2012

What? It's the last day of 2011? Are you sure?

That's how I feel right now. How did it go by so fast?

I think it's funny how so many people make new years resolutions. They have good intentions, but who actually keeps their new years resolution? Well, I actually kept mine! Last year I posted about my new years resolution . It was to learn more about football. And yes sir-e. I learned more about it, and now I'm totally in love with it.

Oh by the way, Merry Christmas! I hope all of your holidays were bright, merry, and full of love. Mine were.

Happy New Year!

Happy birthday Jesus

For those of you that do read my blog.. Sorry it's taken me so long to get on here again.  Life is so busy. And Christmas is almost here! In only seven days it will be Christmas Eve.. Let's try to remember what Christmas is all about. It's easy to get sucked into all of the Christmas-y things to do. Like baking cookies, getting together with family and friends, receiving/giving gifts.... Those are all good things to do, but sometimes you get caught up in them. And too much of a good thing can be bad. Just keep Christ in Christmas. It really is all about him anyways, right? I was always confused on why we got presents for Christmas. Isn't it Jesus' birthday? Shouldn't He be getting the presents? It's not about us. Don't make it about you. Make it about Him. He's worth it. Especially at Christmas time, when we are celebrating his birthday after all. I love you, Jesus. Happy almost birthday.

Home Rules

Always be honest. 

Count your blessings.

Bear each other's burdens.

Forgive and forget.

Be kind and tender hearted.

Comfort one another.

Keep your promises.

Be supportive of one another.

Be true to each other.

Look after each other.

Treat each other like you would like to be treated.

But most important... Love one another deeply from the heart.

What would our world be like if every home lived by these rules?

Pictures

Yeah, I'm a picture freak. I love pictures. I can't help it. So here are some of the pictures from the beautiful thanksgiving day! 

Love.

Happy thanksgiving! :)

Thanksgiving Eve

Oh, the smells are here. Tonight my dad made four pies. Two homemade apple pies, and two homemade pumpkin pies. I can't wait to eat them tomorrow.

I am so thankful. Even more this year then I was last year. I'm thankful for my beautiful family. I'm thankful I have clothes to wear. I'm thankful for school, and that I have the PRIVILEGE to go every day and learn. I'm thankful for the crazies I call my friends. I'm thankful I'm American, and I live in this beautiful country. Happy Thanksgiving Eve everyone.

Christmas

I've been dreaming of a white Christmas.. Just like the one's I used to know.

*sigh*


Will it ever snow?

I'm not sure if I'm happy or sad about this no snow business. I don't know what to do with myself!

Thankful

Hey! It's almost thanksgiving. You know what that means?! Wonderful smells, happy people, beautiful smiling faces, thankful hearts. It's all so fantastic. And it's almost here.

11/11/11

Breath in. Breath out. Breath in. Breath out.

Happy Friday everyone! I'm going to spend this lovely chilly evening cleaning and hanging out with children.

~Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you.~ - Joshua 1:9


How true that has been lately in my life.

P.S. Remember to make a wish tonight at 11:11. :)

Breathing

Wow I feel like I forgot what it was like to breath. I've seriously never been that busy in my whole life. But at the end of the musical performance I was so proud of myself of everything I accomplished! Also on a side note, I applied for my very first job at the hospital working in food service. I'm hoping to get it, and start working soon. On another side note, I have to babysit all weekend. Total bummer! Oh well, at least I'll have something to do. Anyways I hope everyone is enjoying this beautiful weather.. Not!

Life

It's crazy how my last post was all about how fun this high school stuff is. This post is not going to be pretty.

Life is SO draining right now. I feel like I have no energy to do anything. And the things I love so dearly are slowly and surely sinking to the back burning... My life as I know it. is slipping out of my hands, and I feel as though it is uncontrollable. Before I felt so much happiness, and each day as I woke up I had this new joy. It's so frustrating not to have that anymore. And I'm sick of it. I feel like I just need to be done with everything. It's not just life in general either, but it's everything I'm committed to. Like, the musical, and taking harder classes, and the worship team for youth group (and the one for children's Church too), and I feel as though no matter how much time I spend with my friends all my friendships are failing.

I'm so tired...

I don't know what to do anymore.

Highschool

This high school stuff is fun.

Anyways, not a totally random topic. I've been quite busy with our high school's musical as of late. It's called the pirates of penzance. And it has been so enjoyable! Our shows are next weekend, and it's hard to believe that we've been working on this production since before school has started. It's crazy. But oh so beautiful. I'm so thankful for the opportunity I got to be in it and make many friendships!

On a side note, I've been having so much fun spending time with friends at harvest parties. Instead of focusing on Halloween during this Halloween season, I focus on fall-y things. Like pumpkins, and apple cider. I'm not much of a Halloween fan, but I do love this time of year. I love it so much.

Fall-y

I love this season. So much.

Today we carved pumpkins. And yes there was a candle lit called "pumpkin spice".

This season makes me so happy.

Cute, huh?

Funny

Funny how things work out, isn't it?

I am absolutely exhausted. When I got up for school this morning all I could think is "I. Am. So. Tired.". Really, I was. Well as I'm sitting in math class the whole school's power goes out. So we continue our day like it's somewhat normal. As I'm sitting in science class, they come over the loud speaker and dismiss school for the rest of the day! It was quite fantastic. So when I got home my mom and I decided to go out for lunch and spend some time together. It's been awhile since we have had one on one time.

I needed a day like today.

Monday already?

What a beautiful weekend. My school won their homecoming game. Fantastic. {We} also had a wonderful evening laughing, making memories, and sharing special moments with friends.

Sigh.


My life is quite lovely.

Does tomorrow have to be Monday, already?

Sick..

I'm a sickie. 

And not enjoying any second of it.

Hopefully I'll be better by the homecoming game tomorrow. One can only hope.

Me, Myself, and I.

I get called weird... A lot. In all honesty, I think that's a good thing! Who wants to be like everyone else, anyways? It's lame. So whether or not people like me, I'm going to continue to be weird, abnormal, eccentric. Call it what you will. But that's me, and I am very proud of it.

Once upon a time..

Do you ever feel as though your life is like a story? Almost as if each chapter just unfolds right before your eyes. Each day is a page. So page after page, day after day my story is written. Some chapters are sad, and some are happy. There's a new chapter in my life. It's an exciting chapter, and I'm falling in love with each page that goes by. This chapter is going to be a special one. 

~I can just feel it.~

Sixteen at last

*SIGH* Wow. What a busy month it's been. I recently just turned sixteen. We had puppies two weeks ago, and life has been crazy busy. I have a feeling sophomore year is going to be splendid. Absolutely splendid.

I also got a new camera! And I love it.

Bittersweet?!

I have serious mixed emotions. I found out awhile ago that some dear friends of mine are coming back from across the other side of the world!! HOORAY. But I just found out a week ago that some other dear friends are moving. These friends had so much impact on my life, it's so hard to say goodbye. But how can I not be happy for them?! They're going on a new adventure. One that God has called them to. And as for the returning friends, my heart is so overjoyed, but yet feeling sorrow that they have to say goodbye. Because all at once this goodbye stuff seems pretty serious. And not fun at all. So as I sit here and write this, with my heart all over the place, all I have to say is cherish the moment. Save it, and keep it in your heart. Because when that moment is gone, you'll always have it with you.

And to top it all off, we only have two weeks of summer left. TWO WEEKS. I am one sad blogger.

I wish I was young again.

Ready

This past week I was at a youth camp at Spencer Lake. It was incredible. My life was radically changed, and Jesus opened my eyes. Jesus filled my heart with his Holy presence, and I will never be the same. That empty hole in my heart that can ONLY be filled by Jesus, WAS filled by Him last week. It was perfect. I was finally at peace.

My heart it ready. My soul is ready. Jesus, I'm ready for you. I'm ready to do something magnificent for you. I'm ready to be your hands and feet. I'm ready. I'm ready, now.

Blogging

I love blogging. Because this is me. It isn't any one else, or anything else. 

It's where I can say what I truly feel without anyone interrupting. 

It's a bit of sanity, in an insane life. 

A taste of heaven

My day was beautiful.

Take the dogs for a walk - Check.
Spend time in Jesus' presence - Check.

Clean - Check.
Spend time with my family - Check.

Make homemade chocolate chip cookies - Check.

I feel like today was a bit of heaven. Thank you, Jesus. I needed this day.

Best friend.

I have a best friend. Yes, he is a boy, and yes, that is okay. He is wonderful, and I'm happy to know he'll always be there for me. We see each other all the time. Sometimes we fight. A lot. But maybe that's just because our personalities are very similar. The good of our friendship outweighs the bad by a long shot. Thanks, Andrew Brenton. You'll always be one of (if not) my closest friends. (And I hope if we ever go to a nursing home, we get put in the same one!)

Here's some more pictures of us throughout the years.

Summer of 2009.

Fall of 2008.

Summer of 2009.

I don't even know! Probably '06 or '07.

Spring of 2008.

Winter of 2010.

Summer of 2010.

Spring of 2011.

February of 2011.

Summer of 2011.

In Beauty

In beauty may I walk

All day long may I walk

Through the returning seasons may I walk

Beautifully will I possess again

Beautifully birds, 

Beautifully joyful birds

On the trail marked with pollen may I walk

With grasshoppers about my feet may I walk

With dew about my feet may I walk

With beauty may I walk

With beauty before me may I walk

With beauty behind me may I walk

With beauty above me may I walk

With beauty all around me may I walk

In old age, wandering on a trail of beauty, lively, may I walk

In old age, wandering on a trail of beauty, living again, may I walk

It is finished in beauty.

It is finished in beauty.

Burn, baby burn.

WOW. It is hot outside. The kind of hot where all you want to do is sit in your house by the nearest vent. Seriously, people. The past few weeks have been in the upper 80s. And that doesn't even include the heat index (which is what it ACTUALLY feels like with the humidity.). It's crazy. Anyways, besides the heat I've had an amazing few weeks! Summer is already half over, and I'm sad about that. But I'm looking forward to the new adventures that are coming this fall.

Busy bees

 I'm really starting to enjoy this summer. It seems as though we are busy and not busy at the same time. I wake up in the morning with nothing to do, just hanging out in my pajamas until I get a call or text from someone asking to hang out. Unconsciously, I have been filling up my summer days, with summer-y things, and I really love it. Things like going to the park, getting slushies, have picnics, going to the beach, spending time with people you never get to see, driving to a "bigger" city and going shopping, going to softball games, and eating popsicles outside in the grass. The nice thing is we still have two months of summer left too! Exciting, I know.

One of my best friends and I hanging out at a softball game.

Doggy kisses!

Beautiful ladies.

Fun in the park!!

Sean and I over-looking Lake Winnebago, on a beautiful sunny evening.

Some good family and friends socializing at my older brothers graduation party.