Five Things You May Not Know About Us
We love getting acquainted with people. If we could invite you to have tea with us in the studio (yes, we prefer tea to coffee), here are five things that might come up that you may not know about us!
SUSIE
1. I can literally fall asleep anywhere . . . just ask my family. It doesn't matter if it's the most thrilling movie, the loudest car ride, or reading a book to my children. it has come in handy on international flights.
2. I've had an absurd amount of pets over the course of my childhood . . . rabbits, hamsters, gerbils,
guinea pigs, birds, chinchillas, dogs, and, yes, my sister even had a pet skunk named Sylvester (his scent gland was removed, in case you were wondering).
So it’s no wonder that I have welcomed many animals into my family home. In addition to having four children, I currently care for a 35 lb. tortoise named Big Mamma, a 180 lb. St. Bernard named Trygge ("protector" in Swedish), a puggle named Stella, and a handful of fish! Perhaps the most unusual pet we've ever had were baby squirrels we bottle fed for six weeks before releasing into the wild of our backyard.
3. I like to be active. I biked from Montana to Alaska. I ran the Chicago marathon and have run 9 miles a week for the past 15 years with the same friend . I will walk anywhere with anyone.
4. I’m a blue-eyed, 5’1”, lefty, and Wendy is a brown eyed 5’7” righty!
5. I have two family nicknames: Bright Eyes and Super Sue. Both were given to me by my dad, who is amazed at my ability to find things, and who thinks I'm pretty super!
WENDY
1. I think owls are the most beautiful creatures on the planet. I think they are majestic and mysterious, and if they were legal to own as pets, I would have several.
2. I get stressed out watching a live play or musical. I am afraid the actors are going to forget their lines or mess up. This made our annual family outing to the opera with my parents a less-than-enjoyable experience. I would much rather watch a movie.
3. I rode my bicycle from the California coast to the Florida coast when I was 17. It was the hardest, yet best thing I had ever done. It taught me to push forward, even when the sky is dark, the mountain is too high, or the end is not in sight. I learned perseverance in difficult situations and how to lean into God when I lose all strength.
4. I would love to write a book someday. I don't have a preference as to what kind of book—I just want to have something published.
5. I studied exercise physiology under one of the founding fathers of the movement, Per Olaf Astrand, at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, Sweden. I participated in many experiments, including pre- and post-race testing of athletes who ran the Stockholm Marathon in 1984.
BONUS: Even though I am chronically cold, winter is my favorite time of the year. You will always find me with too many layers on, too warm a coat for the temperature, and too many blankets on my bed. I hate being cold, but if I can get enough warm clothes on, I'd rather be walking through a snowstorm than on a sunny beach.
If you could share one thing about yourself with us, what would you like us to know? Find us on Facebook or Instagram and tell us! We'd love to hear from you.