Hit the Slopes (I wish!)

Living in Indiana you never know what the weather is going to do. Wondering if there will be a white winter or not; there's not enough snow to go sledding normally. This year we got a ton of snow, and I went sledding for the first time since I had lived in Michigan 10 years ago. 

Oh how it made me feel like a kid again! It was so much fun. We bought some dollar store sleds and headed to the park in our neighborhood where there was a nice big hill. It was all iced over and PERFECT for sledding down! It was great to do something special like this to end 2012 with. We hadn't seen our cousin's in a while and I enjoyed getting to make memories to last into 2013.

<3

Winter 2012

December 28

 Me and my beautiful cousin CJ. She made her hat!

Me. Since I never seem to be "there". I wish I would've had my sister take a pic of me sledding! Ha! That would have been hilarious.

 My gorgeous sister Lee. <3

 Ok now, the hill wasn't THAT big....

 My two youngest siblings

 Juniper Tree

 My youngest bro heading back up the hill. He was trying to give me his best swag. ha!

 My Sis Maddy going down on her stomach

The group!! Minus me because I was taking the pic of course. :)

Photography Contest Entry at "Beloved Star"

I thought it might be fun to enter a portrait into Nela's photography contest over at 

Beloved Star

This is my Papaw Dave.

This photo was taken one year after he survived as one of the oldest men to receive a multivisceral transplant to remove a cancerous tumor that was wrapped around his major vital organs.
 This photo is not great technically but it's one of my favorite shots ever because of what it means to me. My grandpa loved going to the fair and this was the last time we went as a family. Here he's wearing his favorite hat, and his cherry shirt that he got from Michigan, where he fondly visited so often.

At the time he didn't know I was taking this picture, and I didn't know that this would be such a powerful memory. 
I thank God for that one year because he passed away six months later.
Love and Miss you Gramps.
<3

Dear Sawyer

Piglet sidled up to Pooh from behind. "Pooh," he whispered. 

"Yes, Piglet?" 

"Nothing," said Piglet, taking Pooh's paw, "I just wanted to be sure of you."”

-A.A. Milne

lists, goals & upcoming projects & plans for 2013

As the end of 2012 draws near I begin planning for the upcoming year. 

The fact that we don't get into the holidays helps me tremendously! I have been able to take the time to plan for the things that are ahead. 

.lists.

reading

For 2013 I am going to have a reading list of books I have never read. I've already acquired a great many books for that list. My goal is to read as many of them possible throughout the year. If you have any suggestions, I'd LOVE to hear them! Here are some titles that I have collected so far and not in any particular order.

Captivating by John and Stasi Eldredge

Red by Ted Dekker

Les Miserables by Victor Hugo

The Dangers of a Shallow Faith by A. W. Tozer

The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkein

Sons of Encouragement by Francine Rivers

The Overcoming Life by D.L. Moody

Desiring God by John Piper

The War of the Worlds by H.G. Wells

Nineteen by Jodi Picoult

And SO many more! I love all kinds of books, so suggest away!

Crocheting/knitting

a blanket for myself

a sweater

scarf

baby blanket

                                    

  .Goals.

To take a photograph whenever I "see it"

learn a language(or two)

Read the Bible through in a year

take more meaningful photos

take more travel/landscape photos

lose weight

buy a new car

keep up with regular journal and bible journal

blog once every other day

grow in the Lord

Learn what it truly means to serve

and more....

.upcoming projects.

So excited about some of my upcoming projects! 

100 Strangers Project

One of the projects I will be doing is called "100 strangers". I will find people I do not know, ask them a little about themselves and then ask for permission to photograph them. This is going to be a really inspiring project for me. It's also going t be very challenging! However, I will have an entire year to meet 100 new people for my project. I'm really excited about it! 

The 365 Project
Is where you take one photo each day for a year. I'm excited because I have tried this twice before and never finished. It has always pushed me to be creative and to really try and think about what I'm taking a picture of. 

 The Writing Project

I have been working on two novels for quite some time now. I'm going to try and work on a page(or more!) of each novel every day next year. Hopefully I will complete them by the end of 2013.

The Coffee Shop Project

This one is an attempt at trying as many coffee shops as possible while collecting a list of my favorite flavors, atmospheres, beans and ideas. I'll keep a journal of what I like and don't like, or ideas I have of my own. This is because I would love to have my own coffee shop/cafe someday!

The Knit/Crochet Project
Guys, It's official. I'm teaching myself how to knit. My goal is to make a scarf, hat, blanket and sweater. Let's see if I can do it....I know how to crochet but knitting seems to have "cleaner" stitches if you know what I mean. Also will be knitting and crocheting for some organizations and things. <3

.plans.

College
OH HO plans.....Well I'm going to college! Happiness and peace in this heart today about college. Not that I've thought that I HAVE to go, it's just that I've struggled forever with what, when, where, how long, etc. After much prayer and consideration, God showed me the what, when, where and how. My plan is to go to a local community college next year and study Child Development/Early Childhood Education. I would like to get my Associates in Applied Sciences.  I'm so super EXCITED about this!! This was completely from God, he showed me because I've never had any desire to do anything in that field, but I feel that this will be used towards the missionary calling that God has placed on my life. Taking this all a step at a time. 
Can't wait to see where this goes. 
<3

Bible School

There is a  bible college that has a free online course. I am planning on taking that starting at the first of the year. Looking over the course work got me so excited that I wanted to start right away! I am super interested in learning more about doctrines and what I really believe. Also growing in my relationship with the Lord and learning how to serve where I am. 



Photojournalism

I'm going to take an online photojournalism course. I don't necessarily have to get a degree but I definitely want to learn as much as I can. I love capturing real life and bringing out feeling  and emotion through my photography.

I hope everyone has a happy new year!!
:)

Dear Sawyer

As soon as I saw you, I knew an adventure was going to happen. 

- Winnie the Pooh

Indeed! Adventure happens every day with this child. You never know what's going to happen next or what he will say or do.  Life is pretty amazing. Especially when it's one you get to watch grow up, and spend "mommy" time with. I cherish this chubby cousin of mine. 
<3

It's a fine BUSY life!

So behind on blogging and on catching up on everyone's blogs. Hopefully will have some time to do that in the next few days!

My aunt moved back, being far away was hard on her and the boys. I am yet again babysitting for Sawyer and Andrew! Best job in the world. :) My aunt is in the process of buying a farm house out in the middle of no where and I LOVE it there. Hope they stay forever! 

It snowed one day and I was SO GLAD that I had my camera with me. I almost didn't bring it, but just felt that I needed to! 

Posts to look forward to:

Future Life Plans

Dear Sawyer

Family Camp Pictures

Thanksgiving

and more!

 My goal is to blog every other day if possible!

Lovely old barns provide an amazing backdrop for a snowy day! Can't wait for more pics this winter.

Sawyer is getting so BIG! I can't believe he will be two next month. I dressed him up cute and took some pictures of him outside one day as a surprise for my aunt. 

I just love his stylish boots and jeans!! :)

My aunt's beautiful new home!

Me and baby boy!! :) People often think he's my son because we look so much alike. 

Dear Sawyer

I haven't been able to do one of these in a long time.

My aunt moved about an hour away so I had not been able to see my cousin!

I love this adorably cute chubby baby. SO MUCH.
Check out that style.

WORD.

Last weekend he came and stayed with us. I had not seen him in over a month!!
He was excited to see everyone, and freaked out jumping on the trampoline. He slept through the night in the pack and play, but early Sunday morning cuddled next to me while we woke up.
My prayer is that God's hand will be on this little man all the days of his life. 

“Sometimes, if you stand on the bottom rail of a bridge and lean over to watch the river slipping slowly away beneath you, you will suddenly know everything there is to be known.”

- Winnie the Pooh

Golden September

"Nature's first green is gold, her hardest hue to hold."

-Robert Frost

I love fall. It's my favorite time of year.  The weather cools down, leaves start changing colors and the light gets a warm golden glow in the evenings. You start pulling out your sweatshirts, wearing your favorite knit hat, and drinking more coffee than you ever thought possible. Friends begin having bonfires & parties, you roast smores, drink spiced cider and you sit around laughing, talking and singing. 

This fall I'm looking forward to growing closer to God. I have plans & aspirations to go to bible college next year and this fall I want to spend time reading, praying and studying to see where and what God wants me to do next. 

This month is exciting.

September. 

Month of surprises & hope.

Love

Love, true love, is powerful.

"The most flaming affections can quickly cool in the heart of man. His love is like fire in the hearth - it blazes, flickers, then goes out. But God's love is like fire in the sun. It never fails. In the creature, love is like the waters of a river, rising and falling again; in God, like the waters of the sea, which is always full and knows no ebb or flow. Nothing can destroy of change His love where He has sent it; and neither can it be corrupted or conquered."

 

William Gurnall.

A Walk in the Country: Michigan Post #2

Every experience God gives us, every person he puts in our lives, is the perfect preparation for the future that only he can see. 

-Corrie Ten Boom

When I moved to Michigan 10 years ago, I never knew who God was going to bring into my life. 
The experiences I had there, the ones I had in moving back to Indiana a year and a half later, and the people God brought into my life he put there for a purpose. 
Now, 10 years later I am still best friends with one of the people that he placed in my life. Like the quote above says, everything he did was in perfect preparation for my future. That only HE can see! I'm thankful for it all, and for this awesome, wonderful friend he gave me. 

I finally got around to editing and posting more pictures from my trip to Northern Michigan. 
These pictures are anything great. But they are special memories of time I got to spend with one of my best friends.
One morning we got up and took a walk. Nothing hardcore. Just a nice walk through the Michigan countryside. 
This was a lazy day for us. When we got back we took our time getting ready, eating brunch, running to a the little "Kris Mart" to get Jello cheesecake, watching movies, and talking until all hours of the night. 
<3

I miss your beautiful face Andy!

(to view pictures larger just click on one and it should give you an entire slideshow of all of them.)

So pumped up! lol :)

Beautiful country road....we were literallly out in the middle of no where!


The BFF and Me

side road

The creek we walked down to.

Andrea promoting the neighbors fresh produce. LOL

Our walkin' shoes. 

Andy laying in the road....heh 

:D

Taking pictures of me. I was "walkin' the line". 

Beautiful Michigan countryside!

Us....me wearing not the most attractive "work out" clothes. LOL

Um.......awkward. lol

We're bad! (sign says "No Trespassing" ) lol

An elaborate garden in someone's yard. 

Laying in the road again, lol :)

getting the mail! :D

checking out a map of michigan so I could find a bus route home.

We went and bought cheesecake. It was raining of course. :D

Singe was my kitty 10 years ago...still living! It was kind of cool seeing him again. 

To finish off the night....
We had steaks for dinner...Andrea's dad showing her boyfriend how it's done! :D