Momma's Photo shoot

Our friend Pete Artemenko took these photos at the Rippy's house the other day.
Check out his site when you get a chance: www.latentdesign.com

Baby Shower Pics

the Guthrie Girls
This is how Charlotte rolls..monogram everything!
Katie and Wrenn made this.

Presh!

This would be a mult-tiered diaper cake.

Belly-Mania

Read This!!!

If you are reading our blog....there is a good chance I know you and possibly like you. But even if I don't know you or like you.......I still think you should read this book.
A) I never recommend books because I am not an excellerated reader.
B) It's an easy read and this guy uses my humor and speaks my language.
C) IT'S PASSIONATE

this book along with some other things (including God) are really expanding and changing the way I look at Life, Faith, Ministry, Family, and Purpose to name a few.

If you read this book and it doesn't perplex you or challenge you then A) I'll reimburce you B) I don't think you really read it.


God is Good,
nate
www.thesimpleway.org

Billy

The first time I saw him he was breaking into a locked dumpster at the Methadone clinic to drink the last few drops of medicine because he couldn’t afford anymore heroine. I walked closer to him and he begged me not to call the cops. I sat down behind the dumpster and listened to Billy’s story. He told me that he was 51 years old and he has been addicted to drugs and alcohol since he was 16 years old. I listened and tried to encourage my tired friend. He was sick of being addicted and he promised me that he was going to get clean….I didn’t believe him.So fast-forward 3 months. I’m in the public Library downtown and I hear this man yelling my name and walking towards me. I got nervous. It was Billy. He looked so much better than the times I had seen him in the dumpster. He proceeded to tell me that God had sent him angels to help him get clean and the I was one of them. I was confused. Someone scholar shipped Billy $12,000 to go to a really nice re-hab clinic and Billy has been clean and sober for over 90 days. Billy told me that he hasn’t been clean that long in 35 years. He thanks me for not calling the cops on him and listening to him instead. Billy is a new man. I thank you God that you make us all new!!!!I praise you for sending Billy as my angel to remind me of your incredible power and love.
God is Good,
Nate

FORKED!

When I left this morning to go to church....this is what my tiny lawn looked like. Some of our students thought this was funny.

They're all gonna DIE!

Our Daughter the Moabitess

This is the woman that we are naming our daughter after:
Ruth Cannon Stratman
aka- Ruthie, RC Cola or Roof

Why Ruth?- Kim and I have Ruth's that we are related to and mean something to our family.
The scriptures say that Ruth was "better than 7 sons".
Our Pastor preached a series on Ruth that sealed the deal.

Why Cannon?- My grandmothers maiden name is Cannon. It's strong. Don't mess with a chick
whose middle name is Cannon........or ya' gonna get it!

Why Stratman?- no choice

LOUIE

we sat next to "Louie" from "Remember the Titans" last night at an Argentinian Restaraunt on Ventura Ave. He was my favorite actor by far in that film. He was in Clerks, Chasing Amy, Mallrats, Blow, and now he is on "My name is Earl".

CHRISTmas in Hollywood again......

This my friends is the "Hollywood Nail". I found it on the floor of the Warner Bros. studio where they build the sets. Why the double headed hollywood nail you ask? Since they change the sets so much, the double sided nail allows them to pull them out with the claw of the hammer quickly so they can refigure the set for the next scene.


Stained glass in the back of the sanctuary.

The Smiths in Encinitas

We went down to see Jamie and Kimber Smith outside of San Diego today. The Ocean is beautiful with the mountains in the background. We saw the their church and youth building...it was a good time had by all.

a random visit in Hollywood

My mom says that the Cross of the church lies directly in the middle of the HOLLYWOOD sign if you stand in the middle of the intersection on Sunset Blvd.
I tried to stand there....and was nearly killed. So here is my best attempt at lining up the cross and the sign.


Cousin Marko came down from Santa Barbara for the afternoon.


Kim requested I find the "Bing" star amongst the 8 Jillion other stars.

The four of us were in the Sanctuary of the church and 3 people were singing in the corner, preparing for Christmas Eve. I was watching one of the young men sing and as I got closer, it was our friend Matt Lutz from Wilmington who is an actor and Kim and Matt lead Young Life together in college at UNCW. He was in Bringing Down the House, End of the Spear and Walk to Remember to name a few.

We also had one of my parents friends from church take us through the Warner Bros. facility. We walked around and ate lunch. We saw the set for Oceans 13, ER and other stuff.

CHRISTmas in Hollywood II

This is the church where they have filmed 7th Heaven for years and it's down the street from my p's house.

La Casa De Deb and Gar

This is mom's lemon tree in the back alley that she makes lemonade from

CHRISTmas in Hollywood

..so I have a confession to make....I am intrigued or maybe even obsessed with famous people! Kim has acused me of this....and now I admit it. But in my defense, I am not enamored with the glitz and the glamour....I am intrigued by these people who are unique and obscure....and I feel like i'm best friends with most famous people due to Entertainment Tonight and the first 10 pages of People Magazine in the Harris Teeter shopping line.
Having said all that...I saw Hillary Duff and her mother walking outside of the Disney Building. I met a man who ran in the Olympics and shook hands with Hitler. We saw one of the lead actresses from The Practice outside of the Curves on Ventura Ave. where my mom works. I met a man who was Roy Rogers and Dale Evans pastor for over 30 years in the Apple Valley. This was all in one day...more to come!
Here is the website of the church my parents are serving: www.hollywoodpres.org
This is a "Bird of Paradise" outside my p's house.

some random, wet plant outside the house.

This is one of the many Christmas lights that were left on my parents porch from an independent film that was shot at their house in October.

Kim in my parents small living room next to their huge Christmas tree.


The Kitchen

O Tannanbaum

our new tile floor in the bano

got a new pooper that is taller and is a nice ride.

a baby wreath made out of diapers and toys for little Ruthie from a mom in Kim's class.


All the boys bible study groups built these letters out of 2x4's and wrapped them in lights and stuck them on the roof of the HUB. "Dad, you taught me everything I need to know about Exterior Lumination"- Clark Griswald


Kimmie Gibler dressed up the Bungalo for the coming of Christ.

The Legacy

My glorious nephew "mr. benners" woofing down his first birthday cake. His passion and commitment to the culinary arts brings a tear to my eye. This young man will carry the Namtart Banner with Pride!

My Red HOT SMOKIN' Pregnant Wife

(i'm a little concerned that our unborn child is 8 inches away from a 400 degree oven. But Kim looks real nice like checkin' that corn bread...dont' she?

Kim has begun building "pillow fortresses" at night so she can get comfortable. Jake and I used to do the same thing when we were little...and then it turned into "KING OF THE BED" and one of us would fly of the bed onto the floor....i don't think Kim is interested in playing this game.....yet.

Thanksgiving Coon Feast

This past week I went down towards Shallote,NC for a Deer Hunt, Coon Hunt and Bluegrass pickin' at a friend hunting camp. Doing the "Lord's Work" has caused me to be resourceful in terms of feeding the family. This thanksgiving we will have Coon Souffle and Mint Julip Coon Croquettes. The boys tell me that coon meat will be good for our baby girl who is due in March. Rumor has it that rapid coon intake will give our baby some shiny hair and dark circles around her eyes so that she doesn't need to apply mascara.

(i'll put some pictures of Kim and the Pooch on the blog this week)
happy thanksgving;
God is Good,
nate

It's a TRUDY!!!

Here is a picture of Trudy's "undercarriage"....turns out Darryl didn't have a weenie!

Trudy chillin' in her momma's belly.

Kim and I as Poppa Smurf and Smurfette at our annual 5 Dolla' Prom for the youth group. Next year we will paint Trudy blue and she can be a smurfling.

Barbarian Weekend

Every year I get together with the guys that I meet with each tuesday morning for our BARBARIAN WEEKEND. This year instead of heading to the OBX, we went to N.Topsail Island and rented a huge house on the sound and 50yds from the beach. We eat, surf, fish,play rummikub,sit in hottubs and we talk about Jesus. Eddie Stuart, David Massey and I got into a huge "pod?" of shrimp and threw our castnets for 3 hours. Needless to say...we ate lots of shrimp that night. Here is one of the Redfish from the weekend that i caught under a dock on live mullet.

KIM REPORT- Kim has almost completely stopped barfing and she is feeling much better. Little Darryl Wayne is 4 months old (womb age) and we find out the Darryl is a HE/SHE in a week. Kim looks pretty with her little poochy-pooch. Now I don't feel so guilty about my poochy-pooch when mommy has one too!

"Deb gone Wild"

For those of you who don't know my mother, she is a simple
preacher's wife who has recently been uprooted from the
Ozark mountains to the bright lights of Hollywood. She used
to buy her smocks at TJ Maxx and her decorations at Big Lots..
but now Deb has gone Wild. She's hanging out with movies stars
and painting the town red while Dad try's to preach the word.

Deb has tickets to go see Dancing with the stars this week.

Here's a picture of Deb at the "spa" getting ready for Sunday church meetin'.