how PIN-teresting

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Snickerdoodle cake! I think this would make an excellent wedding cake!

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Recipes for homemade vitamin water.

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Coffee cake pancakes.

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5 Golden Rings

day #31

Hallelujah!

Hallelujah!

Hallelujah, Hallelujah!

Ha-lle-lu-jah!

Today marks DAY THIRTY ONE, I have blogged every day for 31 days. Who thought I could do it? Hmmm, I didn't... Today was a good day & it's the 5th day of Christmas, get your 5 golden rings out.

This morning/afternoon I had a reunion of sorts with the teens/staff from the summer ministry program I was apart of. People that I hadn't seen in months were there as well as my friend Kris, whom I hadn't seen since June of 2010...very nice to catch up & chat! My friend Kris is also a fellow Greek geek, it was awesome to talk "Greek" with someone who gets it! L.O.V.E.D. it!

What I love about today was that I was able to lead the music session, now I am not a musician. Violin & piano I can do a little, but my piano skills are not great enough to play for people. So I chose songs, found the lyrics & we had a sing-a-long of sorts. All the songs I chose were not really familiar with everyone but I still think it went well... I loved it, the enviornment seemed worshipful & there was good feedback. When I teach or do something with the ministry I tend to push it a little. Test the limits in a respectful way, trying to stretch our view & world. I like to do things differently then others, not always doing the same old thing...shake it up a little.

A lot of the people who are in this particular ministry tend to be very Baptist {not that Baptist is bad} they are really conservative & sometimes seem afraid of showing any emotion. Anyway, I will stop there before digging a deeper hole.

Also spent time with my dear friend Grace, she is about 7 ish months pregnant & just about as cute as they come. Such a beautiful, relaxing time with a godly young women. She & her husband are people I adore to pieces & I can't wait for their little boy to come.

I think that is all for now.

day #28

I love taking pictures at Christmas time, glitter, lights...

I didn't go to midnight mass Christmas Eve, my church service was longer then I anticipated. Christmas Eve was really good, played games, spent time with friends, went to church.

This season has given me so many ideas of what to do when/if I have a family someday. Ways to celebrate Advent, activities to do with the family, things to make/bake/cook...

The day after Christmas always seems to be such a shock. A good, solid month of thinking, prepping, shopping, baking... for only one day. When it is done, it is almost as it you say "well what now?" I find it very easy to slip into the mindset of looking foward to things so greatly that when they are over I feel so utterly disappointed. I try to be content with things & not place my expectations of things so high. This year wasn't my ideal, but a lot would have to happen for it to be.

{What the roads looked like...}

{What I wished that had looked like...}

day #27

Merry Christmas all, remember the true reason we celebrate...

the birth of our Savior,

our king.

May your day be filled with sweet reflection on our King of Kings.

day #24

:) I just feel really happy right now. There isn't one particular reason...

I am off work for 3 whole days! It feels like a lot even though it's not. I love Christmas time, the music, food, parties, beauty. Tonight I was watching "A Christmas Carol" with my sister, we drank hot chocolate had just the light of the TV & the Christmas lights...just pretty!

I was thinking about Christmas "someday" when I have a family of my own, traditions & special things we will do.... makes me excited for what God has in store.

snazzy jazzy

This past summer my sister went to South Africa as an intern for Impact Africa.

While she was there she became really close to the 6 other interns. Out of the 7 interns there 3 were just summer interns & the other 4 were year-long interns.

They had a load of fun together & the girls made an agreement to do a Christmas card competition. They each would do a Christmas card & send it to the guys who would judge & pick the winner.

So I got involved because my sister needed my skills of photography & photoshop.

She wanted to do an 80's style & somehow incorporate "have a jazzy Christmas".

So here are some pics, I think they are hilarious, she pulls off the 80's thing well. BTW she decorataed her sweatshirt herself.

She showed the sweatshirt to our mom who said "Its not that ugly",

my sister responded "no mom...no"

*And the final draft & chosen one to send....

Check out her blog: http://thepathtoafrica.blogspot.com/

project..

day #21

Working on ugly Christmas sweat photos for my sister, oh it's hilarious!
Going to edit while watching "Christmas in Conneticut"


I had no Christmas movies at all, I found these movies at Target for $8.99 each. A lady I work with was telling me how good some of these are, so I thought I should get them.

My Christmas thoughts...

day #20

The Sunday before Christmas, where has the time gone? I feel like just yesturday I was on the beach, getting burnt.Lots of things are happening, special services at church, party plans, family get-togethers.
I am grateful for this time of year, to have something to look forward to, special events & activities. I think I look forward to or put a lot of meaning into things, then it comes or happens & its over, I get disappointed easily. Generally I think the very best of people/things/situations & often the end result is not what I had pictured.
I sat in church tonight listening to the choir sing the lovely songs of the cantata watched my friends, thinking about what was going on in their lives at this moment. One of my best friends {who is younger then me} is married to the oldest Pastors son, he is a great guy, talented, wise, godly...she is 7 months pregnant & adorable as all get out. I love her dearly, but I look at her & think "how did I miss that boat, the get married & have kids boat?"
Contentment is something I struggle with at so many moments in my day. With each new activity that comes with the Christmas season my heart is drawn to the longing that I have for a family of my own. A house, husband, kids & a dog...starting traditions, being together, loving God & loving each other. My heart longs for that time...
I have so many ideas of things I would want to do...it's crazy!


Anyway, on a lighter note...this morning I remembered a song I had written/recorded a couple of years ago. I found it on my laptop & played it. Memories came spilling back...now by no means am I anything near a recording artist/musician/song writer...I just wrote lyrics/revised/wrote music & recorded..
Maybe I will try to get it uploaded... {*please don't expect a whole lot from it, the song needs some professional help!*}
Tomorrow should be a good day, a bit of shopping, picture taking, creativity & old Christmas movie watching, as well as 8 hours of work...hmm...

Lord be with my day tomorrow, give me grace & mercy. Give me discernment as I face the things that You will bring to me.

Breath Of Heaven - Amy Grant

More today...

day #16.2

*Someone please tell me you get this! I find it too humorous to keep to myself.*

I made Christmas cookies! Never before have I made them myself, in fact the last few years I hadn't been involved at all. Years ago, when I was younger, making Christmas cookies was a B.I.G. thing, it was an all out activity. Since I was home schooled we could do this whenever we had the time. My mom would put on a {tape} of Christmas music, usually Kenny Rogers or Sandi Patty (her Christmas album from the 70's). This was fun, my mom would get aggravated because we (my two siblings & I) would get impatient & want to roll out the dough, or we would eat the dough. Eventually things would just get crazy, regardless it was fun.

Yesterday I made the cookie dough, my mom had about 4 recipes for sugar cookie dough, I found what looked like the best 2 & decided to make both to see which I preferred. Recipe #1 I cut in half because I didn't need {dozens} of cookies.

I found that recipe #2 was better, not as sticky, because I had minimal time yesterday & the dough had to chill, timing worked out perfectly because today I had time to do the cookies.

The cookies below are

Peppermint Sugar Cookies

I used a regular sugar cookie recipe then before baking I topped with crushed candy cane. After the cookies baked & cooled I frosted with peppermint frosting & topped with sprinkles & crushed candy cane.

They look so pretty!

While I made the cookies I listened to Kenny Rogers & Sandi Patty, just like I did when I was younger....took me back.

*

Yesterday I started making a wreath, I bought small ornaments from the dollar store (about 4 packs of 15 & 1 pack of 5) & I attached them to a wire coat hanger. To attach them I twisted the hanger apart, the ornaments just slide right on. I had my hot glue gun to glue any extras or if there was a malfunction with the ornaments.

I ran out of ornaments so I had to get 2 more packs (of 15), after it was full I re-twisted the hanger together.

....lo & behold, a wreath!

*

More Bokeh photos.

I went over to my friends house tonight &

was able to try a few more shots using the bokeh effect.

*{My Fav!}*

It looks like the light bubbles are spilling out of the cup.

Brandon Heath - Night Before Christmas

I don't know what this will be...

day #15

What? day #15? Woot woot! This is a bit of a record! I am half way to my goal of 30 days of blogging!

I am planning to go beyond that.

Soooo.....I love glitter, mostly I love it around Christmas. Other times of the year I am not so glitzy. Honestly my syle & preferances change all the time. I love decorating, organizing, designing & making things beautiful. (*I am about to be really honest) I struggle a lot because I don't have the space to do what I want to do. By space I mean I do not have my own place. I live with my parents, still. So often I am embarressed by that because the fact that I live with my parents when I am 23 makes me feel very lame, forgotten & unimportant. When I was 15 or 18 I thought that by the time I was 23 I would be at least married & maybe I would even have a baby. Obviously that was not Gods plan for me & I know that it is ok. God is working in my life, I know that. To be even more honest, I am glad that I am not currently who I wanted to be when I was 15 or 18, I would have been lame & not happy. God has done some many things in my life to change me, not all traumatic, tragic or major things but with each heartbreak, loss, disappointment He is shaping me to be who He wants me to be, I am glad because I like that person more & more.

Yet even though I know God is at work, I get those feelings. My biggest passion in life is to serve God be a wife/mother & use the abilities & skills God has given me, to serve Him. I don't really want to have a corporate job or a 9-5 job. I would love to work from home/do freelance photography/crafty/artsy/design. I love business stuff, like writing contracts & agreements & spreadsheets & computers (not in a total I'm a geek way, just normal). I am fascinated by the music business & I love church & worship & working with teenagers & womens ministry. I think it would be amazing to get up in front of many people & speak or teach or be in a band (I do not have enough musical ability to be on the stage though)....the really crazy thing about that last statement is: two years ago I would have laughed in your face if you told me I would say that. Anyway, these passions grow & grow, everyday my desire to have a husband, my own home, my own family, gets stronger each day.

Life gets especially challenging around holidays, when decorations go up. My mom & I do not have anywhere near the same style. I have ideas but butting in would not be appropriate, so I will have to wait. My standards of cleanliness are different then every one elses (not only do I live with my parents but also with my brother & sister). I now understand when my mom would complain about how people didn't clean up after themselves...I so get it that now.

Moving out is something I greatly look forward to, sometimes I feel as though if people knew I had been homeschooled, I still live at home & that I am 23 they would look at me in disgust & think "SHE IS A HOMESCHOOLER!" No I am really not... lol

I don't mean to sound like I am complaining or venting again, all of this was in my mind. I am sure God is using this experiance to teach me things & help me grow. He knows when I'll be ready to be a wifey & mother & homemaker...its not my timing, it's His.

"Fear the Lord & he shall give you the desires of your heart" -Psalm 37:4

I want to fear You in all I do, I want to trust You in everything. I don't want any doubts anywhere near me. Make me the women You want me to be, keep my eyes & heart open to what You are showing & teaching me.

list

day #14

I am a crazy list person. I am an avid note-taker. I make lists & lists & lists, many of them I don't even use. I think I have a slight obsession with writing things down. Like a Christmas gift list, usually the bulk of my Christmas shopping is accomplished within the two weeks before Christmas {so this week & next}. Every year I think I will start earlier & get it done & relax.....yeah, that's not happening anytime soon. Today I went shopping with my sister & her friend, I needed more then a mental note of what I would I would be doing between now & Christmas. So I drew a chart-ish thing. This doesn't include work/school or church functions.

Maybe I don't start shopping until it's almost Christmas because I do not want to get all "gift-focused" or bring out the selfishness in me. I do love giving gifts, esepcially when I made it or it has a special meaning. I have friends who are fantastic at this, but for me, my thinking process takes awhile. All the things listed on this paper will happen, but through it all I do not want to lose myself in the "culture" or escape from reality & the reason I celebrate {or should be celebrating} Christmas.

*

Then I made a list, by person, what I had & what I needed to get. I was able to check off a few things today & secure supplies for another gift. :) I also saved about $60.00 at JC Penny. My dad & brother are so hard to get presents for. My dad has these things on his list f.o.r.e.v.e.r: *good kids*a truck*zebra pens*socks... he never got the truck & as for the good kids, I can speak for one offspring. He has at least ONE good kid {me} lol (actually the other two aren't to shabby). I feel like I have so much to do in the next two weeks, & I don't have any children or a husband, nor am I hosting any parties. How all you wives & mothers do it, I do not know. A little secret though {i can't wait to be one of you!!!}

(*I had to blur out some names, for secrecy)

*

I mentioned yesturday that I was trying to figure out the bokeh effect, well check this out...

There will definitely be more photos to come!

Dave Barnes - "Christmas Tonight" with Hillary Scott starring Jennifer L...

"Official" Snow Globe Video

This song makes me happy :)