A Look Back At 2011

Wow! Another year has come and gone. Can you believe it? Time is either traveling too fast for me or too slow.. Not very patient am I? ;) Anyway this has got to be the craziest year ever for me!

Things we did this year:
1. I was going to the community college (that I unfortunately wasn't able to finish do to moving. :P)
2. I had a job
3. I turned 16 and had the best sweet 16 party ever!
4. We MOVED
5. I went on my first youth retreat (really the first time I had been away from my parents.)
6.  I got a new camera!
7. Finished a 2,000 piece puzzle (right now we are working on a 1,000 piece puzzle. :) )
8. Went to the ocean a lot!
9. Read 28 books this year!! I've read 99 books altogether. I can't wait to get my 100th book finished!
10. Had my wisdom teeth taken out and had four cavities. :P
11. My brother got braces. :]
12.Got my permit! Finally!
13. Went sailing!
14. Saw Scotty McCreery!
15. Everything that just made this year special...
16. Not to mention all the wonders that God has done in my life over this past year!

Thank you readers for being apart of it!
God bless and have a wonderful new year!

Btw my little fact from last year...
My brother is basically the same height he was last year. He might have grown half an inch or something pitiful like that. :P Although he is only 14 and has a good amount of time to grow. :)

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This Christmas Morn

On Christmas morn it finally really felt like the December weather I'm used to. Even though there was no snow, it was still beautiful out! As a Christian, Christmas means so much to me. My pastor said it's the start to Calvary, where Jesus died for my sins. It's hard during this season not to become totally self absorbed, trust me I know! ;) But the greatest gift I could ever receive is already mine. Jesus died for all my sins and transgressions and rose again the third day that we might live. Giving is an act of portraying what miraculous wonders we have been given. God bless and I hope you kept Christ in Christmas this year. 

"Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: After His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Spirit. Then Joseph her husband, being a just man and not wanting to make her a public example, was minded to put her away secretly. But while he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. And she will forth a Son, and you shall call His name JESUS for He will save His people from their sins. So all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet saying: "Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel," which is translated, "God with us."

-Matthew 1:18-23

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Singing All The Way

Recently my youth group went caroling! We were struggling whether to go or not but we did and I am so thankful! Even though I was burning up in the hospital with my turtle neck on I don't regret it for a moment! Not to mention that I looked like a beet, I was so red. :P Singing songs to people in the hospital was amazing! I felt so blessed! Thankfully I was able to pray with two people! Both of whom were elderly. My brother even got to pray for someone. He said when he had finished praying and opened his eyes that the elderly lady, that he was praying for, had tears brimming in her eyes and she mouthed the words thank you. I feel so blessed to be healthy and out of the hospital, especially for Christmas. But even if I was it's so wonderful to know that God is always with me, no matter where or what. The Lord be with you and have a blessed Christmas!

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Scavenger Hunt Sunday!!!

         


Since I haven't really used Picnik lately or joined in Scavenger Hunt Sunday I decided to have them both in this post! So here's my clash of Picnik and SHS. :) Enjoy!

1. Less is More

Who said? ;)

2. Holiday Cheer

We had a Christmas party for the youth! It was so much fun! The theme was Wild Wild West. Can you tell? Unfortunately not everyone was in this picture. :/

3. Nativity

"Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel," which is translated, "God with us." -Matthew 1:23

4. Ornaments

5. Holiday Lights

Our outside Christmas lights look basically nothing like this. lol I think it's cool how the edit came out though. :)

Hope you enjoyed and the Lord be with you! Don't forget the reason for this season. :)

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A Parade To Remember!

We went to a PARADE! It was so fun and interesting! My very first time going to an "actual" parade! I took around 200 pictures...although I won't be including them in this post. ;) Only the ones that I truly loved! Btw I was in love with the lighting I was able to get. lol 

She actually stopped and waited for me to take the picture! It was nice of her!

Then Star Wars rolled in. ;)

This makes me think he is like "I'm taking you down!" Yes, I have quite an imagination.

I love this picture! Did I mention I have a thing for carriages? :)

I feel so sry for the horses when I look at this picture.

Old cars I just love!

Jump ropers! I feel sry for them. I would be exhausted! lol

It was so hard getting a picture with the skateboarder in the air! It happened all so fast. Although I'm proud of myself for this shot. :)

Then SCOTTY!!!

The song I Love You This Big was playing!

He actually smiled and pointed at my brother! lol Why not me?! ;)

I'm proud of this picture! His back was turned from me for the most part of him passing but I did in fact get an up-close shot of his face. :)

Miniature horses! :)

The bands were really good! I love how the gold coloring reflects in their instruments!

There was so much more at the parade that I could have showed you but I thought I would just show my favs. :) God bless and have a wonderful rest of the week! Hope you had a lovely Thanksgiving! Btw I am so stoked for it to finally get really cold! lol :D

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Thankful to Jesus!

It is Thanksgiving and it is finally starting to feel like that time of year.. a bonfire at a friends house really helped with that. :) Well, what am I thankful for? EVERYTHING! And to whom am I thankful? To Jesus!  I have more than I could ever ask for! Thank you Lord! :)

"Make a joyful shout to the Lord, all you lands! Serve the Lord with gladness; come before His presence with singing. Know that the Lord, He is God; It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves; We are His people and the sheep of His pasture. Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name. For the Lord is good; His mercy is everlasting, and His truth endures to all generations."  -Psalm 100

"Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good!
For His mercy endures forever.
Oh, give thanks tot he God of gods!
For His mercy endures forever.
Oh, give thanks to the Lord of lords!
For His mercy endures forever.
To Him who alone does great wonders,
For His mercy endures forever.
To Him who by wisdom made the heavens,
For His mercy endures forever.
To Him who laid out the earth above the waters,
For His mercy endures forever.
To Him who made great lights,
For His mercy endures forever.
The sun to rule by day,
For His mercy endures forever.
The moon and stars to rule by night,
For His mercy endures forever.
To Him who struck Egypt in their firstborn,
For His mercy endures forever.
And brought out Israel from among them,
For His mercy endures forever.
With a strong hand, and with an outstretched arm,
For His mercy endures forever.
To Him who divided the Red Sea in two,
For His mercy endures forever.
And made Israel pass through the midst of it,
For His mercy endures forever.
To Him who struck down great kings,
For His mercy endures forever.
And slew famous kings,
For His mercy endures forever.
Sihon king of the Amorites,
For His mercy endures forever.
And Og king of Bashan,
For His mercy endures forever.
And gave their land as a heritage,
For His mercy endures forever.
A heritage to Israel His servant,
For His mercy endures forever.
Who remembered us in our lowly state,
For His mercy endures forever.
And rescued us from our enemies,
For His mercy endures forever.
Who gives food to all flesh,
For His mercy endures forever.
Oh, give thanks to the God of heaven!
For His mercy endures forever."
-Psalm 136

I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving! God bless! And yes, my appetite is growing! Food.. I am awaiting you! lol ;)

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"The Help"

Well "The Help" definitely has it's ups and downs for me. On one hand I love it! It has a terrific story and compelling characters. On the other hand I only really have to complain about is one thing: cursing. Tons of it. Actually this book has more cursing than I have read in any book. I can deal with the roundabout cursing, but when it kept bringing up God's name, in more 'worse' ways, it bothered me. Usually that sort of cursing would really only come up in chapters where it is from Miss Skeeter's perspective.

Now on to a short review on what "The Help" was about.
"The Help" is from the vantage point of three women. Two maids and one lady lately arriving from college. In Jackson, Mississippi, during the 1960s, the lines between the help and their employers is "large" and "bold."  For a large part of the book it is about each woman's everyday kind of life. The good, the bad, and the ugly. When Miss Skeeter lands a job answering questions on house cleaning, it leads her one step closer to that line. With different toilets coming in for the help and people's blood boiling over civil rights, will these three women dare to step across that line? Will they come together for a very touchy subject, on what is like to work for a white lady? Will these three women show the people around them that the line that is ever prominent in their daily lives, is only in their head?

I really like this book, but I won't be recommending it due to the amount of cursing. Although that is always up to you but be dully warned that the cursing is rather a lot. :/  Now that I said that I can tell you which character I loved the best. It's hard to say which character I liked the best but whose part I liked to read the best. I think it has to be Minny's. So many interesting and strange things happened in her chapters. Several times I was in suspense at the end of one of Minny's chapters. lol I didn't enjoy Skeeter's too much other than it felt like I was getting juicy gossip.. I know that was a weird way to explain it but it did. lol Aibileen's chapters were alright. Sometimes I would really like her chapters or I would be slightly bored. Nothing too out of the usual happened in those parts. Although I love her sweet nature. I have to tell you that my eyes actually watered in this one part. I don't cry during books just get extremely teary eyed. lol :)
The Lord be with you and have a blessed upcoming Thanksgiving! :D

"Wasn't that the point of the book?  For women to realize, We are just two people. Not that much separates us. Not nearly as much as I'd thought." - Kathryn Stockett (The Help)

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Every Leaf is a Memory

Well fall is just splendid! Finally the leaves are falling and it is like a 'winter wonderland' consisting of leaves! I feel all lit up inside when I think about! Not to mention the food... ;) Another thing that I love about fall is that you can't help but simply yearn for a day spent with friends and enjoying how miraculous God's touch is on every leaf! Yesterday fulfilled that lovely fall day!

Sometimes we are just a bit hyper...

The lovely photographer! ;)

It kind of looks 3D ish. lol

The lake is looking so pretty right now!

I love the simple beauty of this one!

Parents enjoy it too! :)

Now let's shop!!

Danielle got earrings while I got a beanie! :D

Yeah... And they say adults are so refined... lol jk

Well, this definitely topped fall off! A day spent laughing, talking, listening to Danielle rap..., shopping, eating far too much, taking awesome pictures(if I do say so myself), smelling horrible sea weed, having a bonfire, and just having an overall blast!!!

God bless and have a wonderful fall!

"Every leaf speaks bliss to me, fluttering from the autumn tree."

-Emily Bronte

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