short, I am working part time now and Jon has one more day of working full time. You know when you plan things out, you think they would go accordingly...well that wasn't the case for Jon. So about 2 years ago, Jon asks his boss to go part time...the boss agree...Jon is happy....no prob. Ok well fast forward to July 2014...come to find out, the company is hanging by a thread (the lack of rain is not helping that's for sure...he works for a plumbing company and whenever it rains, it brings good business...not sure why but it does). So Jon's other employee (Jon is the ofc manager) decides to take a 3.5 week vacation to Europe and guess when he leaves! IN SEPTEMBER! Oh Satan, you think you're clever don't you! LOL I laugh because it came out of no where. Anywhoo - so my poor Jon has been working full time and pioneering. It's been busy busy busy BUT it somehow has managed to work out. He's not far off on his time and he has two bible studies of his own that has proven to be very helpful in this situation. So yes, we had a little hurdle to jump over but that's ok, we figured it out and it actually worked to our benefit. Not only did it force us to stick with our new schedule, it has made me a morning person...Ok sorta! It forced us to be productive and not procrastinate!

So the good news is, is we are at the end of the first month. It's been hectic but worth it. Already I have experiences in the ministry and soon I will be placing a bible! I never got that response while going door to door as a reg. publisher. It's funny as a pioneer you want to talk to people and so you're more bold in doing so. You really do look for the opportunities because you're sick of getting rejected!

So the light at the end of the tunnel? Yes we're broke now, yes we can't do things with others anymore (not as much) but the good news is, we don't care. We save our pennies and learn to have fun by looking for deals! So my job was GIVING AWAY FREE Giants Game tickets! These things cost at least $40 a person...I got two for FREE! So I jumped on that and we're happy to say we can see the Giants play for free! Also, we found free Salsa dancing, music and food trucks. Of course you pay for your own food but we danced in Oakland for free and got to enjoy some warm weather! Looking for the deals has been very helpful. It sounds lame but it's saving us money. The Subway sandwiches coupons has been a great help! LOL Buy one get one free! It's awesome.

All in all, it's been a life changer but really, we are both much more happier. Jon keeps saying how happy I am now and how I seem more at ease. Before I was just going through the emotions of life. I would work to buy things I don't need and then buy more things because I was bored. It's so sad...but since I changed my focus it's been so helpful and now I found true meaning to my day. Yes the ministry is REALLY rough and I have found some rude people but I also found people who want to learn. In time, hopefully, we can travel to a foreign land and preach to the people who really want to hear it. I can't wait for that day! I would love to experience the sincere joy of someone learning for the first time about Jehovah. I am still working hard here in SF to get to that point but it's very few and far in between. Keeping my head up though...the woman I will be placing the bible with, I can't wait to see her reaction when she see's Jehovah's name. I'll have to keep you posted if I can remember to share it on here again. lol

Here are a few pics...nothing too special and these have been on Instagram...if you don't have one then here you go...seen for the first time.

Apple pie has been something I've been getting into, I am making another one tonight! I love it!

xoxo

Enjoli + Jon

Read the captions of the photos...there's something special about one of them.

Yeah, it's never going away

Dance all night! FREE!

Just a little creation I made...super fun

Trying! Homemade "latte"....lol
I wasn't really trying, it's basically frothed milk and coffee.

BEFORE - SOO MANY APPLES!

AFTER - Delish!!

Just a little fun!

NEWS FLASH!
So Vadim is our BFF and we are SO sad BUT happy for him! Sad for us, happy for him. He will be moving 12/1/2014 to Russia!! He was PERSONALLY asked by the GB to move to Russia to assist with the Russian Translation there. It's so neat to see his progress, he's done so much in Jehovah's service and it isn't stopping!! WAY TO GO VADIM!! WE MISS YOU ALREADY!!!

A Goal without a Plan is just a Dream!

2014-09-03T09:59:00.001-07:00

September 1, 2014

"A Goal without a Plan is just a Dream"

That has got to be one of my favorite quotes from this years Conventions! September 1st marked the start of the new service year for Jehovah's Witnesses. To some, it was just another day, to us it was the start of a new life. It took us two years to get us to September 1st and it finally came upon us. As mentioned in the previous post, the effort to start was work but it was all worth it. Cliché I know...but really it was. We had a great first day, the sun was out, the neighbors were home, thanks to Labor Day holiday. We talked to as many people we could and spending 8+ hours in service didn't feel bad at all! We didn't even notice the time going by, always a good sign. LOL. We are in the Excelsior Congregation and before 9/1/14 we only had two regular pioneers. Not anymore! Jon and I along with David make a total of 5 for the Excelsior Cong. It's a great thing to have since these dear sisters were the soldiers before us. We were taking plenty of notes and trying to master our casual talk skills.

We look forward to this year, it's a year of change in a good way. We anticipate what's in store for us but we know to take each day as it comes.

We thank all our friends and family for the support they have shown along the way! It's a self sacrificing job and we're happy to be apart of it!

xoxo

Enjoli + Jon

The Scottoneers

We're Official!!

Scottoneers!

2014-08-05T12:17:00.002-07:00

The Road That Leads to Regular Pioneering!

The smiles on the faces don't express enough how happy we are about our decision! However, the road to get there was long and bumpy! Let's rewind shall we? About 2 years ago I (Enjoli) got the urge to want to get back on the pioneer list. I used to pioneer while living at home in Sacramento. Well as a married woman and 8 years later, I was ready to get back to it! Jon and I were newly married and I suddenly out of no where beg Jon to allow me to pioneer. After sometime, I was like..."Wait?! Why don't YOU JOIN ME?!"....Jon gave it some serious thought and before you know it, we both had the goal of regular pioneering. However, there were a lot of things that needed to be done! This two year process was just beginning. We needed to pay off some wedding debt, some credit card debt and fix a broken car! We ended up getting a new one as it was more feasible to do so. However, we love to travel so we managed to enjoy life as well. Well all of that comes with a cost! You might wonder, how the heck did we manage it?! Well with some talk to some good friends aboard who were in a similar boat, we got a general idea on how to budget. So we hit the books, we watched our budget for a month to see where we were leaking money! Come to find out, those eating out dates and or random activities were adding up. Time to tighten up that belt! So we made a budget of spending (a month's worth)...it went something like this:

Food $800

Gas: $400

Entertainment: $400

Car Payment: $300

Insurance: $240

Rent: Under $1,500 (I prefer to not disclose the amount)

Savings: "Available upon request" (I prefer to not disclose the amount)

The amounts listed above are numbers based on our income. We treated savings as if it were a bill! Mind you, we were both working FULL TIME so we were able to save more each month. Since we closed the gap on the extra spending, we found that we could save more! Of course this doesn't reflect ALL the bills but it gives you a general idea. The food cost is a little over budget (meaning we put more to be safe) but whatever was left over, we put in savings. So there was a balance to it.

Due to the strict budget, we were able to travel to the Dominican Republic in 2013 and spend 3.5 weeks in Europe! Due to savings and also learning how to use credit card points. It all worked!!

Moving forward. So at the time Jon decided to join the ranks, he spoke with his Boss about how he would like to work 3 days a week. His boss agreed to the schedule and he's set! Easy as 1,2,3. I, on the other hand, was not so fortunate. My job is NOT stressful nor time consuming, so I knew I would be able to work part time with it. However, I had to time the questioning right. My boss is a very busy lady...so after our Europe trip I asked her! I asked at the end of May if I can drop down to 3 days a week. I prayed for Tuesday and Friday's off. It was a painful wait for 2.5 months!! I had to wait and wait and wait for her to make up her mind! Finally, I prayed to Jehovah asking for an answer! I was so desperate to know Yes or No that I was at my witts end! I emailed my boss asking for the answer and tried to 'IM' her. She didn't respond and I was freaking out. I call Jon and he started to talk about how we might need to reconsider things. I freaked out on him, saying "What are you talking about? Two years in the making and you're trying to give it all up?! Are you nuts?"....I then continue..."Maybe this was a bad idea, maybe I should quit, I can't take it anymore. The wait in killing me!". I prayed once again, asking for an answer from my boss! I was crying because I was fed up with Jon's comment and fed up with the idea that I would think to quit at the '11th hour'.

I walked back over to my desk and see an email from my boss...it reads: "Yes, you have the green light." The amount of relief was so overwhelming that I couldn't stand to smile, I immediately cried and THANKED Jehovah for answering my prayers and allowing me to keep my current job! The pay and benefits will stay the same! It truly is a blessing because I was willing and about to work at Starbucks! I will always thank Jehovah for that moment. He stepped in right when I wanted to quit because I thought he had forgotten about me! How wrong I was!

Later that day, I called Jon and my mom! I had to tell them the good news! Jon, Asya and I later went to the beach to celebrate!

What a joyful time!

We just submitted our applications on Sunday and are waiting for the final approval from the Elders. We are looking forward to the beginning of the rest of our lives.

The two years it took to get us to that point was worth it! Make it your goal to get what you want spiritually. Jehovah always comes in at the right time. He will never forget what you're trying to do is for him. Psalms 34:8. During the process, we allowed ourselves to be transformed...we made a budget, stuck to it. We increased our personal study that helped us keep our goal alive. We limited extracurricular activities but still had balance as we were able to travel. Sacrifices were made but all in all, it was worth it. I thought I wouldn't be able to go shopping but little did I know, shopping on sale is more fun than it sounds. For the most part, you already have everything so everything else is considered excess.

It was all worth the efforts...we are so thrilled! September here we come!

A GOAL WITHOUT A PLAN IS JUST A DREAM!

xoxo

Enjoli + Jon

Service after we submitted our applications

Campaign Work

Our view!!

Italy!! Venice and Rome - The last stop

2014-08-05T11:32:00.001-07:00

Ciao Bella!
Finally, our last stop was Italy! We had so much fun touring Italy, the food, the gelato and the WEATHER were all on point! Venice was our first stop coming from The Netherlands....we took a 1 hour boat taxi from the airport to our rented apartment! It was so nice to see the city on water! The alleys are gorgeous, the people are nice! Did I mention the gelato!? haha...It was ALLLLLLLL so good! Venice offered us a place to slow down! They have 2 hour siestas (meaning take a nap and don't work)! Don't think you need to rush anything here, everything is at a snails pace. It's perfect! We toured Venice for three days and took a day trip to Murano (known for blown glass) and Burano (known for Lace!!). We favored Burano but it was sill amazing to be on the water with 80 degree weather! Coming from rain most of the trip, it was a welcomed sight.

Three days later, we took a 3 hour train ride from Venice to Rome. We found Rome to be slightly dirty and also more busy! So if you're looking for city life, come to Rome. However, all the major attractions to see are so close to each other, you can litterally walk to each one. And that we did! We spent three days in Rome and touring the ruins and doing the bible tour we found out about. It was a 3 hour bible tour about how the Romans lived and what 1st Century Christians were up against. Did you know that all the food and entertainment in Rome was FREE?! No wonder "all roads lead to Rome"!....everyone wanted free wine, bread and entertainment! However, the entertainment was not always the best. First it was animal against anmial, but the crowds were tired of that...so it was man against animal and before you know it, it was man vs man! So not good entertaimnet. The old thumbs up or down came from Ceasar! That's the birthplace...Thumbs up, he lives...Thumbs down, he dies. Sad!

We attended our last aboard meeting. It was an English meeting in Rome. It was nice to meet the friends and hear how the ministry is over there. It's like here in SF...rough. People see false religion right in front of their faces and are disgusted and turned off from religion. So the grounds for sowing fall on hard soil. But there are gems here and there. Hence the reason why we cont. to preach!

We are full of happiness and satisfaction having the trip of a life time. We hope that we can experience this again soon. However we are geered up and ready to regular pioneer next month. We will see what Jehovah has instore for us! We're well traveld now, so hopefully Jehovah can use that for us to see more of his wonderful earth!!

Thanks for putting up with the delays. It's been a long time but there are so many photos and other things come up. I appreciate you taking the time to follow our travels.

xoxo

Enjoli and Jonathan

Just a little rainy but a welcome rain!!

Rialto Bridge

St. Marco Square

Day Trip to Murano

Murano

Known for blown glass

Taxi over to Burano

Burano

Spoke NO English but she asked me if I were having Babinos because I wanted lace! hahaha...So sweet!

Hand-made lace - the only school in the WORLD is on Burano

FIN! ON TO ROME!!

ROME

The Wedding Cake

Trevi Fountain

View from the Spanish Steps

Spanish Steps!

Caesar

Augustus

ORIGINAL COBBLE STONE!

OUR TOUR GUIDE, Brother Gray

Birthplace of x-mas...Saturnalia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saturnalia

Where the mile started

A mile stone

Caesar's Tomb

Don't rest on your laurels!
http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/rest-on-his-laurels.html

Arch of Titus

Jehovah's lamp-stand and horns, the only depiction ever recorded in history. Stolen by the Romans.

Caesar's Palace

Paul could have been standing here...not so sure but the view is similar

The Colosseum

The Pantheon - a temple of worship to ALL gods!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pantheon,_Rome

A stand asking people to worship ONE God! Jehovah!
I loved seeing these all over Europe!

Vatican City

The Vatican

Spanish Steps again- from afar

Tired feet and tired in general....
we said our farewells to Rome and Europe in general. Until next time!!

Amsterdam - Netherlands

2014-07-10T11:51:00.000-07:00

Amsterdam!! The proper way to say it (as we learned) was Ahhm-ster-daum (sorta slur your A's).

So, we traveled into Amsterdam looking forward to seeing our dear friend Ale! She married a brother from the Netherlands about 2 years ago (aka: Nederland). They're so much in love! Since we haven't seen each other face to face in 2 years it was really nice to hug each other and say hello!! Vincent and Ale were great hosts and showed us around! We started in Amsterdam and it was like a mini preview of what was to come for Venice! Lots of water, lots of bridges and A TON OF BIKES!! If you are a serious biker (bicycles) then you should live here. Everywhere you went there were bikes!

We eventually made our way into Utrecht, it's another city near by where they live. They live in Culemborg and the best way to describe it is like living in the middle of California where there's lots of space and flat ground. However, they have a lot more history (buildings as old as the 16th Century!)...they also have BEAUTIFUL grounds...lots of green and lots of animals! haha. Back to Utrect (uoo-threct). It was another pretty city, probably better than Amsterdam itself! It was cleaner and a little smaller. They have a ton of shops and pretty areas to walk around.

There are various other places that we went to but the problem is, the names are in Dutch! lol I don't know how pronounce them or even remember them. Thankfully pictures help us remember and so pay attention to the signs if you see them in the shot. The picture above is from the Keukenhof. It's a BEAUTIFUL garden FULL of tulip flowers! They are known for their flowers and we had a blast going through it and taking in the sights. I couldn't help but think of paradise! It will be something like this, it was SO peaceful! I can't wait!!

We attended a meeting in Dutch! haha We didn't understand a thing! However Ale and Vincent had a demo to do and literally moments before they went on stage, they had to change their whole presentation because the brothers before them did the same one! WHOOPS! It sounds like it's no biggie but remember, Ale speaks Dutch now and she's still learning the language! So for her to change everything 60 seconds before they go on stage was a huge task! Thankfully she nailed it and I hope to post the video online and to share how well she did! SHE WAS AMAZING. You would think she spoke the language for years.

We were nearing our last day and Jon wanted to go into Germany and drive 100+mph! It's legal there! So we ended up taking the 1 hour drive and stepped over (briefly) into Germany! It was so cool to drive 135 mph and not worry about getting a ticket! LOL It was awesome...Oh they call their freeway in Germany the Autobahn. So if you've heard of that, that's basically what it is. Drive Fast, Stay out of people's way and it's all legal.

It was time to say our goodbyes at the airport! It was very hard to say bye to Ale. We had some great chats together and it was so nice to ride bikes along the dykes (AKA: Leveys) haha...that's what they call them. We packed our 1 kilo of cheese and we were off to Italy! A teary goodbye but hopefully we can see each other sooner rather than later!

Thank you so much Ale and Vincent for your hospitality! I can't stress it enough, you have a wonderful life in Culemborg.

Love you both.

xoxo

Enjoli + Jon

Italy to come! Enjoy the pics!

No pictures allowed inside but you MUST see this...it was really amazing.

Got any cheese?! LOL

16th Century Old Bldg

Belgian Hot Chocolate!!

The River of Flowers

Paris - France

2014-05-19T15:49:00.000-07:00

Bon Jour!

So sorry for the delay on our trip! When you're in the moment, it's hard to find the time to post and share properly! I don't want to just put up anything!

Paris, Oh PARIS. I had a lot of expectations and I am happy to say it didn't disappoint. It was really fun to explore the city and see what all the fuss is about. First of all Paris is very high end, ok well maybe where we were staying BUT the people dress VERY NICE! I gotta say American Ladies, you gotta step up the game! Same to you Gentlemen. There's something special about Europeans, they know how to dress! So we arrive in Paris after our London adventures and find ourselves feeling TOTALLY FOREIGN! We don't know the language, the streets are in French and we had no one to greet us on the other end. It was so nice to get out of the airport and to be greeted with a familiar face back in London. NOT SO MUCH HERE! We had to look lost and finally find our way to the metro station and figure out how to get to the hotel. Fortunately we found our way and we were all ok. We purchased a book about Paris and decided to hit the ground running. We found some YUMMY food near by and walked around. We were in an area where all the touristy spots were within walking distance. We walked around the Louvre and the Opera House. We found that Paris has 'city share' bikes, so we decided to rent bikes the next day and bike all over. We saved ourselves from a lot of walking but it was great, we seen a lot of Paris this way. We started at the Museum d'Orsay and that was so cool. There they have a lot of Monet and Van Gouge...we spent about 3 hours looking at art! It was insane...then we biked over to the Notre Dame Church...we just had to see it! Of course we did not go inside but it was a sight to see from the outside. We then took another ride to the Luxembourg Park...that used to be a Palace but it is now a museum/park. It was so pretty! We saved ourselves from the long lines and decided to bike around some more. We did a little shopping and then decided to go back to the hotel to rest up a bit. After a few refreshments and a power-nap we hit the road again! This time THE EIFFEL TOWER! It was such a BEAUTIFUL sight! I gotta tell ya...there's nothing like it...it's amazing. We ended up watching the sunset around the Eiffel Tower and then hanging out for a bit. By the time you knew it, it was already 1:30am! We were out that late! We made our way back to the hotel got some rest. (I guess that power nap worked!).

The next day we took a train ride to Versailles...my camera lens decided to break down on me so I was very limited with my lens. I was so upset...but the trip keeps going! So we arrive at the Palace and it was RAINING so bad! haha...We had tickets to see the gardens and under the circumstances we saw as much as we could see. So we opted to see what was inside the palace. It was beautiful! So much detail and so much SPACE! It's amazing how large these 'homes' are. If you don't recall, this is where the Queen of France lived....the most famous is Marie Antoinette. She had some impeccable taste! Insane what they used to wear, the fabrics are so pretty!

Since my lens was messed up I got a very sad looking picture of the Hall of Mirrors...you will see. Moving forward, we had plans to go to Giverny to see Monet's home BUT my lens put a stop to that. We fixed the lens (YAY) at the cost of loosing out on Giverny (BOO)....so we decided to stroll the streets of Paris...we walked around Hemingway's neighborhood and decided to see where he lived! To our surprise, the renter walked up and let us in! HAHA He showed us "Hemingway's" flat. It was really cool to see the building but regards to the exact flat IDK BUT it was still nice to see it.

Our 'week' in Paris went by fast! We ended on a spiritual note...we attended the Special Talk in English IN PARIS... It was so cool to be apart of the Special Talk "world wide". We know where we live and we tend to live in our bubbles. So for us to experience the special talk and know it's the same talk back at home was such a treat. We had tears at the end of the last song. Jehovah is good!

Stay tuned for the Netherlands!

xoxo

Enjoli and Jon

P.S.

Don't forget you can click on one picture and create a slideshow.

Locks of Love

Scene from the movie Inception

Inside the Opera House

At the Palace of Versailles

The original!

London - England

2014-04-27T15:28:00.001-07:00

We jetted off for London by way of San Francisco International Airport. We took a 4 hour flight from SFO to Chicago and then connected from Chicago to London Heathrow airport. All in all, we spent about 10+ hours traveling but that’s not the mention the 1.5 hour train ride we took to get to Olga’s home. For those who don’t know, we met Olga through mutual friends, she stayed with us when she came to visit San Francisco in December 2012. We hit it off and kept in touch over the course of a year and now we get the honor of staying with her. We left SFO on a Tuesday and arrived London on a Wednesday. Olga’s meeting (she attends the Russian Cong)….lands on a Wednesday. We arrive, drop our bags off at her home (of course learning the London Tubes AKA: Subways along the way). We chat for an hour and then get the itch to get some fresh air. We take the tube one stop up and get off where the 2012 Olympics were held. We were shocked to see how SMALL it was! It was large in stadium size but the actual area wasn’t very big. We got some food and then quickly changed and attended her Russian meeting. Mind you, we have still yet to sleep….we attend the meeting and meet her friends. It was really nice to meet the friends in her hall, everyone was very nice and very curious about us. Also they were impressed because by that time we were up for 24 hours. Jet lag was setting in and slowly we were looking more and more tired. We knock out and wake up to Thursday.

Thursday we hit the road running, we got our maps and found all the landmarks we could see. We saw Westminster, Kensington Palace, Buckingham Palace, Parliament and Big Ben…there’s more in-between but to just name a few those are the major spots. We stayed our late and saw as much as possible. We had tired feet to say the least. Friday rolled around and jet lag HIT US HARD! We were supposed to go out in service (or as they say, Ministry)…but we didn’t wake up until 11am! We were supposed to wake up at 8am haha… Well not all was lost, we ended up going to Borough Market, they have YUMMY food and was an open market. We also walked around the Thames (aka: River) and walked near the Tower of London, Tower Bridge, London Bridge (which was sadly boring to look at) and then went inside to the Tate Modern Museum. It was free and they have the oddest looking things you can find. After all the walking, there was more! We met up with some of Olga’s friends and we walked around some more and caught sight of the areas. We went to a near by pub and had a “whale of a time”. The friends were so nice and it was a treat to be surrounded by regular pioneers and bethelites. Great association to say the least. We noticed the London pubs are more like living rooms. Similar to San Franciscans, they do not have a lot of living space, so it was really nice to be in a pub for hours and not feel pressured to buy more food, or buy more drinks. The idea of the pub is to associate and that’s not necessarily with food and drink, it’s just a public living room to have all your friends together. It’s totally opposite of America, it’s really nice to not feel the pressure to leave because you have to pay for your time and table while you’re at a restaurant.

Saturday sprung up and we had plans to visit the British Museum. Olga arranged for us to have 2 tours there. There is a private company run by Brothers who provide Bible Tours at the British Museum. It’s organized really nice and it’s mandatory that all the witnesses dress as if they are going to the meetings. So Brother have to wear pants (aka: trousers) and ladies have to wear skirts or a dress. It really dignifies us as witnesses because you see the difference within a crowd of who’s who. It’s also really nice because you can meet your fellow brothers and sisters from all over the globe. It feels like a mini international convention. The tours were 1 hour long and the guides pull their information from the Insight Books. It’s very similar to the tour in New York but this one here in London has a different feel to it, not only is it shorter but you can see a bit more artifacts. Also, they have these really cool headphones that allow you to hear the tour guide, so no matter where you’re standing you will always hear the information. It’s great! After the tour Jon and I decided to walk around and perhaps get to see the Crown Jewels at the Tower of London….we didn’t get to see the day before and figured we could see it after the tour. Well the line (Que) to see the jewels was about a 40 min. wait and they closed at 5pm…we got there at 4pm…so it would be a waste of 22 pounds to see it. So we decided to opt out. We took a black cab (very helpful BTW) back to the area we were at (near Oxford Street) because we felt we wanted to see more of the streets rather than the Underground (aka: Subways)…15 pounds later we were back where we started! LOL We were sorta like “AHH we wasted money” BUT it was nice to see the areas we missed while traveling in the tubes. SO we ended up walking along Oxford Street and we get to do some shopping. LADIES, Check out NEXT, HOBBS, PRIMARK, JOHN LEWIS and MARK AND SPENCERS….we found ourselves in these stores while we were there. Jon got some really nice (REAL LEATHER) shoes and I found some classy dresses. There’s a side story about Hobbs…every time I went to look at the store to see what’s inside (because their clothes are quality and also it doesn’t help that Kate Middleton shops there)…that they were closed. Apparently, stores close at 5pm or before! I never heard of that, it was very annoying because I really wanted to see what was inside. Not to worry, I eventually got in! lol After we wondered around (be sure to check out the alley ways because they have the cutest buildings)….we got some London Food at a near by pub. I had the Steak and Ale pie (DELISH) and Jon had the Bangers and Mash (sausage and mashed potatoes). Of course he liked mine better LOL. We made our way home and were super tired and finally got some rest.

Sunday we decided to be bad and miss the meeting, sorry!!! We only had very limited time. It was chucking down rain (as they say) and so we walked around Spitafiled Market and Brick Lane. It was an nice market, they sold a lot of homemade jewelry and clothes. Very nice things, I was looking at a broach that was art-decor and I couldn’t stop thinking about it….I pointed it out to Jon and I was like “Hey, do you like this? It’s so different, I like it”…He liked it but didn’t want to spend the money on it. So I said ok, and put it back down (what a good wife right?!) LOL…So Olga and I were walking and I get distracted and start looking at a very nice satchel…I end up buying that! LOL Jon comes around and said he couldn’t find the coffee he wanted. We end up walking around the whole market and found a ping pong table. Of course Jon HAS to play. So we tried to teach Olga how to play the game…it was a success! While we were ready to leave to hit up Brick Lane where the yummy food is at, Jon asked if I wanted to see if the broach was still there. I was like “Sure! If it’s meant to be, it would still be there and I will buy it!”….WELL I get there and it was GONE!!! I was like “NOOOOOO, Jon, it’s gone!!”….he goes “Awww, well that’s because I bought it!” To my surprise he got me the broach!! SOO CUTE! I was so shocked and as was Olga! We both said that was so sweet and I gave him a kiss. SO SWEET!!

After the gushy gushy stuff, we meet up with a couple from Olga’s hall. Mira and I really hit it off because she was into Photography as am I. So she and I couldn’t stop talking about it. We get our Lithuanian Food and GRUB!! It was a beef cutlet with mozzarella cheese and spices. It came with Mash and Veggies. Olga had what looked like dumplings and it also came with mash. It was very very good. We all (Olga, Jon, myself and the couple) walk around Brick Lane and check out the sights, it reminded me of Haight and Ashbury where it’s more of a hippy vibe. Still cool. We depart from the couple and meet up with another sister who is also showing around another couple who is visiting from another part of London. Julie is the Circuit Overseer’s wife and she has got the be one of the hippest CO’s wife I have met. SHE HAS INSTAGRAM! LOL We eat and chat at a near by Pub and then go our separate ways. Jon and I leave from everyone so we can go to Abby Road and do the oh so famous pose. Abby Road was made popular by the Beatles….back in the 60’s they were at their recording studio (which is literally two doors down from their cross-walk) and they needed a new album cover. Well someone in that group had the bright idea to just use what’s around them. The birth of the Abby Road Crossing was created. Since then it’s a cheap thrill and tourist favorite. You cross the road and snap a photo. It’s also quite challenging…..this is a two way street with busy traffic, for those who remember Frogger, it’s almost like that! Quickly go in the middle and not get it and quickly get to the other side! LOL Overall though, we got some great shots. Well worth the effort. I also had the bright idea to bring my dad’s record cover of Abby Road. I’m so glad I did…the result was amazing.

Monday - B—ly Monday! Last day! We decide to get some last min. shopping done. Jon was looking for a suite because he was told they are better there…well…no success…the color, the size that was needed was not available. Well in any case we did good and didn’t over buy. Olga made out and got a really cute dress!! Love it. We decide to walk around St. Pancreas and sightsee some more…we found a bike and thought we would try and teach Olga how to ride it! It was cute watching her learn. We finish off at a near by pub and make the way home to re-pack all our things and also fit in the new purchases. It was one last goodbye before reality sit in that we were leaving. Olga felt it, we felt it, it was that dreadful time when you realize it will be a very long time before you see each other again. If only we were not miles apart. We enjoyed each others company.

Overall our experience in London was a great one, we would consider living there should we have the opportunity. The culture is very nice and the areas remind us so much of San Francisco. The people are friendly, the need to buy is not a big deal as much as in the States. Shops close early, people spend time with each other.

As I am writing this, reflecting on our trip to London, we have much more ahead of ourselves. We are on the Euro Star Train making our way over to Paris. We will miss the fact that we do not have someone waiting for us on the other end but we will appreciate attending the meetings and making new ones.

Until then my friends.

Cheers

xoxo

Enjoli and Jonathan

PS
Remember to click on the photos and you can have a slide show - use the arrows to go through the pics.

Jon calling all the credit card companies to make sure they work overseas!

Parents' Are Great!

2014-04-08T11:19:00.000-07:00

Our parents (Enjoli's Parents) came to visit this past weekend. It was a very short but sweet visit. They were helping out with the Twin Peaks congregation for their track campaign. It was nice to have them here. Probably by now you've seen posts and comments but Jon and I have been sick with the flu all of last week. It would seem as though I (Enjoli) got stuck with the worst part of it...a viral infection. I broke out into rashes all over my body. I wasn't able to spend much time with my parents, I was mostly asleep for it all. Come Sunday morning at 3am I wake Jon up so he can take me to the ER. It was one hectic visit with my parents but I was happy they were there. It's a sense of comfort when you're sick and you have your mom and dad available to you.

Well come to find out I need a heap load of meds and slowly but surly I will be getting rid of these rashes. It's never fun to see your body react to something...you don't even know what you have!

Overall, we tried to find some fun time. I asked my little brother if I could barrow is Nintendo (original baby) and along with it came with the Sega! Jon and I were stoked and we were like kids again...playing the video games we grew up on. So wholesome! haha

Yesterday was a very warm and sunny day so I asked if we could get some fresh air (working from home and being home is not fun. It's like a prison). So Jon took me to our favorite spot...Beach Chalet...we ended up sitting near the outside deck at the bottom of the restaurant. Park Chalet...it's a very nice location. So chill.

We are exactly 7 days away from our trip and I couldn't be more excited and anxious. Sickness aside, I feel I will have a good time away from it all.

xoxo

Enjoli + Jon

It was non-stop action. Couldn't get enough.

Even Teddy was feeling my pain..sitting in the car because I couldn't breath.

So long and farewell...safe drive

Pain behind that smile...so much pain!

This is what I looked liked...came into work and went right back home.

Getting fresh air...still in pain but needed to get out of the house!

Stepping Closer

2014-03-31T09:41:00.000-07:00

Getting closer!! Soon we'll be boarding the airplane and getting ready for take off! I just hope we get there safe and not go missing! So scary and sad for those people on that flight.

On a good note, I have to share the experience of how great and wonderful Jehovah is!

Since I will be away from work for a full month, the stress of finding a temp was starting to get to me. My boss is already under a lot of pressure to fill 5 other positions and to add my situation wasn't going to help her. So I took it upon myself to ask Portia if she would like to temp while I'm away for a month. For those of you who don't know, Portia and her husband have been helping in China! So they were here to get their visas together and also get more money. They have both been finding little jobs here and there to help support them to go back, but nothing was coming through to the amount they needed. In comes Enjoli....So I ask..."Portia, if you and K wait a month to go back you can easily make 2k for one months work". She of course said yes and my boss said yes and it was all a GO! We were both relieved! My boss was happy she didn't have to do extra work and since I recommended her, she trusts that I would pick someone who's able to do the job.

Portia and K are excited and happy...it's quite an experience for them. They can live in San Francisco for a month and Portia is able to make some money in the meantime.

Jehovah is good!! He knows how to step in!

On a side note, among the anxieties of getting ready for a month's journey, Jon and I have been Salsa dancing! haha. We knew the basics but all thanks to YouTube we were able to add more style to our dance. Jon is a great leader and a quick learner. He decided to take me out on a date and Cafe Cocomo was now in our vocabulary. We went for the two hour lesson (Salsa and Bachata) and then a free for all dance after with a live band. It was so much fun!! We will be going back but want to add more styling to our dances. We saw some crazy moves but smooth! We can't wait!

xoxo

Enjoli + Jon

Portia and Caleb stopping by my job

Date night with Jon at Cafe Cocomo

TBT: A friend shared this little gem with me. Jonathan....haha I'm not sure what age but if I had to guess I would say 7 or 8 years old. How cute is he!? HAHA

Let the Campaign Begin!

2014-03-24T10:19:00.000-07:00

This Saturday marked the first day of our Memorial Tract Campaign. Since we have service meeting at our house, it was nice to have the excitement 'close to home'! ;-) We started off doing one whole block for two people. That sounds like a lot, but in reality we blazed through it...we got a few people home and a few others who were just totally not interested. I still scratch my head as to why Jews just HATE to hear the name Jesus....Don't they get it by now?!....guess not.

Along with a new start was also the ending of a young brother in our hall. He was just starting to get his feet settled in the cement (AKA: in the congregation) and he has to now leave us. Cristian will now be going to Santa Rosa...can you believe he was commuting from SR to SF!! Crazy kid...but he was well liked in the hall. So much so, they threw a picnic for him! haha...

As always...I have photos...we had an impromtu gathering at our house.

xoxo

Enjoli + Jon

Best little buddy ever! Ezra

Home of the Princess Diaries - leaving a tract!

Sing Loud and Sing Proud in your new hall Cristian!

The cup says it all haha

My last minute creation! TACOS!

They had 3 servings!

Taboo...or as other says...Tattoo!

The Scott Family

2014-03-20T05:00:00.000-07:00

LOL! His face...Oh Teddy

Who are we?!

We are Jon and Ejo! Jon was born and raised in San Francisco, CA and I (Enjoli) on the other hand, was born in Guam and then raised in Sacramento, CA. I moved to San Francisco just about 7 years ago (end of May will be a full 7 years). We both managed to meet each other (another post sometime) and now are happily married for almost 3 years (3 years in June). Together we have a dog named Teddy!

Jon is an only child and at the age of 9 he had to deal with a tragic death. Something no child should have to experience...the loss of his father. With his mom, they managed to move forward with life and rely on Jehovah. Jon considers Jehovah to be more of a father figure rather than his real Dad. I know what you're thinking..."That's not right"! Let me explain further...since Jon just turned 9 years old, he really only had 8 years with him, if you can, try and recall everything about your parents only have 8 years experience. Also, don't forget, your memory starts more or less around the age of 5 years old! So from 5-8 (3 years) that's not a lot of time if you really think about it. As I was saying, Jon feels like Jehovah is more of a father, he has consistently been there and when correction was needed, it was provided. Jon has seen the "hand" of Jehovah help him and his mother to get through the most difficult times in life. All in all, Jon has no regrets, he's very appreciate about how things have turned out and is very happy to have a mate who's a hard worker! :-) I know I'm writing this on behalf of Jon but I've heard him say this before, so I know it's not just me making this up! LOL

I (Enjoli) on the other hand, come from a large family! I am number 4 of 5 children and somehow I was the one who manged to move away. It's strange...I consider myself to be the one to stick with the family as a child but I managed to move myself from Sacramento to San Francisco. There were many days when I would drive almost 2 hours from Sac to SF for a job interview and then drive back home. I was dedicated LOL Insane.

I was born on a military base in Guam USA. At the time my father was not baptized and he was stationed there. My mom found the truth in Montana but due to the move she picked up her studies, progressed and was baptized 5 days AFTER my birth! I must get my drive from my mom! haha. I stayed in Sacramento until the age of 22, my mind-set was "I need a change"...not to mention my future husband was waiting for me! (I had no clue what was happening, I just moved) haha. I found a job, got a place to live (it's not cheap!!) and managed to live.

Jon and I are two fun loving people who appreciate those who appreciate us! LOL We find ourselves constantly having people over and playing games. It seems to be our 'calling'. We love a healthy competition.

Jon has his personal hobbies such as golf, watching and playing sports and eating! He's a foodie!!

I (Enjoli) have my personal hobbies as well, I love learning more and more about photography. I'm known to always take photos. I love learning how to knit and when I have the time, read a good book! I would like to be more active outside when the weather is nice but that's not always going to happen when you live in SF. It's so unpredictable!

He was whining that he couldn't be apart of our family study. So I was sharing what we were learning. I hope my preaching to him gets him into paradise! HAHA!! I know, I know...totally kidding...uh...ok sorta not.

Teddy! We adopted Teddy almost 4 years ago from a woman who was rescuing dogs from kill shelters. Since there was an influx of dogs of different breads in So Cal, she would come to SF and sale her dogs! It was nice because the only dogs we found were Chihuahuas and pits! Not the type of dog we wanted! One day, we went to Pet Smart and saw the dogs; we had our eyes set on "Tommy" another cute dog but it barked A LOT!! Not a good thing to have in an apartment...so I managed to walk down the isles and I spotted Teddy! He was sooo quite, scared and looked REALLY cute! He was under fed, dirty and had the longest body I had seen! LOL I wasn't sure at first but once we played with him, he stole our hearts! We HAD to have him! Ever since he's been the best house dog ever! We love him to pieces and the thought of getting rid of him would break our hearts. We hope he just grows old and passes before we have to send him to another family. Of course, if we do have to give him away, it would be someone within our family!

Well thank you for taking the time to get to know us!

If you feel like sharing who you are, please do so in the comments! We'd love to hear from you!

With much love and respect

Jonjoli

xoxo

Love is in the Air!

2014-03-19T13:15:00.000-07:00

March 8, 2014

Anusheh and Anton tied the knot! It was a fun wedding, it felt like the Excelsior and San Mateo Congregations got together and had a regular party! haha. It was so nice to be surrounded by your brothers and sisters having a good time and celebrating the bond of marriage.

We were asked by the bride and groom to help set up the wedding. Of course your first thought is AH! haha But then you realize how much help you received on your wedding day and you're so grateful for the assistance. It was nice to get a sneak peak of everything and see who's sitting where and what's going to happen. Since we were not dressed for a wedding we needed a place to change! Well that was no problem, Anusheh's parents place was just down the street and we were able to make the switch from street clothes to nice clothes. Well, with this switch we got another sneak peak at Anusheh!! The bride! She looked gorgeous. Her makeup was done just right, not too much and not too little. Her hair was gorgeous in the bridal up do and of course the sparkles that help accessorize. We didn't see the dress yet but to just see her and talk for a few moments felt as if you were talking to the Queen herself. It was nice to see how calm she was right before the ceremony.

Well ceremony commence, everyone has found their seat and cue music! Walk in the bridesmaids (3 in all) and the flower girls and ring bearer. Then walks in Anusheh, she looked amazing, as if she walked right off the bridal magazine. Anton was so nervous but yet, he kept his composure. Passing of the hands, from father daughter to almost husband and bride. They looked like two cake toppers standing next to each other; it was cute to see. Brother Pate gave a wonderful wedding talk. 25 minutes was all that was needed and "you may kiss the bride" was all Anton needed to jump in for his kiss!! haha He was, let's say...anxious and excited! LOL It was a kiss that wouldn't have been overlooked. It was cute.

Commence the reception! In you go, one by one...starting of the champagne and to the appeitzers. We wait about 1 hour before it's time to see them walk through and start dinner. Steak, Chicken, Rice, Salad and a pig the size of two large folding tables were on the menu. Start the wine and cap it off with coffee, we were, needless to say, FULL! Fortunately weddings come with music and that means you can dance the food you ate off. That is exactly what we did. We danced until it was time to go home! We had fun salsa dancing, bachata, merengue, the shuffle and of course just the usual two-step dancing haha. Our feet were screaming.

Last but not least, among the food, drinks and dancing was the ever so popular photo-booth! A wedding staple among this generation. I'm guilty, I had one! LOL The possibilities were endless!

Enjoy the photos, these were from my phone as my camera was stuck at home since I was a helper for the wedding. Boo I know! Forgive me please.

xoxo

Enjoli + Jon

Make sure of the important things!

Char and her new baby Emmi

Julie with her boyfriend of 7 months

Gladys, the mother of the groom

March Madness

2014-03-10T10:57:00.001-07:00

Cool and the Gang

So it was that time again...time to make our 1.5 hour drive from San Francisco to Sacramento to visit the good o'l family! With any visit, it was a good one! We had a blast with all the kids. The above is missing one kid from all the nieces and nephews that we get to see when we visit. We love those kids will all our hearts! Each one has their own personality and combined it makes for great laughs and plenty of partners for games! haha

Jon is the oldest and he's in high school, it's amazing to see how he's growing up to be a good student, worker and brother. He loves his video games of course.

Tati is the middle girl (from my sister there are three kids)...she's super smart and can easily call you out on something if you miss a step. She's a quite one at first but not for long when you get to be around her more. Little do people know, she's a love bug...I love my tati-mama's.

Bri is the youngest and she's almost done with elementary school. She's very creative and very good at drawing.

Chloe is the oldest girl from my oldest Brother Jeremy. She's SUCH a girly girl. She LOVES makeup and clothes and cares greatly about her fashion sense. So young but so fashionable haha.
Jack is the youngest and he's a TOTAL BOY!! He loves everything sports related and loves to play outside and play video games when he can. He's a total cutie pie and the sweetest kid.

No pictured is Mya; She's my middle brother's daughter. I have not met her due to certain circumstances but she's a cutie in pics and is 2 years old. I hear she has a passion for mini mouse! haha.

Jon and I arrive Sacramento mid afternoon, we decided to take time off from work to get there early. We are glad we did! It's such a smoother transition. Friday night we had a family dinner and had Portia and Caleb over. They are a couple from Sacramento but have offered themselves to Need Great work. I would say where but I don't want to tie their names with location. It's very top secret. We got to enjoy their company and hear their experiences of their choice location. It was great to hear about it.

Saturday was a day for service and we ended up doing street work since I had an 11am hair appointment! lol Sac is the only place I can go for a reasonable price haircut and color. Jeremy and Amy with their two kids took us to their territory and we were able to do street work and place mags with people who were interested. It was nice to chat with people a little bit. After all that, Saturday was another family dinner and then family game night. Jeremy was a huge cheater and made up his own words when playing Catch Phrase. It wasn't until my Mom realized what he was doing. Shame Shame! haha It was hilarious though and very smart. We thought about doing that but never did. lol Oh and a side note to show you how cute Jack is, when I came back with the new hair do, he was like "Oh wow, Aunty Jo, I didn't know that was you. You look beautiful". hahaha OMG melted my heart!

Sunday rolled around and it's usually a day where we try to spend as much time as possible together. We went to the park and had a nice time soaking up the sun. It was a relaxed day...we left that evening and we hope to return ASAP. Our trip is coming up so I'm not sure of our next visit. Probably May!!

Enjoy the pics from the park. I was practicing my photography and these are UNEDITED photos. Chloe is the best model! lol She loves to take pictures, so it works great for me.

xoxo

Enjoli + Jon

My how time has changed!!

2014-03-05T09:41:00.000-08:00

It's always going to be more fascinating when we see how kids react to things we grew up with. I remember my dad showing one of my sisters's friends what a record was!! Also HOW TO USE IT! That was hilarious. Now'a'days people don't even know what a CD player or CD is...ok maybe they do but since iTunes, there is no need.

Check out this video on Rotary Phones...do you remember these? I sure do! I recall having to use it at my parents house and knowing the phones numbers by heart! At times, it was just fun to play with.

Check it out.

xoxo

Enjoli

Too Cute!

2014-02-28T10:35:00.001-08:00

This is probably one of the cutest, funniest things I've seen yet.
I only wish I can be this age and still have fun.

xoxo

Enjoli

Service of Late

2014-02-25T15:24:00.000-08:00

Although Jon and I are not auxiliary pioneering this month, we have been putting in the pioneer hours. It has been great! With the exception of one weekend, we have been out. We have been greatly enjoying the joy you get while in service. Not to mention the good association and the ability to share what you're learning. It's becoming tradition to get tacos after service too so that also helps! HAHA We live near the Mission, SO WHY NOT?!

We recently had the exciting visit of our circuit overseer. It's always a real treat to have special visitors like that. Since we did not want to miss out on his visit, Jon and I both decided to plan a day together for service during the week. We both work full time and have only the weekends to go out. Well we decided to toss all that non-sense out the window and take an unpaid day off! I took a full day of no pay and Jon took a 1/2 day of no pay. (He unfortunately had to go in and handle interviews, so he couldn't be gone for too long).

That being said, Jehovah sure blessed us...or so it seemed. We had 10 people out in service on the Tuesday when we decided to go out. Brother Eudy was arranging the groups and he and his wife did not have partners (he does that on purpose)...so he picked Jon and I to work with him and his wife. It was a real treat, we never get the chance to work with the CO on the weekends because others already "reserved" their time. It just goes to show that if you put spiritual things first, blessings will be upon you. We were so happy that we had the opportunity to work side by side with our CO and his wife. Jon mentioned Brother Eudy was asking about reaching out in the Cong. Sister Eudy was educating me on her life in the full time work. It was great conversation. We sadly have them for one more visit before they go to their next assignment and then perhaps retire (there is a new letter that the age to quite is 70 years old).

The pictures below are of a few days out in service during this month. It's not much since I've been so focused on how to be a better preacher/teacher. I (at times) put a lot of pressure on myself to be good but I just have to keep praying and let Jehovah steer me.

xoxo

Enjoli + Jon

Taj and Jon - they were twins on Tuesday! haha

The Crew going to territory

Random SF shot...poor pic quality, all of these were from my phone

Service this past Sunday

The Countdown

2014-02-08T06:00:00.000-08:00

Let the countdown begin! In my mind, the countdown started two years ago but finally, we're only two months away. Jon and I are tying up the loose ends of all the details of our trip. The only thing we need to book (as of right now) is our flight from the Netherlands to Venice....oh and a train ticket to Rome from Venice. Other than that, everything else is set.

Jon is finally sharing my enthusiasm about our 1 month journey frolicking around Europe. I will finally share a secret I have been holding in, unless I personally told you face to face! LOL (Sorry). The sole purpose of this trip is to see where we would like to serve for need greating. At the moment we are interested in Italy, but of course that can all change if we can't adapt to what it's like. So we're 'scouting' if you will. We plan to go to meetings in the native language of the countries. We were encouraged to do so since it's more of a true experience rather than visiting another English congregations. That's the beauty of being a Need Greater...YOU can choose where you want to go. So that is exactly what we're doing. Of course we wouldn't move there right away. We have to go through Pioneer School together here in the states and while doing that, we'd like to take classes to speak the language. Hopefully join a Foreign Lang. cong here in SF. We'll see...lots is happening. Especially since they read the letter expressing the need. So these are goals.

Back to Europe!

We will be doing service in London and in the Netherlands. We hope to join service in Paris and Italy but we'll see. We don't have connections there so if you know someone DO TELL!

We plan on doing a tour of Rome called "Legs of Iron" it's a bible tour so that will be interesting to see!

Stay tuned to the blog, this will be the avenue I can express in detail about our trip. I can share on FB and Instagram but details are easily left out.

xoxo

Enjoli + Jon