what a life

2011-09-28T22:22:00.002-04:00

Well it's been over a month since I got back from Uganda...guess it's time to post about it. lol
I'll be posting by days from my journal with pictures...first one coming soon! Thanks for being patient :)

11 hours til lift off!

2011-08-04T01:14:00.003-04:00

The errands are done. The bags are packed. The goodbyes have started. The plane leaves in 11 hours. Good bye America. Hellllooo Uganda!!

6 days and counting!

2011-07-30T00:25:00.003-04:00

6 days till I leave for Uganda!!!

I am so excited about this trip words aren't even fathomable. I have wanted to go to Africa for the last 4 years, and God has finally shown me the right place and time. I'm going with a non profit organization some friends of ours started called Ten Eighteen. There is a team of 6 of us going over ..Mrs. Jennings (the founder of ten eighteen), her daughter Ryan and son Zeke (who both worked at camp with me this summer), one of my bestest friends Erica, and another college aged girl names Catie. It's a 10 day trip ...Thursday the 4th we leave!

While we are there, we will be doing a 4 day basketball camp with 40 kids from the slums of Kampala, distributing clothes and medical supplies, going on an over night safari, and just loving on the Ugandan people.

I know God has so much in store for these 10 days, I can only just pray I will be His hands and feet.

Summer at NLC

2011-07-27T22:48:00.006-04:00

I have had one of the most amazing summers yet. A summer full of character building, new friendships, strengthening old friendships, discovering new things about my self, growing closer to God, humbling experiences, hilarious moments, quotable talks, and memories that I will never forget. I have spent my summer working at New Life Camp. I grew up going to NLC for a week every summer, starting when I was nine years old, along with my brothers and sister. I always loved the staff there..I looked up to them, and thought they were just great. Well this year, I had the opportunity to work on this Staff, and it blessed my socks off. Living there for 1 week of orientation, 6 weeks of overnight camp, and then working 2 weeks of day camp, I wouldn't re-do a single day. I wasn't a counselor but was on Service Staff for the 9 weeks. Though I would of rather been a counselor, God knew exactly what he was doing when he put me as a service staff member. I washed dishes, cleaned bathrooms, and took trash out..but you know what? It was all Awesome. not because those jobs are awesome, but because I got to serve others through those jobs. I was able to serve the counselors, while they poured into their kids. I was able live and work with my sister for 2 weeks before she moved to TN. I was able to work with one of my best friends for 2 weeks as we protected our cabin from killer beetles. I was able to get to know campers from all cabins, and spend time with them. I was able to create new friendships with other non counselor staff. But the best of all was that I was able to serve God through all of this.
I finish up working on Friday, and it's going to be really hard to say goodbye to people as they all head back to school. I am extremely thankful for the 9 weeks I was given at New Life Camp. I don't know what God has for me next summer, but all I know is that the 2011 NLC Staff will always have a special place in my heart.

lists.

2011-04-28T12:42:00.004-04:00

- WEIRD LOVE? Lists are probably one of my favorite things. There is just something about bullet points, numbering, lettering, organized columns that make me happy. I guess that's where my slight OCDness comes in...and probably why my heart jumps for joy when multiple choice questions come into play in school.

- READ IT. I have a new favorite blog. it make me happy. I read it all the time. and you should to. www.jonacuff.com/stuffchristianslike/

- PROM is in 7 days and I am extremely exitedddd.

- HUH. ..have you ever noticed that when someone wants to emphasize a word they just repeat the last letter a lot....or am I the only one who does that?

- ROAD TRIP..The day after prom I'm setting off with my seester and best friend to my lovely friends Kelly and Rob's wedding in the mountains..hoooray! :). And then off to Nashville, TN for a few days to help with Safe World Nexus (the organization Sarah and Ellie will be interning with starting in July) event to launch their new campaign - join a new story.

- TORNADOES. everywhere. My family has been lucky and blessed enough that it hasn't effected any of us or our home. I pray for everyone that was affected... the lives that were lost, the homes that were destroyed, the injuries. it's all just awful.. ...No one likes tornadoes, and they should just go back to where ever they came from.

- GRADUATION IS IN 37 DAYS. wait what? yea. 37 days. I have 37 days of highschool left. I'm so not excited and sad. AND I'm so excited and happy. you would think, that you can't have these two emotions together, but let me tell you. it's possible. I'm so not excited and sad, because I liked high school. I'm gonna miss playing volleyball. I'm gonna miss playing basketball. I'm gonna miss my lighthouse sports family. I'm gonna miss going to classes with my friends. I'm gonna miss having all my friends around. I'm gonna miss life as I've known it for the last 4 years.

But, I'm excited about what kind of changes are in the future. I'm excited about where the Lord is going to take me. I'm excited to see how He is going to work in my friends lives. I'm excited about road trips to go see my friends. I have no clue right what I'm supposed to do. I don't know what I want to do or where I want to go. I am just waiting on the Lord. But I am ready where ever he wants to send me. For now I'll be taking classes at community college in the fall.

Passport.. Check!

2011-04-21T00:56:00.003-04:00

My passport came in the mail yesterday! Now I can legally travel the world when ever I want. Besides the fact that the picture is horrible..and no I don't mean the kind of pictures that people say they look horrible in , but really they look awesome. I mean I don't look so hot.. I'd like to thank the lovely lady at the post office who told me the camera had taken the picture, but really it hadn't until I started talking to her after she said it had. But hey, I figure the only people seeing the photo in my passport will be the people who will see me in person after an extremelyyy long amount of time in an airplane and traveling...and believe me I'll look like a super model in that photo compared to in person under those circumstances. Oh well. luckily I get to try again in 2021... one step closer to Uganda!

2011-04-09T19:39:00.004-04:00

Today I got up at 6am..on a Saturday..to go to a school so big that even the illustrators of Where's Waldo would lose him..then I tripped up the stairs after the third time of going up them to find the right classroom...then I sat at a desk for 5 hours..then I came out and it was raining. yep. ACT's...I don't like you very much.

Then on my way home I stopped to pick up a package at the post office to find out that the national Passport day didn't get canceled. EVEN though the website said that it did due to the silly government not being able to make any kind of decision. But then they did. and so they had it. but didn't fix the site. Thanks a lot US postal service. Anywayyss. I then preceded to stand in line for 2 hours to get all my passport application paperwork in order. Now it's all on it's way to Philadelphia where it will be processed and I should have my passport in two weeks! (paid a little extra to make sure I get it quickly) ANOTHER STEP CLOSER TO UGANDA!

Speaking of Uganda, I am a little more the $400 short on my fundraising, with 5 weeks to go! It's been so amazing to see how God has provided in ways I couldn't of even predicted. Thank you so much to everyone who has supported me so far! God has taught me such about relying on him and having faith that he will provide. I can't wait to go! 124 days til I leave! whoooot!

Another exciting news...I have a summer job..and I'm so excited..eekk :) I am on Summer Staff at New Life Camp for the summmmerr :) 7 weeks of overnight camp and 2 weeks of day camp. So I'll be gone most of the summer, home on the weekends. But I'm really excited about serving the Lord this summer with all my new friends whom I love mucho mucho.

Liberty 2011

2011-03-28T16:07:00.004-04:00

Liberty was great. hilarious. exhausting. sad. good. tiring. draining. entertaining. and all the words in between that are just unexplainable. We ended up being the 5A Championship runners-up. Though we didn't bring home the championship title God is still good. We can't let one loss over ride the 27 other wins He gave us this season. I have been so lucky to be able to share the last 6 months with these wonderful ladies. It was amazing to watch the trials everyone faced and over came, and how close we got with each other, but not only that, but how everyones relationship with the Lord strengthend. I'm so glad I decided to play my senior year. I am going to miss playing with you Erica, Lil' Bit, Joy, Cheri, Lauren, Lesley, Alex, Tiffany, and Faith. I love you all so much, and I can't wait to see what God has in store for you!

<3 2010-2011 Lighthouse Varisty Lady Eagles .. 27-1.

On our way...

2011-03-15T11:53:00.005-04:00

Liberty is my favorite part of the season...and this week has BIG potential of being great. I pray God will bless my team and the others going to Liberty. Not only on the court, but some of the last memories we make off the court with each other. I have been so outragiously blessed to be able to play high school sports with these amazing people. I plan on making this week the best yet.

"It's not my ability, but my response to God's ability that counts" ~Corrie ten Boom.

2011-03-06T17:01:00.002-05:00

I'm pretty sure I repeat myself every post. Life is just so busy, but I guess life would be no fun if you had nothing to do. God has blessed me with such a great life.

I have a little over half the money for my Uganda trip! God has provided the $1,500 in such cool awesome ways, I can't wait to see how the rest of it will come! Cupcakes on a Mission has been such a big hit. We've sold over 700 cupcakes so far! Everyone keeps asking when we're opening a shop..haha just sticking to it as a hobby for now.. :)

We had our Awards night for basketball the other night. It was a very bitter sweet night for us Seniors. A lot of us have been playing or been apart of Lighthouse Basketball and it's sad to see it come to end. I have developed some of the greatest friendhships and some of my favorite memories through highschool have to do with basketball. Now, I'm a senior...but since I'm staying around doing community college next year, and my family basically runs the program, I'll definitly still be around the gym. :)

The Liberty tournmant is in 3 days! I'm am so excited. Liberty is my favorite part of basketball season...and it being my last, I plan on making it the best. whoo hoo :)

We fly high...

2011-02-27T11:48:00.002-05:00

My basketball team..the Lighthouse Varisty Lady Eagles, made up of 10 seniors just finished an undefeated season 20-0. Became NCHE East Regional Champions, and after last night are the NCHEAC Varsity Girl State Champions. We have a all been through so many highs and lows as a team these past two years, and God has just blessed us immensely this season. I can't wait for the HSPN East Coast Championships at Liberty University in a couple weeks....my favorite part of the season :)

"but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint." - Isaiah 40:31

busy? busy.

2011-02-10T11:55:00.003-05:00

Busy. So so Busy.

6 classes..one to go to everyday. And I'm just super lucky to go to two on Mondays. The best day of the week. ha. lots of homework.. and then some more homework. BUT GRADUATION IS IN 4 MONTHS! 4 months?? 4 months! So exciting, weird, sad, scary, and good! I got my cap and gown this week..trying it on all on I felt like a mix between a penguin, gospel choir singer, nun and a jelly fish. all at the same time. Though I did find that swinging your tassel back and forth in front of your face can be more entertaining then you think. I now know how I'm gonna kill time during the ceremony....

Basketball is so great! A team made up of 10 seniors who love each other so much. Not only are we team mates, we're sisters, but most of all daughters of the King. And it's not with out him that we could of accomplished what he have this season. UNDEFEATED 19-0. God has done such awesome things with in and through this team, and I'm so happy I'm finishing my high school basketball career with this team. We've got our last season game tomorrow and then it's off to getting ready for Regionals..and then States...and then LIBERTY!

Prom planning is going wonderful. We got a new website made this year, which is the bomb.com ...get it? .com..haaa...we already have 80 registrations in..which is so better then last year when we were a week before prom and had like 20.( 100 more poured in with in days before the event!) So this year we actually have the money to put the deposits down for our venue - The Sutherland Estate. and our dj and caterer. Andd still have money to start figuring stuff out for decorations and such. We're hoping for even more people this year than last. I'm so excited! now just have to find a dress....

Erica and I are coaching a 1st and 2nd grade Upward basketball Boys team at New Life camp. We've only had two practices...but these little boys are some of the smartest funniest 1st and 2nd grade boys I've ever met. This season is gonna be such a blast, and I love that erica and I get to act as silly and like a kid as we want with them and they still laugh and smile. Andd I have a feeling we're going to dominate.. :)

Cupcakes on a Mission

2011-02-02T19:30:00.007-05:00

In order to go on the Uganda trip, I need to raise about $3000 ( depending on the final cost of the airline tickets ) This number seems insurmountable, but I KNOW, because I have seen with my own eyes, that God is in the miracle business and provides for us in ways far beyond what we can ask or imagine. So I am trusting and making plans in faith that the funds will come.

My mom and I both love the Food Channel, and lately had an obsession with "Cupcake Wars" and baking gourmet cupcakes! So we came up with fundraiser to help raise money for the trip called "Cupcakes On a Mission"! We are offering a different flavor cupcake each week....which friends can order in exchange for a donation of $12 for a dozen or $6 for a half dozen.
The flavors we're doing are...

Jan.31–Feb.5
Mexican Hot Chocolate - chocolate cake with a kick of spice topped with a mound of cinnamon buttercream and a dusting of cocoa

Feb.7-12
Carrot Cake - dense moist carrot cake studded with walnuts and pineapple, topped with a decadent cream cheese frosting

Feb.14-19
Chocolate Mint - rich devils food cake filled with chocolate mint cream and frosted with a mound of smooth pink peppermint buttercream

Feb.21-26
Chocolate Peanut Butter - moist chocolate cake filled with peanut butter cream, dipped in silky chocolate ganache and topped with a swirl of peanut butter frosting

Feb.28 –Mar.5

Pumpkin - moist pumpkin spice cupcake topped with out-of-this-world maple cream cheese frosting

Mar. 7- 12

Boston Cream - golden sponge cake filled with smooth vanilla cream and double-dipped in dark chocolate ganache

Mar.21 -26

Chocolate Chip Cannoli - vanilla cupcake filled with chocolate chip-ricotta cannoli filling and topped with sweetened whipped cream and chocolate curls

Mar. 28 – Apr.2

Mocha Cappuccino - mocha chocolate chip cake topped with a coffee meringue buttercream

Apr. 4 -9

Sweet Coconut - moist coconut cake topped with a mound of vanilla buttercream sprinkled with more coconut

Apr. 11 -16

Strawberry Lemonade - tart lemon cake with chunks of fresh strawberries topped with a swirl of sweet strawberry buttercream

Where you lead me...I will follow.

2011-01-17T13:06:00.003-05:00

For the last 4 years I have had a growing desire and heart for international missions. After four years of trusting God, waiting for his perfect timing, he's finally given me the opportunity to go on a missions trip this summer. So please pray with me as I start this journey to travel in August, to UGANDA! I'll be going with a non-profit organization friends of ours started called Ten Eighteen. They had been doing some awesome things in Uganda over the last couple of years. The main purpose of this trip we will be running a sports camp for the street kids in the slums of Kampala. I am so excited that I'll be able to use something I love (basketball and volleyball) to serve God in Uganda! how awesome!
We're at the beginning stages of preparing...so please pray with me with as I start raising support to reach the $3,000 needed. I know God is faithful, and if this trip is His will He will provide in ways I can't even imagine.

looking back...

2011-01-15T19:43:00.016-05:00

2010 was such a packed year full of lessons, miracles, struggles, blessings, stress, and laughter. It was nothing like I thought it was going to be...but I wouldn't of changed one thing. God taught me so much this year through everything, I feel like I've just grown so much. God's plan is always so much better then your own, even when you can't see how at the time. I'm so blessed to be able serve such an awesome God and I can't wait to see what he has in store for 2011.

A couple highlights of 2010..

Liberty tournament...HSPN East Coast Varsity Girls Championship runners up

Washinton DC with Emily's family

Prom!

Family camping trip to Mammoth Cave National Park

After 4 years, I finally finished my quilt!

World View Academy Leadership Camp

NCHE Volleyball Varsity Girl State Champions.

Lots of Adventures with some of the most amazing friends God has blessed me with.

holiday overview.

2011-01-08T23:44:00.006-05:00

Thanksgiving was wonderful. The whole family was home, there was a lot of yummy food, naps were taken, movies were watched, What more could you ask for?seester, mommy, and me!

the childrenn
the boyss.

We went to Massachussetts to spend Christmas with the family. It Snowed. a lot. and then it snowed a lot again. And then there was more snow. Infact there was so much snow we couldn't get home and had to delay our departure home for a day, and then it took us 17 hours to drive back. I wanted to cry. and then cry again. But Christmas was good! Spent Christmas Eve at my aunt and uncles cafe for the annual Donatelli christmas eve party. This is the Italian side...so lots of deliciouss homemade food. Christmas we spent at my grandmas, went to the movies to see Tron, and ate more food. (We ate a lot on this trip...) Got an Ipod touch! :) Rest of the trip was spent hanging with the cousins, playing video games, watching movies, an intense game of monopoly, and my 13 year old cousin complaining I breath to loud when sleeping. haha she got over it quickly.

New years we went to some friends house to play games, eat food, the big count down, drink sparkling grape juice, and play with sparklers. :)

I love all these holidays...and I kinda sorta not really maybe? want them to be a little more spread out through the year...because all of a sudden it's all over and you have to wait another 365 for them again. and that's dumb.

God always knows how to make my day better.

2010-11-14T20:11:00.000-05:00

thoughts

2010-11-04T22:43:00.004-04:00

People think of the most creative things. I mean nothing says "cool" like a burnt darth vador on your toast.

Connecticut was wonderful, can't wait to go back up north for Christmas!

The man sitting next to me on the airplane spilled orange juice all over his lap, and I had to try my hardest to not bust out laughing.

My phone has decided to turn off all the time on it's own. so convenient.

I'm really not a fan of spanish. I have a hard enough time mastering english.

I was in Kohls today, and they had Christmas trees up and Christmas music playing. I have a personal rule that I have to refrain myself from listening to christmas music till at least the week of thanksgiving. I have no rule that OTHER people can't play it. I didn't want to leave the store. I love Christmas.

I have no clue what God has in store for me after I graduate....but I came across a nice little reminder today....
"Never be afraid to trust an unknown future to a known God." - Corrie ten Boom.
It's all in his hands.

connecticut...suprise!

2010-10-29T19:08:00.003-04:00

My seeester Sarah moved up to Connecticut the beginning of september to live with and work for my aunt and uncle in their coffee shop. And we have spent the time while she's been gone trying to conspire a way for me to come visit her. Well last week I finally convinced my wonderful father to buy me a plane ticket so I could see her, right after we bought it sarah made a comment on facebook about how she wanted me to come visit her, inwhich my dad commented on how I have no time nor money to come see her. This didn't make her to thrilled...haha. We decided to make it a surprise visit! So I flew up Wednesday afternoon. I hadn't flown since I was like 9, and never by my self. but no worries. other then a super long hike across the Washington Dulles airport, and then to realize I could of taken a shuttle it was all good. :p
We kept it a secret for a week, and even though one of the employees let the cat out of the bag 2 hours before I showed up Sarah was still in shock. And VERY happy. it was still a good surprise.
Yesterday before she had to work we went out and took some senior pictures of me since she's not around to do so at home. We had a lot of fun, and decided it is impossible for me to 'smize" (smile with your eyes).

2 more days and then it's back to NC. :(

State champs

2010-10-24T15:09:00.000-04:00

Last weekend was the NCHE State volleyball tournament at Wake Forest University, in Winston Salem. Tournaments are one of my favorite parts of playing sports. It was an awesome weekend, and we left with 1st place varsity state championship trophey! such an amazing way for all us seniors to end our high school volleyball career.

SENIORSS

Sometimes...

2010-10-06T21:57:00.003-04:00

the sunset on the way home, can make your day all better.

tuesday morning thoughts...

2010-10-05T11:57:00.004-04:00

Who ever came up with Fried Banana Peppers were GENIUS.

Text Talk is one of my greatest pet peeves. uh, its almost like scraping you fingers nails against a chalk board. I hate it, and can hardly look at it.

I really don't like spanish.

The state fair is in two weeks, and I AM SO EXCITED.

I need a lap top.

It's way to cold outside.

I'm so ready to graduate.

2010-10-04T17:21:00.004-04:00

Sometimes I just wish I could add an extra secret day to the weekend. A day that I don't have anywhere to be or anything to do. And I could just sleep, eat, and watch movies in my pjs. But STILL have my fun friend time on the other days of the weekend. But this extra day has to be secret or else silly people will try plan stuff on this go no where/do nothing day. And that would be ridiculous. so. lets work on this. secret weekend day. all those in favor?

I love friday afternoon because I have the whole weekend a head of me. but then all of a sudden my alarm is going off monday morning, and I have to go to class, and it's dark outside, and its cold, and my pillow I swear has my head strapped to it. See my problem? it's just depressing.

Well we had our first basketball practice on saturday, and it was wonderful, and I realized how out of shape I am and how much I missed my team mates over the summer. I love them a lot. And I am soooo excited about this season! We are ALL seniors. All 10 of us. INSANE.

Volleyball is coming to an end. SAD. tomorrow is our last home game. and then we have our last away game thursday. My last season games of high school volleyball. DEPRESSING.
Good news - we're like 12-2! as long as we win tomorrow, we go undefeated in the conference! Tournament is the weekend after next..My favorite part of sports are tournaments. Hotels, food, talking, playing, watching, all with my wonderful team.

I got to go to Morgans for the night on saturday. We hadn't seen each other for way to long. She is such an encouragement to me, and I just love hanging out with her! Basically God made us friends cause He knew our parents couldn't handle us as sisters. But we are twins. Yes. Twins. it's true. We have to much fun together. :)

Another Miracle

2010-09-30T22:42:00.004-04:00

One of my bestest friends Morgan and her family applied and have been waiting 5 years for a referral for their Chinese baby girl. After 5 years of prayer and faith in God, THEY GOT THERE REFERRAL YESTERDAY! :) :) :)! Praise God! Abigail Kay Ya-Shan Craig you are already so loved, and we all can't wait for you to be home with your family!

http://job42-5.blogspot.com/

Some Thursdays Big Ten - #5

2010-09-15T22:37:00.005-04:00

1) Me and Emily have these funny little stories that we come up with when learning our Spanish 2 vocab to help us remember the words. And most of the time our story has nothing to do with the actual meaning of the word, and then we get funny looks in class when telling our selves these completely random out there stories during our spanish tests. :)

2) My volleyball team is basically awesome, and I love them all so much! wouldn't ask for a more wonderful group of ladies to play with in my senior year....we're 8-2 whoop whoop.

3) First graduation meeting on friday....31 graduates. oh baby. Let The Good Times Ro11. :)

4) Ewan McGregor has the most amazing voice ever and if I was him I would sing all day long.

5) I very much want the Moulin Rouge soundtrack

6)Basketball starts a in 9 days. this excitess mee greatly! team made up of 10 seniors...all girls I love so so sooo much! This is going to be the best season ever.

7) I'm really gonna miss a certain best friend, named Ellie, when she moved to TN, in January. :(

8) Prom planning has begun! I'm so excited about the 2nd annual Carolina Capital Homeschool Prom "Masquerade"

9) I feel like no matter how much homework I do, my still to do pile doesn't get any smaller.

10) today is my 1 year anniversery for having my lisence.....acident free, making my dad extremely happy because the insurance just went down $700. whoo whoo!

Come on Amanda, just get it done.

2010-09-09T21:27:00.003-04:00

I have a paper due in 12 hours and need to get a full nights sleep in there somewhere. and I really really don't want to write this yucky paper. this. is. a. problem.

any time now.

2010-09-08T22:44:00.003-04:00

I LOVE Fall. It is my all time favorite time of the year. I love everything about it. The leaves all change, jeans, jackets, boots, Thanksgiving, pumpkin carving, scarecrows, Apples in all their glory...pie, crisp, muffins, and cider! jumping in leaf piles, powder puff football, volleyball tournaments, basketball starts (eeek!) the crisp cool air, the smell of cinnamon, the sound of leaves shuffling under and crunching under your feat, camping, oh I just love love love allll of it! And I'm starting to get a little tired of waiting for it to come. Oh Fall, why do you make me wait....

sometimes...

2010-09-06T16:10:00.010-04:00

Sometimes.... my sister and I kidnap our friends at midnight, go to wal mart and have a hair dying/cutting, sleep over party.

Sometimes...my and my friends have Chinese picnics in old barns at really cool parks.

Sometimes....me and my friends pull shenanigans on our friends...and then they get bitter and try to turn it on us..

Sometimes... I give my little brother a bedroom makeover for his birthday.
Sometimes...me and my siblings plan a big surprise 50th birthday/28th anniversary party for my parents..

Sometimes we go on spontaneous beach trips and it makes me happy.
Sometimes...I feel sad for other people...because they're life doesn't seem as exciting as mine.

Senior shoot.

2010-09-04T18:13:00.004-04:00

Before Sarah left for Connecticut (where she's working for the next 4 months at my aunt and uncle cafe) we went on a mini senior photo shoot. I love my seester, and the house is quite quiet with out her.

Hold up. wait a second. Who took Summer?

2010-08-19T17:48:00.008-04:00

Good Gravy, I'm confused. It was just here, and now it's gone. I don't know where it went, but it's no longer here. Summer has disappeared. And I am now officially a Senior! What what? Volleyball, TOG, prom planning, classes...it's all started up for the last time............

Instead of talking about sad things lets talk about the rest of my wonderful summer. yes, lets.

my family (minus alex and eric) took our annual Massachusetts trip and spent a week up there visiting relatives...hanging at my grandparents house, going to the Victorian Station Cafe ( My aunt and Uncles coffee shop), swimming at the neighbors pool, big family dinners....but I spent most of my time, Sewing, sewing, and sewing some more. For my thirteenth birthday my grandma came down for a visit and for my birthday present we went shopping for a pattern and fabric to make a quilt (she's a big quilter). Well we only got as far as cutting most of the fabric before she had to go home to MA, and the quilt was slowly forgotten about. Well earlier on this summer I decided that the quilt was something I wanted to finish before I graduated (knowing if it would probably never get completed after) so while we were up there (4 years later) I took it all out and spent the week cutting, stitching, ripping the stitches, stitching again, ironing, folding, and assembling. I almost finished it but ran out of time. But my awesome grammy is finishing up the boarder, taking it to a long arm quilter, and finishing it up with the binding! She's gonna mail it to me in a couple weeks, and I can nottttt wait to see it. I love it. :)
On the way home from MA, my family dropped me off at Liberty University for World View Academy Leadership Camp. Basically, one of the best weeks of my life. Best camp anyone could ever go to. legit. Going into the week I wasn't really sure what to expect, not really knowing anything about worldview academy. Well let meee tell youuu, God showed me so much in that one week then he ever has at any other camp I've been too. I learned so much about everything! literally. How to better defend my faith, what it means to be a true leader, how to approach other religions with your own, how many different worldviews there are out there, what it means to be a true christian, how to detect fallacies, and so so much more. My small group (which conveniently enough were my sweet mates, were all hilarious, kind, and we all just learned so much from each other) Our small group leader, Michelle, was basically the best small group leader ever in the world of small group leaders. it's the truth. She was so awesome and outwardly passionate about God, full of wisdom and hilarious comments. I loved her so much! My favorite part of camp though for me, was when we all loaded up into charter buses and went down town Lynchburg, and got to witness to the people on the street. My "group" of three got talkng to this one young man for almost an hour, and got to share Jesus with him, it was amazing. He lived at the Lynchburg Rescue Mission, and was just very confused about what it meant to be a christian and follow after Jesus, he even took out a bible out of his bag and tried to show us different scripture he was twisting into his own words. He took what I think is the most awesomest track I have ever seen, and I pray that we were able to be a light to him, and help him understand what it means to be a believer of Jesus Christ.

The following week, my family loaded up in the van, trailer hooked up and went to Kentucky for a week. Yes, I know...one might think. What's in kentucky? Well. Humidity, butterflies, 300 miles of cave, a creation museum, and an Old Navy/Gap/Banana Republic clearance warehouse...that's what. We spent 2 days at Mammoth Cave National Park, exploring caves (well it's actually one big cave...the largest cave in the world known to man....they have about 300 miles mapped out....but think that their could be up to 800) It was amazing...and I loved it...and not just because it was 50 degrees cooler in the cave then in the air above ground. We went on three different tours...each being about 2-3 hours long...and a couple miles long. The first tour we went almost 300 feet underground...and let me tell you, it's a good thing I'm not afraid of heights, otherwise I would of peed my pants descending down into the cave. The second tour we got to eat lunch at a small "cafeteria" 250 feet under ground, and then third tour was a lantern tour, 40 people, the only lighting were10 old gas lanterns we carried with us. It was supposed to help you feel like the men who first explored the caves, and see it from their perspective. It. was. awesome.

Then we went and spent three days up near Cincinnati and went to the Creation Museum. The creation museum was really good! anddd they had really pretty gardens. The rest of the week we just hung around the camp site, reading, napping, made a trip to the clearance wear house - $9 jeans - heck to the yes! Thanks Mrs. Campbell for the great tip!

Now over this three week crazy time period, I was ill. yes. ill. I got the worst ear infection I've ever had while in MA, and over three weeks I went to three different Urgent Cares in three different states, went through three different antibiotics, 3 different ear drops, and a decongestant. It would tease me and feel like it was getting better and then all of a sudden, POW, knife in the ear once again. I'm so happy it's all gone, and I never want it to come back, or I will have to punch something.

Then we came home...jumping right into volleyball, classes starting a few weeks later.
I liked my summer. It was a good summer. But honestly I feel like as you get older summer gets shorter...I remember being little and summer lasted forever! and I'd be asking when we could start school again. It snuck away on me this year...stinky.

COMMENCE SENIOR YEAR......

Early Birthday Celebration

2010-07-13T23:29:00.006-04:00

A couple days before we left for Massachusetts, I celebrated my birthday with some of my bestest friends in the world. Oh goodness, it was probably the best 17th birthday party ever. We had nothing planned, and the whole night was very spontaneous...but I think that's when it's the most fun. :)

After much contemplating we ended up at Red Robin for dinner, where my friends were so nice enough to inform the staff, we were celebrating my birthday, so I got a lovely song .....and a free Ice cream sundae...so no complaining on this end.
After dinner, we went over to the Red Bowl Asian Bistro down the street to see Morgans brother, Bobby, and some friends for a few minutes...and then hit the Dollar Tree which was oh so conveniently right next door....:) SIDE NOTE: For those of you who don't know..my friends and I are known for pulling what we like to call "Shenanigans" and refer to ourselves as the Shenaniganistas when these things occur...and we get some of our best ideas at the Dollar Tree :) Sooo...after picking up some new "material", we headed back to the Bistros parking lot. Victim = Bobby's car.We poured a bag of frozen peas all over his car, tied a red robin balloon on his antenna and wrote on his back window " haha we pead on your car." haha. They thought it pretty hilarious once the victims car was found out.

After shenanigan stop #1 and a successful hunt for a chocolate croissant at Panera, we headed back home to regroup before our next adventure for the night.

Now one of the very few rules the shenanaginistas follow would be a uniform....and that uniform consists of anything crazy, tacky, and hilarious...and you have to have some scarf/hat on your head. It's a rule.

So after getting in our "uniforms" we headed to the new Krispy Kreme that just opened down the street while we waited for our new bag of frozen peas to dethaw. (where we normafied ourselfs before going in, so not to scare anyonee. haha ) dozen donuts please. ;)

After our KK stop we head to the next victim = Thomas's truck. (a friend of ours) Let me tell you. Thomas's yard is the creepiest of all creepiness in the middle of the night. There are like no lights anywhere, and his house is further back in the woods. So. We sat in front of his house slightly freaking out about how we might die haha. After finally regrouping, and realizing he moved his truck to wear the motion censored light pick up, we successfully poured a bag of frozen peas into the bed of his truck. Once we left the crime scene we left him a nice little voice mail telling him "we pead in his bed" which he hilariously got while getting into bed later that night...causing a slight freak out.,haaa.

The rest of the night was full of dance parties, story telling, face book chatting, german, and sumo wrestling...haha;p

The next morning we realized that it was "Cow Appreciation Day" at Chick Fil A! Dress up like a cow and get a free meal....awesomenesss. So we pulled together some quick cow outfits, and headed over to Chic Fil A for some free lunch. We were totally the cutest cows in the place.

I love my silly friends. ;)

Buckle up.

2010-07-07T17:04:00.003-04:00

And we're off! July has officially started.

We spent the 4th of July with the Craig family...good family friends, grilling, swimming, and good ol' talking, and then off to watch the Rolesville fire works (which were pretty mehhh this year, but we got to play with sparklers, and the weather was PERFECT-O. It really was just a really fun relaxing day :)Mo and I on the way to fireworks..

Tomorrow I'm celebrating my 17th birthday with some of my bestest friends! even though my birthday isn't until next week, this was the only time we could do it. I'm happy for any excuse to party with my friends :)

Saturday we're driving up to Massachusetts to visit with relatives for a week. I love going up there, and this year I'll hopefully get to finish my quilt I started 4 years ago. haha.

On the way home from MA, mi familia is dropping me off at Liberty University, in Lynchburg VA, for a week of Worldview Academy Leadership Camp, which I'm totally looking forward to. One of my bestest friends, Emily, is coming to camp with me and will hopefully get to be my room mate. It should be a great week full of learning and growing in Jesus...I'M STOKED. :)

After being picked up from camp, I'll have just enough time home to do laundry, re-pack, and maybe have some Chinese with friends before we leave for a week family camping trip! I love camping. Not sure where we're going, but give me a hammock and a book any where in the mountains and I'll be happy. :)

After that August will be starting which mean school will be very near. SENIOR year will be very near. yikes. I'm excited and scared out of my mind at the same time. eeeek.

Anywho. commence mission packing. This month excites mee! :)

Summer happenings..

2010-06-27T14:21:00.004-04:00

I can't believe the summer is almost half over already! It seriously feels like it was this morning when I was complaining summer was taking to long to get here.

-If you saw my last post you would of seen I was very very excited about going to the beach. Well. that never happened. Jason woke up that morning with a fever, canceling our beach day. Hmphhh. I now more then ever want to go to the beach. Oh when shall I ever be able to enjoy such a thing...

-Alex flew in from Texas last night for a two week vacation! Yay! :)

- The annual Lighthouse Volleyball clinic was this past week, and tryouts are this week. My last high school volleyball tryouts ever...but I am excited about the season! We gonna be beast yo. :)

- July is going to be my busy busy busy month. Basically I will not be home. Massachusetts, World View Camp, Camping, Birthday...oh my, July excites me. :)

- The most exciting thing of the summer happened this week. God is so Good. Solomon Mestas was issued his visa, and arrived at RDU airport Wednesday afternoon. You HAVE to check out his AMAZING story at www.jobsdaughters.blogspot.com. God has moved in such amazing ways through this family, whom I love so so so much. I'm so excited to see what happens next! Here is a news clip from the "welcome home party" at the airport wednesday..

hmm :)

2010-06-19T23:43:00.003-04:00

I leave in 7 hours to go to the beach for the day with mi familia. This makes me soo so so happy :) I love the beach. I can't wait to lay in the sun and read a book, while I hear the sound of the ocean. I can't wait to jump in the waves. I can't wait to be tanner. I can't wait to "people watch". I can't wait to play with the sand. I can't wait. I've been waiting a very long cold winter for this. mmm beach hereeee I comeee.

poo.

2010-06-14T01:22:00.002-04:00

Please excuse the craziness of my blog right now, as I try to fix this jumbled up mess. gracious.

Help.

2010-06-14T00:26:00.004-04:00

Today my friend Rachel and I try to leave Starbucks to go pick up ellie (who's like a mile down the street) ..my car doesn't start. Thinking it's the battery, we look in the trunk for jumper cables. This was the only thing we found left in the "car kit". Oh and it was pouring rain. finally a very nice man comes and tries to jump our car. Failure. maybe not the battery? still raining....finally an hour later Ellie's dad comes and rescues us after making friends with the people in Starbucks..dad calls later and the tow truck guys jumps the car and gets it going, apparently our very nice man helper wasn't very good at jumping cars.. haha. That concludes todays adventure...oh what will tomorrow bring? haha

sometimes I just need to ramble...

2010-06-12T23:05:00.005-04:00

The following are random ramblings for your enjoyment. Enjoy :)

-Summer is supposed to be a time when you relax and enjoy the vacation from school and activities involved. Well, my gracious am I TIRED for it being a vacation time! Bags under theee eyess. perhaps I shall go to bed before 2am tonight...

- Ellie's home from Uganda!! Their trip was amazing, and other then some flight delays/and some baggage trouble on then way home, it all ran so smoothly. She'll be posting more about the trip now that she's home soon, so be looking! But I'm so happy she's home and I got to see my bestest friend. :)

-For the first time ever in my life, I completely have my OWN room. Like with one bed. When sarah went to college I had my "own room" but her bed and a LOT of her stuff was still in it. So, we weren't personally sharing it for a couple years, but I was still sharing it with all of her stuff. Well though she is living back at home, now that she has graduated. (By the way, Sarah graduated ASU a couple weeks ago! hooray! :) we have changed our "tv room" into her bed room, which meansss I have my own room now! oh my goodness :) I've got a small pull out couch where her bed was, but my gracious there is still so much more space! The room is a work in progress, getting exactly how I want it, but it's on it's way! I love it :)

- I got new gladiator sandals and bathing suit top today! thank youuuu Target, but I didn't appreciate you closing the store and turning out the lights while my friends and I were still in it..

-I have been craving Chinese food alll week.

-I've had a wonderful weekend so far hanging with Ellie and Rachel, and a sleep over/day with Morgan. I like all three of these girls VERY much, and I think I shall keep them as friends :)

Those are all the random ramblings my sleepy brain can think of, so I am off to the wonderful world of sleep.

Hope you are all having a superly duperly wonderful summer so far!

Camp!

2010-06-06T16:53:00.005-04:00

Summer has begun! and you know what that means... CAMP. This past week was the first week of over night camp, known as "Early Week"...aka my FAVORITE week of camp all summer. Jason was a camper, I was a CIT once more, and Eric is on staff this summer so he was a cabin counselor. 95% of the majority of campers at early week are homeschooled, and basically the same kids come every year, till they're to old. This year the campers were all awesome, and the CIT's and staff were amazingggg. The week was so tiringg but so good! I knew a lot of first year campers, whom made me all super happy! And well it was just a fun week. :) ......Now to see if God has it planned for me to be there more this summer....

In other "campish" news. For the first time ever I'm going to another camp other then New Life, over the summer! haha. I'm going to a World View Academy Leadership Camp at Liberty University for a week in July :) I'm really excited and Emily is coming with me, which makes me doubly excited! :) I got the "camp packet" the other day, and it's pretty much gonna be super cool :)

And she's off!

2010-05-27T14:40:00.007-04:00

My bestest friend forever and ever, miss ellie mestas, left yesterday morning for a two-week missions trip to Uganda! She has such an amazing heart for orphans and missions, and has started a ministry called Etaala International She has put together a whole team of people to go on this trip. And I know God is going to do amazing things through them these next few weeks!
Please pray for safe travel (They should be somewhere in London by now?), the airlines will be able to get all their luggage to where it needs to go, for good health and energy, and that people will be able to see God's light shining through them in all that they do and say. They are going through an organization called Safewater Nexus, an awesome ministry whose goal is to provide clean drinking water, hygiene training, better medical access and safe environments for orphans and other vulnerable groups, mainly in Uganda and Haiti.

They will be giving out much needed mosquito nets, holding hygiene clinics to train people how to clean their water jugs and prepare them for NEW CLEAN WATER!
On this particular trip, they will be dedicating a new well that will be providing clean water for hundreds of people, holding fun filled game days in orphanages, volunteering in a baby orphanage, building a structure for the local Church to meet in, and so much more.

I am so excited for everyone on this trip, and can't wait to hear all their stories when they get back. And oh LORD WILLING I will be able to join them on the next trip.

http://etaala.org/blog/ and http://howwillyouchange.com/ are both blogs they will hopefully be able to log in to about their days while there.

A Perfect Prom :)

2010-05-21T23:03:00.012-04:00

Prom, prom, prom, prom..man I can't get enough of that word. haha. I havn't written a lot about it, and some of you already know. But I will start at the beginning.

About a year ago, mom and I came up with the idea of planning a homeschool Prom. We'd heard about other people planning homeschool proms, "banquets", and theater nights. So we thought, hey why not plan one of our own. So we talked to some of our friends and came up with the the "Prom committee".

We've then spent this past year planning, tasting, viewing, arguing, meeting, and selecting to come up with the 1st annual Carolina Capital Homeschool Prom "A Starry Night"..catchy huh? ;)
We had to start from complete scratch.

First on the agenda was where in the world we were going to do it? so we started looking. we looked at a couple different venues in the area..some indoor places..some out door..some big..some small...but as soon as we saw our venue, we all were hooked line and sinker, and we all knew we were having prom there. The Sutherlan Estate is a GORGEOUS old 18th century estate. You really have to click on the link and see it for your self. It was absolutly breath taking, and one of my FAVORITE things about our prom. And I basically I want to get married there. :)
Next it was on to the Caterer and DJ. Mmm..the caterer.. this was one of my favorite parts of the planning process. Caterers mean food...and food means tastings...and tastings mean yumminess in my tumminess. :) We got to go to a lot of different resturants and caterers to taste their food while they try to convince us why their the best and why we should hire them for prom. After all the tastings, again there really wasn't any question about it. Rocky Top/1705 Prime was going to be our caterer. As for the DJ, we got acouple recomondations from different people and the sutherland, and am prettttyyy sure we ended up with the best DJ around. Brian Pate Entertainment. He apperently also does a lot of events in the area, including some of the public and private schools proms. But he was VERY good. Really good music, "lights and lazors" and smoke machiens on the dance floor, and was great at interacting with everyone and getting them to dance.

Vincent van Goghs painting "A Starry Night" was our inspiration for a theme. We had dark blue iradesent table clothes, all different shaped vases full of water with yellow tinsel/easter grass like stuff in them and water proof lights imerged in the solution. All placed on mirrors for the center piece. It looked like a sparklng stars in the middle of the table! We had TONS of star punched iluminaries. A TON. lining the walk ways and walls. The real blessing in all the decorations was the tent. We had booked a tent with the rental company when we started planning months ago. But they contacted us a week or two before the prom, to say apperently there was a wedding the next day at the sutherland, and wanted to know if we could just use the tent the wedding was using instead of having to put ours up and then break it down to put up the wedding tent all with in 24 hours. The tent the wedding was using was a BIG upgrade from our original tent, so right on that! :) The tent superly duperly helped wrap the whole vission of a starry night together perfectly!

One of the best things out of all the things that made our prom absolutly amazing and truly the best... was the benefit. Yes, benefit. We decided early that we didn't want this to be your ordinary typical prom. Why not bless someone else in the process? So as a part of the carolina capital homeschool prom 2010, we held a benefit for the Kolfe boys orphange in Addis Ababa. Ethiopia. An orphange very dear and close to the hearts of many people involved with prom. Half way through the night, Ellie got the chance to get up and talk for a couple minutes about Kolfe (which her and her parents visted for the first time when they went to Ethiopia to pick her three youngest sibilings) and have everyone watch a few minute slideshow. But the high light of the "presentation" was that were able to connect to one of the boys there, Solomon, via Skype. ( The Mestases met Solomon when they went to the orphange for the first time. Since then he has created such an amazing relationship with Mrs. Eileen and the Mestas Family through emails and skype. Mrs. Eileen was able to go to Ethiopia again last year to visit him and attend his graduation where we graduated Valedictorian of his class! He now is waiting for the last step in his process of being able to come here on a full scholarship to the College here at Southeastern Seminary. Join us all in prayer as we wait for his Visa to be excepted at the Embasssy there. As soon as it passes we will be on his way to America! You can read more about his amazing story at Mrs. Eileens blog ) Prom night most conveniently fell on Solomons 19th birthday, so via skype we 120 american teens got to sing him happy birthday and to let him know there are people out there that care and love them!. It was AWESOME. We were also able to raise $200 dollars from our collection box for the boys scholarship fund to help them go to school. We can't wait to see what we can do next year!

There were so many little things that are involved in planning an event like this, that we people don't even think of. A choice had to be made on everythinggg...like even napkins. NAPKINS! yes we thought of courses we'll have napkins..but cloth or paper? square or rectangle? what color? iy ya yi! haha choices everywhere we looked!

After our first meeting we were all super excited about what this night could look like

and were all ready to jump right in, under one condition. What ever we planned had to be spectacular and like nothing anyone around here has been to or seen. ... well my friends.....MISSION ACCOMPLISHED.

Make an on-line slide show at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Washington DC!

2010-05-18T13:18:00.003-04:00

Oh my goodness! so many things have happened since the last time I wrote. I'll start with the acouple weeks ago, and make my way up to present day :)
I was surprised with a phone call three weekends ago. A phone call at 10pm on a Saturday night to be exact. It was one of my bestest friends, a miss emily, calling inviting me to go to Washington D.C. with her family for the week! They were leaving Sunday morning. Yes, as in 11 hours from the time she called. Those of you who know me, know that I do NOT like surprises, and spontanious things are fun, as long as I'm apart of the planning of the spontaniousness. haha So after I got past the freaking out, that I only had 11 hours to pack, AND get a goods night sleep, and I hadn't even made a to-do/packnig list yet! (I love lists. other wise I would get nothing done) I was able to focus a little more ;) I was all packed with in 3 hours, got 6 hours of sleep, and was at their house 9am the next morning all ready to head out...Yes, people. I think this is a new record. It took me at least 2 days to pack for boone, and that was planned, and only for a weekend!
Anywho. So we set off for Washington D.C! I loveee DC. It's my favorite city in the US, which made me even more happy about the trip :) We stayed with the Nemitz's great aunt, which was nice to be in a house instead of all of us in a hotel.
Oh the week was so much fun! My feet were like bloody pulps by the end, but that's the price you got to pay when you go on vacation with Mrs. Eve. haha, but yes, before I go into what we did each day, I want you to know, we walked everywhereee and them some more. the only time we used a car was basically to get to the house from the city and back. ok. Monday we went to the Holocaust Museum, Fords Theater (one of my favorite places we went!), The Bureau of Engraving and Printing (where they make all the paper money. Millions and Millions of dollars were convayerd in front of us..never gonna see that much money at one time again in my lifeee), Vietnam war memorial, Korean war memorial, Lincoln memorial (there were a lot of memorials..), and outside the white house. Monday was a fullll day. after leaving around 9:30am we didn't get home til almost 10pm that night. Tuesday we went to the Smithsonian museum of American History...like the biggest Museum I've ever been to I think...., Missy (emily's great aunt) met us in the park for lunch, and then we all headed over to the National Aquarium for the Parana feeding. 1st - Something with the word "National" in it's title just means it supposed to be Big! and Grand! No. This "National" aquarium was about as big as my house (one story by the way), in the basement of an office building. And the big sign that says "PRANA FEEDING TODAY!" well that's a rip off to. Cuz once you pay $10 to get yourself in, you sit and watch this small tank with about 10 parana's in it. You're sitting there expecting to see this big exciting thing of parana lashing and fighting and biting...but no. Apperently, they feed the parana's every other day to keep them happy and to keep them from turning on each other. So when they through in the tiny little pieces of meet, the fish took turns swimming to the top and sucking it whole. It was about as exciting as watching your cousin Bill feed his Gold Fish. Anywho. After the going to the "National aquarium" we went back to Fords theater to see the house Lincoln died in. Well one thing led to another and Mrs. Eve almost got in a fist fight with the National Park lady guarding the door haha.... 20 minutes later after some huffing and puffing, and pursing of the lips we were finally aloud into the house. haha. Last on the list for the day, we went to the Old Post office. This place was pretty cool too. We got to go up to the old bell tour, which is like 397542 stories high, wich took some flights of stairs and two different elevatores to get up to.
Wednesday. RAIN. Now you might think that due to the rain we might alter our plans a little. But oh no. Not with Mrs. Eve leading the pack. So we ventured off to Mt. Vernon (George Washingtons house) and then to Arlington Cemitary to watch the changing of the guards. ALL in the pouring rain. We were lucky enough to have these super cool ponchos to stay dry, and the dye in my bag ellie gave me from guatamala was lucking enough to bleed all over my pants. Hot pink dye by the way. No, but with all the rain, "super cool ponchos" and dye, it was still a blast, and gave some super funny stories to tell people. Thursday we spent the day at the National Zoo. Ok this "National" place was a little better. AND they had Pandas! I love Pandas! Then Friday evening we headed back home. The whole week was just such a blast. I had such a good time hangin out with Emily and her Family. The trip was JUST what I needed.

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Yummy weather

2010-04-09T16:01:00.003-04:00

Back into the routine of things. All things spring breaky are over. Sad day. hmmph. I can't wait for Summer....
The weather is gorgeously DELICIOUS! The beginning of the week a pollen bomb went off somewhere and the town was BURIED in pollen. It was horrible! layers and layers of the yellow dust every where you look! oh, goodness my allergies were killing me. And well it was just not a pleasant experience, and I don't wish to repeat it. Next time is happens..I'm leaving..far far away.. Thankfully God blessed us with glorious rain last night, and it has all washed away! Now it is perrrrfect out side. Thank you Jesus for this wonderful weather, sunglasses, and books! :)

I have a feeling this is going to be a spectacular weekend!

Some Thursdays Big Ten - #4

2010-04-01T18:16:00.003-04:00

1) I miss my basketball tournament team. A lot. Coach D, Kelly, Tiff, Faithy, Erkle, Alex, Lesley, Lauren, Mo, and Lil Bit they all have such a special place in my heart!

2)Thinking about majors and colleges is stressful. it lasts about 20 min. then I need an advil.

3) The weather outside is delicious. if only there was a pause button

4) I haven't gone to the gym that last couple weeks cuz of basketball tournaments, and being sick, and being out of town. But now, I'm home and it's time to start going again. whooooo.

5) I came to the realization last week that I love apple juice! I feel like a little kid saying that, but I don't care. It's yummy. :)

6) I found my prom dress! YAY! I'm getting excited, and I wish prom was this weekend. only 5 weeks!

7) my NCAA tournament bracket has been totally busted. Thanks Kentucky. Love you too.

8) I want to go to the beach. now. please.

9) We had our first "big thunderstorm" the other night, and I was up until 2am "comforting" our 4 year old 95 pound lab/german shephard mix, who was hiding out in the bathroom. He is such a big baby. When the thunder gets really loud he jumps in the bath tub...at least he knows where the safe place is.

10) I can taste it. Summer. it's so sweet and delicious. but it's to far to take a bite of. *sigh* Jesus let it come quick.

BOONE...I like you a lot.

2010-03-29T11:05:00.003-04:00

well somethings came up last minute, and I ended up not being able to go with Erica and her family up north. Big Bummer. So I planned a last minute long weekend to Boone to visit Sarah at Appalachian State. :) One of my bestest friends Emily came with me, and we hitched a ride up there with some of our friends who were already planning on going. It was a good weekend...just what I needed :) We got there Thursday Evening and stayed till Sunday afternoon. I'm happy I got to spend the weekend with Emily, Sarah, and Amy three people I don't hang out with very often. I forget how much fun emily and I have together! And now that basketball is over, we shall make sure more of it happens. Anywho..Thursday we went to CRU (campus crusade), which I really liked and boy did it make me miss the old days in youth group. Friday we spent the morning at a photo studio, where sarah took pictures of Emily and I for 4 hours. It was a blast, but the muscles in my face were so dead after leaving that place, I couldn't smile haha..we then spent the afternoon in our sweat pants ( I love me some sweat pants ) in her apartment watching gilmore girls. Sarah had RA duty that night, so Amy and I cooked dinner. Yikes. we are not a good mix when it comes to being in the kitchen. After we came up with something that looked at least edible we went down stairs to the lobby to eat our white train wreck, as I called it and watched Disney Channel...you can never be to old for Disney channel. We got to bed around 2, and I drifted off to wonderful sleep.......only to be rudely awaken by voices in the hallway. A couple of drunk guys were at our door yelling. "Sarah, Katy, Lindsey, and Hannah (sarah and her suit mates)! are any of you guys HOT?" they then preceded to start talking about how they remember seeing Hannah, and hot she is. very loudly I might add. Right out side our door. So I went and woke up Sarah, as an RA she's supposed to go out and yell at them to go back to their room and be quite. But since we weren't sure how many of them their were out there, she decided it was safer to just call the campus police to come take care of it. We think the drunks left before the police got there, but either way, I was just happy to have peace and quite to slip off into glorious sleep. :)
Saturday we had a picnic and spent the afternoon at the park. mmm..the weather was really pretty. Saturday Night we went to Lifted. A concert to raise sex trafficking awareness and support. It was a really good concert. They had like 5 different bands come play, and a couple speakers. After that we ventured over to cook-out for a late night bite, and then went back to the apartment and watched a movie with Eric, his girlfriend Ryan, an Anna, and Caleb. (the two we drove up with) got to bed late again. at leas their were no drunken interruptions that night. Sunday we went to church and hung out before starting our trek back home.
I'm so happy we decided to go, it was a wonderful weekend for all :)

dumbest piece of play ground equipment ever made...

It's all over but the crying.

2010-03-24T22:11:00.004-04:00

I have never felt so sad that a sports season has come to an end. Normally I'm ready for a break or to move on to the next sport. But no, not this time. It makes me quite depressed basketball season has come to an end. I feel like a little kid ready to plop on the floor and throw a tantrum...like someone else is doing this, and I just want to beat them up. But yet again..no. It has to end at some point (if I had the choice it wouldn't) but it does. and it's poo if you ask me.
now that I have babbled and rambled, and non of that probably made since I shall say. ANYWHO.

Liberty was amazing, amazing, amazinggggg..it was just AMAZING. Out of 16 homeschool Varsity Girls teams, we came in 2nd! Whoo! The whole week was so much fun. Playing basketball, hanging at the hotel, going to eat, playing more basketball. and repeat and repeat and repeat again. We all played so well together as a team. It was a wonderful way to end the season. My team is made up of 11 Juniors. you know what that means? yep. Next year..11 seniors. The entire team will graduate! Oh my graciousss..that is such and exciting but SAD thought. I shall not think about it. I am in noo hurry to grow up. If anyone finds a life pause button let me know. :) Next year is going to be the best season ever in the history of the universe. I CAN'T WAIT!
Funniest. Picture. Ever. of some of our varsity guys. haaaa.

Who says l can't get muddy?

2010-03-14T22:50:00.003-04:00

It has been a wonderful weekend. wonderful wonderful wonderful!

Thursday night I had a babysitting job, which made me happy because the kids are good, and I need the money for NY.

Friday, had TOG all morning and then spent the afternoon at a Prom committee meeting, which was fantastic, cuz we got to pick out the linens and such for the tables..I love decorating..
then went to the DMV to get my "after nine" license...long story short I left with out getting it, with the dmv guys cell phone number, going back tomorrow, cuz the guy messed something up on the computer which stopped him from letting me get it. anywho. Spent Friday evening in my PJ's watching movies and just hanging out at home, man I love fridays like this.. just some much needed down time.

Saturday morning was our last basketball practice...which makes my heart is full of sadness.
This season has been so amazing and I'm sad to see it's coming to an end...*sigh*
after practice the team (well half of us) went out and got pizza and then went to the park! It was a lot of fun just hanging out with the wonderful girls on my team! after a couple of hours at the park, we all loaded up in the cars and headed down to Coaches house to go four wheelin'! My first time ever, and oh my goodness was it fun. There is a ton of land out where they live and it had just rained the night before so lots of mud and puddles! So. Much. Fun.

Church this morning and then just spent the afternoon at home cleaning , homework, and hanging out with the family. Now it is late and I have yucky yucky chemistry in the earlyyyy morning. eh.

Liberty Tourny in 2 days! Trip up North in 10! eeeek :)

Some Thursdays Big Ten - tres!

2010-03-10T22:48:00.003-05:00

10 things that have made my lil ol heart happy lately :)

1) The weather, I can't get over how good it feels! wonderful wonderful wonderful.

2) 6 days til the Liberty Tourny! Oh I'm so excited! so many memories from last year..late night Ben and Jerry's run, sitting in the hotel hallways at night, playing amazing as team, Starbucks, the Magic Ziti, notes on soap bars, hiding jerseys, blasting music, red rover red rover...Oh I can't wait to see what this year brings :)

3) Erica informed me that we leave in 14 days for our trip up north! whoo whoo New York City here we comeee!

4) I was having a not so happy weekend, but ellie made it all better, when she wrote me a song...that's what friends are for :)

5) Our trip to the park was spectacular, and I can't wait for our next one!

6) I finished two drawings in art class today, and both of them make my quite happy. I shall post pictures later

7) a lint roller. yes, a lint roller. Our dog, ranger has long white hair, and a lottt of it. He's shedding like crazzyy which results in looking down at your self, and finding that you look like your clothes are growing their own nice coat of dog hair. Thank you lint roller.

8)a clean room. well an almost clean room...definitely showing progress...I've decided my room needs a good clean and decluttering...spring cleaning commence!

9)Prom is in 6 weeks! 6 weeks people! I gots to start lookin for a dress! (www.carolinacapitalhomeschoolprom.webs.com)

10) I babysat this family for the first time a couple nights ago. Two boys, ages 6 and 8. They were so wonderful..we played catch and rode bikes out side, played Lego's and checkers, watched Up while eating Hot chocolate and popcorn, and then they went right up to bed. I also got paid a nice good ol chunk of money for the time I spent there. And the mother reassured me she'd be calling again soon. mmmm... yes please!

Delicious Weather

2010-03-09T12:33:00.004-05:00

The boys I babysit informed me I say this way to much, but OH MY GRACIOUS.
I'm pretty sure a little bit of heavens weather has fallen over Wake Forest. The sun is shinning, the birds are chirping, the windows are open and it is 70 degrees out side! mmmm glorious. I just love driving down the road with all the windows down and the music blasting.
I took advantage of this weather as soon as it hit, and went to the park with sarah, erica, ellie, and the boys...the first park trip of many for the year! If only the weather could just freeze like this forever. Now that would be complete bliss.

March. Oh glorious March.

2010-03-03T18:49:00.002-05:00

Listen. March is going to be a good month. Yes. A very very good month. And I am so flippn' excitedd! Many good reasons way March shall be wonderful..in list form, because I like making lists.

One step closer to Warmth, and sunshine, and beaches, and friends, and warmth, and cook outs, and flip-flops, and warmth, and and and just wonderfulness.

March Madness, though I'm not a super big fan of watching college basketball on TV, I do like competing in an annual "pool" and watching my bracket win, even when sometimes I have a team win because they have a cooler name. Like Villanova. it's just fun to say.

LIBERTY TOUNRY! Hooorayyy! This is something I look forward to the most during basketball season! a week long tournament in Lynchburg, VA at Liberty University, made up of over 50 teams homeschool teams. Our Varsity Boys and Girls go every year, and it is just the most funnest time ever in the world. It also prolongs the season by three weeks which is finnee by me. Goodness I can't wait.

Some very exciting is going to happen. I am going on a 10 day vacation with Erica and her parents to NJ, CT, MA, anddd Neww Yorrkk Cityy!! :) eeek. They have relatives up in NJ, and CT. And while we're up there, Erica and I are going to get to spend some time with my relatives in MA! And then we're going to spend a couple days in New York City on the way back! I am quite excited if I do say so my self. :) NYC is somewhere I've always wanted to go, but never had the chance too. Erica and her family are from NY and have been to the city many many times, so they know all the good little shops and restaurants. it's very exciting. We're also gonna get to go see all the Big tourist Stops..Statue of Liberty, Ground zero, Empire State Building, etc. hmm it shall be good.

February 14th

2010-02-14T14:32:00.001-05:00

HAPPY VALENTINES DAY!

"Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails." ~1Corinthians 13:4-8

Some Thursdays Big Ten #2

2010-02-11T22:05:00.004-05:00

THIS WEEK I LEARNED......

1. Snow makes the ground super wet and muddy...and your car will get stuck in the mud if you go just the slightest bit off your drive way.

2. Sledding is fun...Until you go flying off and ever so gracefully do a face plant into the snow.

3. Hot Cocoa is quite delicious.

4. Tomorrow night is my basketball teams last season game, and then tournaments start. Which are like, the most amazingest part of the season.

5. I love love love love love loveeee every single girl on the eagles, and wouldn't change our team one bit.

6. Cold showers are evil.

7. 40 days till CT, MA and NYC trip! :)

8. I am superly duperly overly crazily extremely excited for Prom this year :)

9. Girl Scout Cookies shall be the death of me.

10. When working with Pastels, the powder gets all over your hands...and then you rub your face, preceding to get pastel powder all over your face. Pastel powder doesn't like to come off.

Snowman Fail.

2010-02-07T16:02:00.003-05:00

One minute snows your friend...the next minute, not so much.
We got the snow the weather man was talking about. 5 inches of it. Now to anyone who's from the north, you might think it's that much. But let me tell you, here in my good ol' town in NC, it might as well have been 2 feet. Schools were still closed 5 days after the snow fall, roads were a wreck, and it was just plain freeeezing out side. I loved the snow the first two days, and after that I was so ready for it to go away and summer to come. I didn't leave the house for 6 days, it was like a mini vacation with school and chores. Everything was cancelled, and dad didn't go to work. It was nice, but now I'm ready for no more snow.
Jason and I made our first snow man ever! It was fun. well most of it was fun. We had the bright idea of rolling the bottom of it down the hill to pick up more snow..and then...well I'll let the video do the talking. haha...

Make an on-line slide show at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Some Thursdays Big Ten..the first!

2010-01-28T09:41:00.005-05:00

1. I totally copied this from someone else, but since I haven't written in a while, I figured this was a good place to start. But instead of calling this "Thursdays Big Ten"..due to my busy life, and mere forgetfulness on my part, we shall call this "Some Thursdays Big Ten" :)

2. We joined the YMCA at the beginning of the year. I think I'm loving it. On my way into the gym, I'm excited and love it. In the gym, I ask my self How I could of ever loved this and what's my problem. Then on the way out of the gym, I love it again. It's a love hate relationship as you can tell.

3. After many complaints from muah about not liking art class. I really like it now. Oh, but don't get me wrong. The feeling could totalllyyy change after next weeks class.

4. We haven't gotten any snow this winter...The weather man says to expect either a really big snow storm or an Ice storm this weekend. If the weather man is telling the truth (very rare for around here)it means cancelled weekend plans, possible power outages, the house will be freezingg... The thought of snow was much more appealing when I was little.

5. I like my basketball team a LOT... their the coolest thing since sliced cheese, if I do say so my self.

6. I think I'm addicted to Cucumbers. There delicousssss.

7.I got a gift card for a pair of TOMS shoes for Christmas. The gift card is still in my wallet, because I can't decided which ones I want. A present of indecisiveness for me.

8.I sprained my ankle a little more then two weeks ago. I never let it fully heal before playing on it again (cough*2days*cough) Lets just say pain killers are a good friend of mine.

9.No matter how often I do laundry, I seem to always have a pile of dirty clothes in my room. I'm thinking there's a dirty clothes monster in my closet...one of these days I'll be brave enough to check.

10. Alex is on his way back to the USA! His year tour in Iraq is over. Thank you Jesus for keeping my Big Brother safe!

paint...police..miklshakes...forks!

2010-01-13T10:50:00.002-05:00

Aren't spontaneous things the best? I sure think so :)
...It all started when Sarah and I went over to Ericas house to watch movies...we forgot some painting supplies her mom asked for us to bring over...we ran inside and kidnapped erica, wet hair and all, to go back to our house to get the supplies...we decided to get milkshakes while we were out, and make the kidnapping a little more fun....we then realized that the Chik-Fil-A was only like 2 miles away from Ellie's house..... so why not kidnapp her?....we called her house to ask permission of her parents...they couldn't come to the phone, and was going to call us back...we then decide to call ellie and just see what's she's doing..she's skyping, and has to call us right back..by this time we're already in her driveway...we look to our left and two houses down there are a bunch of police cars, and police men taking pictures of the house and such (later to find out it was a drug bust)..We then decided instead of sitting there suspicious looking in the driveway, to drive around town until ellie calls us...we leave...Sarah starts freaking out that the police are going to come pull us over, to ask what we were doing...Erica and I laugh at her....we go and sit in the towns Library parking lot and wait...and wait..and wait..she said she would call back in 5 min. it's been 30....we just decide to go back to her house and kidnapp her...we knock on the door...in pajamas and scarves on our heads mind you...they have company over...we all laugh...ellie thinks we came to christmas carol...WRONG...I go into the other room with Mrs. Elieen to get permission to steel ellie..permission granted...we give ellie 5 in to get ready...by then we've decided that this will be a sleep over...once back in the car, we go back to my house to get the paint supplies to bring back to the Ericas..my mom is having a meeting with a bunch of homeschool moms in our living room...the faces were priceless...we go back to ericas, she drops off the paint and we give her 5min to pack a bag...she took 10...what's next?.. kidnap Morgan?.. I think yes...Oh, no, but what is this?...no one is answering their phone at the Craigs house!.....we then take a detour to sheetz to get gas...but wait!..who lives a mile past the gas station!?...that's right Emily does!..I call her mom..get permission..it's already like 10:30pm just to let you know..we run to the back of emily's house and bang on the back door...her face?...SUPER pricless...she runs up stairs to pack...we sit in her living room with her parents watching Star Wars while we wait.....We're all back in the car...but now what?...hungry?..ding ding, we have a winner!..Back to sheetz to find some not so healthy but yummy food....french fries, chips, milkshakes, soda? Check.....oh no! the night can't be over just yet!..Sarah comes up with a brilliant plan...we go to the grocery store..they have a buy one get one free deal on plastic forks..SCORE!...we leave the store with forks..and donuts...those were on sale too :)...it's 11pm..we stop at home to get directions...and then we're off..to Wilson...an hour away..to morgans house...time to do some forking! :)...we get to morgans house ...all the lights are off..just as planned of course...we split up the forks...and the stabbing begins...stabbing the ground that is...350 forks to be precise...her yard looked wonderfull when we were done!...we try to be quiet...we slightly fail with that one...but no one hears us...we take a picture..and go! go! go! ..jump in the car and race off into the night...we get home ..it's now 1pm.. we all crash on my couches...to dream of plastic utensils...

Thank you to all the parents of my bestest friends for letting me kidnap themm..and thank you to Sarah for driving us every where.....I love my friends :)

2009..I liked you :)

2010-01-04T22:59:00.007-05:00

Highlights of 2009

(not in timely order :)

- My basketball team became East Regional and then State Champions!-

- While Shakespeare Slept-

-Alex left of Iraq...not exactly a highlight-

-Many thrangsta sleep overs-

-Liberty Tournament -

-Sweet 16!-

-Beaufort Birthday weekend!-

- Kidnapped to the Biltmore-

-3 weeks @ New Life Camp-

-Family camping trip to Natural Bridge, VA-

- Visiting family in Massachusetts-

-Started Junior Year!-

-Awesome volleyball season..2nd in state babyy-

-Kidnapped to Myrtle Beach-

-Powder Puff Bowl-

-Alex came home for two weeks!! :) -

-First Prom-

- NC State Fair-
-Driver License!!-
Oh goodness and so much more, but these are the ones coming to my brain right now :)

Looking Forward to 2010!

*Senior Year!...yikesss*
*Liberty Tourny*

*The best prom everr*

*Alex comes home!*
*New York Cityyy*
*gotta get a job...whoop whoop*
*UGANDA..lord willing*
*last volleyball season :(*
*last basketball season :( :(*
*after 9 license!*
*SAT...blahh*
It's a year of firsts and lasts...happy and sad. But Oh boy, I'm excited to see what God's going to do this year! :)

HAPPY NEW DECADE :)

taking pictures is one of my favorites :)

2009-12-02T12:29:00.005-05:00

Some of my favorite pictures I took from the summer months....

Count your blessings..

2009-11-26T11:06:00.004-05:00

Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays! right behind Christmas...nothing can beat christmas :)

I am so grateful for the Blessings in my life. God has blessed me with a roof over my head, a warm bed to sleep in, Delicious food to eat, Awesome parents who love and provide for me, goofy siblings, Amazing friends, and his unconditional love which we don't deserve.

I hope all of you take the time to really meditate on how God has blessed you. People take so much for granted in our world today and don't realize how blessed they really are. Concentrating on what they don't have, complaining about how they don't have the latest fashion of clothing or the designer shoes and hand bags, or the newest version in electronics, or a new car, or maybe the toy they saw on a tv commercial;even though they already have plenty of toys, even little things like complaining about a long line in the grocery store. There are people all over the world that all they have are the clothes on their backs and they have to WALK miles and miles to get to clean drinking water. And here we are worrying about having the most popular items at the time, where these peoples only worry is how they are going to feed their family. So next time you complain about a long line in the store, stop and think about it, God has blessed you with with a place like the grocery store to be able to get food and supplies, he has also blessed you with money for these things. Now don't get me wrong. I am completely guilty for all these things. It just goes to show our sinful nature.How we can be so selfish and in want, when all God does is love and provide for us.
Thanksgiving is a time to count your blessings. But I hope it doesn't stop there. We should count our blessings and and be thankful for what God has given us everyday of our lives. And be looking to see how we can help the ones around us other then what we can do for our selves...
HAPPY THANKSGIVING :)

My middle name should be Grace

2009-11-14T17:14:00.001-05:00

Please hold your aplaus till the end....The phone rang..I saw it was my daddy...so I run to the phone to answer...The cat had spilled her water dish all over the floor in front of the phone.....I didn't see the water...I grabbed the phone in mid "slip" and fell on my butt..answering the phone "OWWWW"...looked down..and my nee was bleeding....yep. all in a days life of amanda.

dribble, scratch, pass, push,shoot, shove,

2009-11-11T15:51:00.004-05:00

Basketball is upon us, and I'm actually surprisingly not that sad about it! lol. Now before you get all like whaaa? lighthouse sports takes up 8 1/2 months out of the 12 months in a year! And sometimes I just want a break! But right now, I'm lovin' it! :) I'm on Varsity this year, and it's just wonderfully wonderful. My. team. is. amazing. The Varsity team last year graduated 6 seniors, and another player didn't come back. So we only have 3 returning varsity players, and then Erica and I moved up from JV ( we went to Liberty, and played some games with Varsity last year so we're not "totally" new). And we have 3 new girls. Which ends us up with a Whopping 8 players! Which when, we have players getting in foul trouble during the game, and you already are low on substitutions, well you get tired fast, but you just got to keep on running. haha. But I'm really enjoying all the girls on my team, we all get along REALLY well, and we have so much fun together. We still have somethings to work on, when on the court - i.e. communicating, making better passes, etc.
We went to a Tip-Off Classic basketball tournament in Greensboro, this past weekend to start off our season. We won our first game, and lost the next two, but it was still fun. We learned a lot about what we need to work on, and it was fun just to finally get to play together in a game. We might not win that many games this year, but I wouldn't trade my team for anything. Nope, nothing. Nada. :)

some of my peeps! ...Erkle, Me, Mo, Tiff, and Faithy on the bottom..we were trying to be statues...I think. :)

Ealges in the Houseee :)

2009-10-19T12:06:00.004-04:00

My volleyball team went to the state tournament this past weekend, and it was a blast. We all played Amazingly..the best we've played all season actually. And it was just like Fantastic. :)
We(Varisty) ended up getting 2nd in State! Whoo Hoo! The other teams were not expecting this out of us, and I think we kind of took them by surprise. And boy were they shocked :) Especially Fayetteville...who are basically our arch rivals...who beat us both times during the season, and came into the tournament with what I like to call a cocky head..haha. Well. we beat them. And oh was it GLORIOUS. They were so ticked at us and each other by the end of the game, and we just played above and beyond what any one was expecting...it was great!! :)
It's funny to see the way people act when they're not on top anymore. Friday leading up to the Fayetteville game (which was the last one of the day, at like 8pm) Fayettville was all friendly, friendly in the hall ways and gym, congratulating us when we beat another team that afternoon, and just saying hi, and good luck in the hall ways, Smiling when we walked by, whooting " yeaa goo east!" (the conference is divided into teams from the east coast and the west coast..and then the best team from each side play each other for the championship) Well. the next day on Saturday, after we had beat them the night before, They wouldn't even look at us in the hall way. Didn't say a single word to us the whole day. And then Saturday night when we made it to the championship they all cheered against us for the West team.
It was all go East! go east! when they were expecting to be the top team in the East. But how quickly the tables turned, and they were whooping go West! haha. The whole thing just makes me laugh. And it really just shows a teams character...sore loser's much? :p
But the whole thing doesn't really matter..because you know what?! We beat Themm...and it basically made our whole teams weekend....heck I'm still smiling about it! :)
But there is on down side to the tournament...it means the end of the season.
So Volleyball season is over...and this does not make me happy.

Come and gone

2009-10-05T13:16:00.003-04:00

Alex was home on leave from Iraq for two weeks -> :)
The two weeks flew by and now he is already on his way back to Iraq -> :(
The last two weeks have flownnnnn byyyy. Didn't we just pick him up at the Airport? sheesh.

But anyways it was a greatt two weeks, and I was very happy to see him! :) Sarah and Eric came home on the weekends, which resulted in the whole family being home which resulted into a very happy mother of mine. ;) The last time the whole family was together was Christmas, and it was nice having everyone home again :) He'll be in Iraq for 4 more months..and then he'll come back to Texas, where he's stationed at Fort Hood. Can't wait to see him again! Miss him already. Mi Familia :)

Kidnapped to Myrtle Beach

2009-09-24T13:56:00.008-04:00

I have never been kidnapped so much in my life! it's only been twice. But that's still more then the zero times I've been kidnapped in my life time..well at least before the last two months :p
Miss Paigy Waigy kidnapped me this time...along with Ellers and Jordan (whom I spent the whole weekend calling Taylor haha..but it's ok, cuz at least it's her middle name) Friday after co-op we arrived at her house, after recieving a packing list and arrival time the day before. We took her dog for a walk around her neighborhood...which was really just a ploy to get us all out of the house so they could pack up the van, because at that time we didn't know where we were going, or even if we were just staying at her house all weekend. So we all piled into the van along with Paiges mom, Mrs. Theresa and Tayor..I mean Jordan's mom Mrs. Sue. And set out on our adventure. Still no clue where our destination was going to be. 1 movie, some sleeping and two packages of cookies later we arrived at the Court Yard Marriott Hotel, in Myrtle Beach, SC, only about a half mile away from the ocean. After "freshening up" we went out for dinner in Bare foot landing. The food was reallllyy yummy! After we ate, we walked around to all the little shops and botiques, got some ice cream, and then headed back to the hotel where the ceiling fell on me and then we went swimming/hot tubbing :). haha yes, you heard right. The Ceiling fell on my head! I was in the bathroom getting my bathing suit on when I heard all this cracking and rumbling, when all of a sudden the Big Ceramic light/fan fixture drops skimming my body and shattering on the floor. Oh my goodnes.. it scared the bageebees out of him. So it falls and shatters all of the floor making a huge CRASH. And Paige being the good friend she is just runs into the bathroom going "Oh my goodness! what was that! are you ok?!" And ellie runs in concerned and then laughing with the camera and starts videoing..all while I'm still in a state of shock, and trying to tie my bathig suit so it doesn't fall off. Finally once I realized that I was still alive I slowly made my way out of the bathroom trying not to cut my feet open, and just colaps on the bed laughing. Oh my goodness it was an experience! Mrs. Theresa called the front desk to tell them that the ceiling just fell on one our heads (haha), and they sent up some guy to clean it all up. Then we went swimming and hot tubing. Where the girls where trying to get me to go to the front desk and complain that the celing just fell on my head and that I desereve a Fruit Basket or Somthing! haha...Anyways.. Saturday we went and got Breakfast, went to Wal Mart, and then Subway to pack a lunch. Then we all headed to the Beach. :) Mmm,mmm,mmm,mmm,M. I loveeee me some beach. :) We spent the afternoon swimming and soaking up the sun. After spending a WONDERFUL time at the beach. We headed back to the hotel and got ready to go out for the evening. All of us Kidnapees didn't know where we were going, and Paige was enjoying it a little to much haha. They took us to The Dixie Stampede. and it was a lot if funnnn :) I loved it :) After that we went back to Barefoot landing to walk around and got old time pictures done as Southern Belles :) That was alot of fun! and they came out pretty good! Spent the rest of the night at the hotel talking about bumpits and promdresses. haha.. Sunday morning we got up at 6am (after going to bed at 2am mind you) and went down to the beach to watch the Sunrise. It was G.O.R.G.E.O.U.S! I think the beach at sun rise it one of my new favorite times/places. It was so peacful and quite. mmmm mmmm. :) After acouple hours we went and got breakfast and headed back to the hotel to pack up and get on the road. We were going to go to a nice resturant for lunch but due to Time demands we ended up at Arby's on the way home where we had lunch and a birthday cake for PaigyPoo! :) Once we got back home. We all went to Ellie's house to "Freshen Up" And we all went to a Meredith Andrews/Chris Sligh/Aaron Shust concert to finish off a greattttt weekend. :) HaPpY BiRtHdAy PaIgY WaIgY PuDdInG PiE! :)

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He's Coming hommeee :)

2009-09-03T12:04:00.002-04:00

My Big brother is coming home from Iraq! only for a two week vacation.... But hey! I'll take it! I haven't seen Alex since this past Christmas! He'll be here in a couple weeks :) Yay! Yay! Whoo! Whoo! I'm excited to see him :)

Summer Happenings

2009-08-27T09:58:00.014-04:00

Well I don't know about you, but I had an Awesome Summer! And now it's over. Back to school. but just to reflect back.........

PROM
Ok so prom was in May. But I consider it apart of summer. so there.
Prom was a b l a s t. I went with Tabby, Ellie, and Emily, and well we've all got some mad dancing skills :p. It was a lot of fun to get all dressed up and primped (I'm not sure if that's the right wordd) up. We all went over to Emily's house before Prom and got all ready together and ate dinner...then drove to prom where we partied. :)

CAMP
Camp was camp...it's normal awesome self :)....I CIT'd for only two weeks this summer. And I was a camper for high school week. So 3 weeks we're spent at New Life Camp and it was good. I have so many good friends at camp..and always love renewing our friendships every summer. And this year one of my bestest friends Erica got to come be a camper with me! I am so happy she got to come and experiance camp :) The other CIT's and staff are just amazing too...not to mention some of the campers. Hence the word SUM. I had my rough days at camp with campers, but it no one died. So it's all good ;)

Hannah, Erica and Me! yay :)

Me and another bestyy Emilyyy :)

All the Girl CIT's for Early Week. This was an Amazing group :)

CAMPING
My family, minus Eric and Alex, plus one of sarah's friends Amy, went camping for a week in the VA mountains. It was a great just relaing weekend. We camp in Natural Bridge, VA... the actuall Natural Bridge was actually just a tourist trap, so the day we were gonna spend there, we spent at Monticello (Thomas Jeffersons house). It was gorgeous! And cool to learn the history and stories that happend there. The week all together consisted of hanging out at the camp ground pool, playing whiffle ball, yahtzee, laying in hammocks reading, adventurous Wal Mart trips, and just relaxing :)

camp site...notice the hammcks :)

Monticello Gardens

Monticello :)

This was basically the possition I was in 75% of the week :) sooo commfyy I want on for me room please.

BEACH
We went to Beaufort, NC for a long weekend to celebrate my 16th Birthday thanks to some wonderful friends of ours! And all my closest bestest friends came with us! It was a Fabulous weekend :) The first night consisted of yummy food(compliments of my mommy :), lip synching and dance parties into all hours of the night. you can see the slightly embarrasing yet hilarious video from that night on my moms blog. The rest of the weekend consisted of going to the beach, watching movies, sitting out on the dock behind the beach house, we all went and got henna tattoos, pictures, laughter, food, of and ellie through my luggage in a boat.
The Gals...Emily, Ellie, Erica, Me, and Morgan

yesssss, tan!

me, emily and J's awesome "drop" castle

:) :) :) :) :)

one of my favorites haha :)

Massachusetts
We went on our annual MA trip to vist relatives. This year we could only go up for a week. But it was a very good week :) visted with relatives, hung out and the cafe, went to Boston for the day with cousins, went to a drive in Movie, out to dinner with more relatives, pooool, and celebrated my grandparents 50th Wedding Anniversery.

Boston..busy, busy, busy

Grammy and Grandpa :)

Uncle Paul, Jason, and Dad....haha J didn't even know he had an uncle paul...

"the crew" around boston

touring the boston harbor.

Kidnapped to the Biltmore

I was kidnapped. so was my mom. so was Erica and her mom. so was Paige and her mom. We were all kidnapped by the same crazy woman Ellie and her mom. haha So Ellie kidnapped us all for a weekend. They were kind enough to drop off packing lists the night before....with just a few items. no info. just to be ready in the morning. So I had just finished packing my little (well maybe not so little) suit case when all of a sudden crazy woman Ellie is banging on my back door lookin like a ninja wanna be yelling for me and mom to get in the car.Of course my first thought was "umm I don't think so, I'm no going any where with you crazy person" haha but after a couple min of getting over the shock of kung fu ellie banging on the door I complied and got in the car with the other victoms haha. They took us on the 4 hour drive to Ashville, NC (dread lock capital of the world haha) and we spent the weekend at the Biltmore Estate! It was sooooooo so so so so much fun! once we got there we went out to eat at this SUPER DUPER YUMMY Thai resturant (who's owner is a friend of the mestases) and then we spent all day Saturady and Sunday morning at the Biltmore...and then drove back home Sunday night. The whole weekend was a BLAST. and remind me to tell the squeege story sometime :)

There was this Gorgeousss sunflower field at the Biltmore...

me and my mommyyy! :)

ninja wanna be....

Thai Resturant

haha I love this one.

SCHOOL
no school wasn't apart of this summer. but's it's started. But we're not gonna talk about that. cuz we don't want to ruin this post about about all the happy things! :)

Sarah's in Ethiopia

2009-06-27T17:19:00.004-04:00

My sister Sarah has been in Ethiopia for the last month working at a school called, Kechene, the kids are all either orphans living with relatives in the community, from destitute families, or from families whose parents are HIV/AIDS positive. But I am MAJOR jealous. I want to go to Ethiopia and work in the orphanages so bad. Can't wait till God reveals and provides his plan for my life. For now all I can do is hope and Pray. :) Anyways, you can read all about Sarah's trip on her BLOG, she has been posting journal entries from each day. She comes home on Wednesday! I can't wait to see her and see all the pictures, and hear all her stories. I did end up getting a call from camp to CIT, so I'll be there when she gets home :(, but I'll get to see her on Friday. :)

Storage Unit ...Bed Room....Same Diff....

2009-06-27T15:13:00.004-04:00

My bed room is a wreck. And not just like a little messy. It looks like a bomb went off in a storage unit. and then a bed and a bunch of pillows were thrown in the corner. You would think that the cause for this would just be laziness. I mean there might be like a 5% laziness factor in there some where but that's not what we're focusing on right now,what we're focusing on right now is the other 95% :) 75% is because it's summer time, and summer mean that Sarah is home from College. With allllll her stuff. And I'm tellin' ya, her stuff has like quadrupled in size and quantity since last summer. We've got suitcases, duffel bags, laundry baskets, shelving units, rubber maid drawers and containers, full of stuff allll over the room. not to mention all the clothesss! and most of it I can't even borrow, cuz a majority of it is winter clothes because it's always cold in Boone.(major bummer) I can barely even make it to my closet! haha, it takes a lot of agilty and perservearance to get something out of the closet. And then the other 20% is because I'm always packing or un packing, so I can re pack! I get home from somewhere and there is a day to only a couple days till I have to leave for the next "adventure" So I have bags and stuff laying around and trying to laundry and stuff ...And don't take me wrong I love "traveling" and vacations, and I love having Sarah home. But my room? I don't think it's too happy right now.

SUMMER 09...So Fineee?

2009-06-23T13:43:00.003-04:00

so during the school year (especially towards the end) your start getting anxious for summer, for the days by the pool, the family vacations, going to camp, and just a break. Well every year I seem to forget just how "busy" summer can be. So far (since the the beginning of June) I have worked as a CIT at New Life Camp for a week of over night camp, gone to NLC as a camper during high school week, and have had I think 3 sleep overs with friends. This is all with in a little more then three weeks! Well right now I am home for the week, and we are trying to Paint the kitchen and and the cabinets and such. And for those of you who don't know, our kitchen has looked the same basically my whole life (the whole time we've lived in the house), and the wall paper that has been up, in my taste is just, well plain ugly. Two words to describe it: Pineapple and Alphabet. I'll just leave it at that and let you guys imagine the rest, haha. So I am VERY happy that we are finally redoing the walls and such. So the last two days I've been washing and scrubbing the cabinets getting them ready to prime and paint. Hoping to have them painted be the end of the week?~maybe it's wishful thinking, but I think we can do it! :) The walls will come next after the cabinets are done. I'll post before and After pictures so you can all see the glorious transformation! :)

Anyways, enough about our kitchen. Back to summer. So like I said, this week I'm home, and then next week I might be CITing at NLC again, I'll find out tomorrow for sure, ~the call the CIT's the Wednesday before the week they want you to work ~ So hopefully CITing at camp next week, and then two day after I would get back from camp, our Family is going camping for a week. Where? we haven't decided yet, everyone wants to go somewhere different (I don't really care, as long as it's not Boone because we go camping there during the school year) all we know is that we're going camping, and then when we get back from camping, two days later is my birthday parttyy :) I'm not doing anything big for my Sweet 16, just a park day with a bunch of friends, we're gonna play capture the flag, sardines, flag football, basically what ever we feel like, and are just gonna hang out and have a good time. Pray for good weather please!!

Then a couple days after my party we are going to the beach for a long weekend for my birthday!! I'm soooooooo exciteddd! Some friends of ours graciously are letting us stay at their beach house. So the whole family is coming, plus Eric's girl friend, plus four of my friends. So we're gonna have 11 there. I CAN NOT WAIT. I have been looking forward to this weekend for months! and it's finally weeks away!!ahhhh! :) :) :)

Thennn after the beach we're home for a couple of days and then we are all going to MA for our annual summer trip, to visit all the relatives. I'm excited about that trip too. MA is always fun, and this year Sarah gets to come, cuz years past she's had to work. So that week should be fun.
Oh and did I mention that as soon as I get back from MA, volleyball will be in full swing? I didn't? well, when I get back, volleyball season will be in full swing.

So I sit here laughing at my self that only a month ago I thought this was actually gonna be a relaxing, peaceful summer. HA! man I got that wrong. But it's all good, cuz all the stuff that is taking up my few weeks of summer I lOVE, and it's all the stuff that we don't have time for during the school year to do. And this summer is sooooo much better than what I imagined at the end of the school year. And don't worry I'm still getting my pool days in, even with the crazy schedule ;)

Allergies shall be the death of me....

2009-04-22T21:11:00.003-04:00

I don't think I can say it enough...I hate allergies!!! They havn't been bothering me until today. And boy, did I forget how much allergies are a pain! A box of tissues are new best friend :) The weather is gorgeous this time of the year! but could do with out the coating of yellow everywhere. haha I washed alexs car a couple days ago and after I was done washing it I went inside to get a towel...and by the time I came back out the car was covered in more pollen then it was before I washed it!! That is just wrongg....

OH!! Today is Alex's 24th Birthday!!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY ALEX!!!
We've been able to talk to him 3-4 times through Skype (a web cam!) and have emailed back and forth a little. He said his days are pretty muched packed and he doesn't really have that much time for the computer, which I mean is understandable. But we have sent him two packages, and a a lot of our friends have sent him letters and packages. He said that receiving the packages and letters are bright spots in his day :) I sent him his second letter from me 2 days ago. It only takes about two weeks or so to get there.

Last night I went to Coach Kyles church with Erica to play basketball. They have pick up games every Tuesday night for teens and grown ups. Phew, I haven't really played b-ball for a couple weeks, but it only took me seconds to get in the grove again :) It was fun! haha Erica and I were always on the same team, and we lost all the games we played, oh well it was fun though! After that I spent the night over at Ericas house, and then we went to Geometry this morning. It was fun! the sleep over part that is...not the geometry part...yuck.

Summer is almost here!!! I can see it, and I just can't grasp on to it yet!! :(
It's getting harder and harder to concentrate on school and stuff, when all you can think about is the summer coming up, and all your plans! a few more weeks and I'm free! well mostly free....I'll be doing Algebra through the summer (long story haha) but other then that freedom. This summer hold some exciting things! My sweet 16, I get my license, going to camp, going to MA for a couple weeks, and just hanging with my friends and family making memories that will last for ever! :D

I have the bestest friends in the whole wide world.....

2009-04-17T11:52:00.006-04:00

I can't even begin to express how blessed I am to have the friends that God has placed in my life. I love them to death!

I've known Ellie aka "Ellers" since I was like 2, and we are still best friends, and I hope that never changes. She's hilarious, caring, has an enormous heart for orphans, and can always make me laugh. I think I spend more time at her house then I think I do at mine!:) haha you know your friends when you have no problem just walking in to their kitchen, open the fridge and get your self something to eat haha....I don't know what I would do with out ellie! she's my other half hahah...

Emily, I'm pretty sure she's been at every single one of my birthday parties since we were like 5 :) She is super sweet, shy, caring, and Smart. I know I can always call her when I need help with any kind of school work!haha and we have had MANY good times together in class, just hanging, and at New life camp during the summer!
A lot of my childhood memories have Emily and Ellie in it. They just make me memories even more better!!

Erica aka Erkle...oh man where can I begin with this girl..haha...I only just met her two years ago at Lighthouse basketball tryouts. She was trying out and I was working the registration table. I wasn't gonna play, but then when the team needed another girl to have a full roster, I volunteered. And boy an I happy I did!!! But I've gotten to know erica really well this past year. We were on the same team again this past year (we were the only returning Jv players) and we were in Geometry class together. I spent around 5-6 days a week with Erkle between class, basketball games and practices and just hanging out, and we never got sick of each other! haha...but now that basketball season is over, that only leaves one scheduled time..Geometry...but that's ok cuz it just forces us to get together more often for fun!:)
Erica is super crazy, hilarious, caring, and can always make me laugh!

Me and Morgans aka Mo Mo story is kind of funny. I've know Morgan for a couple years. We were in choir together, and our brothers were on the same baseball team together. But I had no clue at the time that she would be come one of my bestest friends! I hadn't seen her in a while, but then me, ellie, and morgan were volunteers at a Steven Curtis Chapman concert, and that was the start of an awesome friendship! Mo Mo lives like 45 minutes away, so we can't get together as much as we would like, but when we do it's a BLAST. Mo Mo is superr funny, nice, loving, crazy, has a great sense of stylee, and I know when I have a crummy day I can always call mo mo and she'll make it all better! haha.

I am soooooo blessed that God has put these ladies in my life. We have the absolute greatest times!! and have gone through so much together! They are my bestest friends in the whole wide world, and I love each and every one of them to death. I don't know what I would do with out any one of them!!

Me and Ellers

gangsta Erkle and ellers haha

Mo Mo, Erkle, Ellie and I....Love themmmmm

Me and Mo Mo...:)

ellie is just a little shorter then erica haha

Emily and Ellie.....FABULOUS

Me and Erkle...haha the ceiling was kinda low

moveis with Morgan!

YAY! :) MoMo, Ellers, Manda

Me, Morgan, Ellie and Morgans adorable little sister Amber :)

Here is a little adventure we all went on during a basketball tournament...they all came to watch me and erica and then they all slept over at my house! :)

My mosaic

2009-04-03T22:18:00.003-04:00

I really like this! it's so me!! :) and sorry for not posting in forever... I'll try to post a real post as soon as possible!

a. Type your answer to each of the questions below into Flickr Search (http://www.flickr.com/)
b. Using only the first page, pick an image.
c. Copy and paste each of the URLs for the images into fd’s Mosaic Maker (http://bighugelabs.com/flickr/mosaic.php)
d. Save the image and post it.

The Questions:
1. What is your first name?
2. What is your favorite food?
3. What is your favorite color?
4. Favorite drink?
5. Dream vacation?
6. Favorite Hobby?
7. What you want to be/do when you grow up?
8. What do you love most in life?
9. One word to describe you?

One Heart Beat... One Team

2009-03-19T21:00:00.007-04:00

We went to the State Homeschool Basketball Tournament a couple of weekends ago in Greensboro, and my team came home as the JV Girls State champions! WHOO HOO! So not only did we come in 1st at the Eastern Regionals the weekend before, but then managed to win state as well! We played a team from Surry county, and then played Fayetteville again.
Funny story......So we beat Fayetteville for the Regional title after they had beat us twice during the season. So my DAD (being the funny guy that he is :p haha) goes and tells coach Kyle, to tell us, that he heard that the Fayetteville coach said that we didn't even deserve to be on the same court as them, and we were just lucky to have won at regionals. So needless to say when coach told us this, boy, did it tick us off. We already didn't really like Fayetteville, they didn't have very good attitudes on the floor and were snobby....to say the least :/ So it didn't surprise us that the coach could of said that. Anyways we came into that game ready to kick some butt :) and man did we! Well after the game, on the way to the car dad tells me that he made that whole story up and it was just to get us motivated! haha, well it worked! But then we kinda felt bad for being kinda cold to their coach at the end of the game. I'm just glad we didn't do anything we would of regretted! :/ haha but that was a great way to end an awesome season!

this one is a tad bit blurry but you get the idea...haha...

Victory taste oh so sweet! :)

yeah, we're crazy....and I love every single one of them!!

-------------------------------------------------------------
We all go together like two weeks ago and made tee-shirts. :)

trying to stop long enough to get them done! lol

uh-oh....watch out...:)

It was a blast! :)

the back of my shirt in progress.....we put our nick names on the backs of them...then our number on one sleeve....and team name on the other.

The front of our shirts.....One Heart Beat, One team was like our team logo this year, compliments of coach kyle. :)

-------------------------------------------------------
This is something that I wrote after the season that I think fully sums up this season up.

Some say team mates........but I say FAMILY
Others say coach.......but I say MENTOR
Some say losing........but I PAST
Others say Win......but I say NOW
Some say one team.....but I say ONE HEART BEAT
Others say the the most Amazing, Loving, Funny, Talented, Hardworking, Determined team in the whole world......... and I say......
LIGHTHOUSE EAGLES JV GIRLS........NCHEAC East Regional Champions...........NCHEAC State Champions.....
....but to me?........ BEST IN THE WORLD! :)
--------------------------------------------------------
Can't wait for next season!!! :)

More Snowwww!

2009-03-03T11:15:00.003-05:00

We got more snow! That's twice in one winter!! what's this world coming too! lol We never get snow, and no we've had two good "snows" of about 3-4 inches. That's big here! The roads didn't get to bad, I actually went over to Ellie's house to do geometry homework. But the snow is beautiful! and COLD! That's the one thing I could do with out the freezingness. Like I don't mind cold, just not freezing! I don't like to feel like I'm frozen, no thank you, not for me. But I do LOVE snow. Yes, I know I may sound like I confused. But everything looks so peaceful when it snows! well everything in the yard that it, not so much when you try to drive in it. lol

While Shakespeare Slept

2009-02-25T14:03:00.004-05:00

I posted earlier about rehearsals for the play "While Shakespeare Slept" that my TOG class is performing. We preformed it about a week ago, for our whole TOG co-op and their families.

I was "Kate the Shrew" from Shakespeares play "Taming of the Shrew". Yes, I was a shrew. I kept getting told that I didn't even have to act! haha gosh, thanks guys :p lol But everyones character fit them so well, it was almost like the play was writen for us!
We all had a blast, and can't wait for the next play! :)

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Now that's what I call a great weekend!

2009-02-23T15:03:00.004-05:00

WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS MY FRIENDDD.....AND WE'LL KEEP ON FIGHTING TILL THE END.....DUN Dun dun....WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS....WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS!

Well the East Regional tournament is over. And my team (the JV girls) in case you didn't notice are the Champions!! We took home the trophy baby! YAY!! :)

The picture is a little blurry, but you get the idea. lol

We only had play one game to take the trophy....now, I know what you are thinking....."Oh one game, big whoop!" BUT, this was a BIG game for us. We were playing Fayetteville (the other homeschool team from the east coast). Fayetteville, lets just say they're are "arch rival." We had played them twice in the season, losing to them both times by 2 points. Yes, 2 stinkin points! So we were DETERMINED to beet them in the tournament. At half time, they were beating us by about 6 points. Well after a pep talk from Coach Kyle, we came back and won the game, beating them by 8 points! :) Boy were we happy! Now on to the State tournament this weekend in Greensboro. Where one of our games will be vs. Fayetteville again. All I got to say is...Watch out for the JV Girls Lighthouse Eagles!

Now coming away from the game. This weekend was fun! :) Ellie, Morgan, Erica, and Emily all came on Saturday to hang out at the gym with me and watch Mice and erica's game. It was funnn! and they all slept over on Saturday night ( we didn't get home from the gym till around midnight.). they came to my church Sunday morning and then we all went and saw "The Confessions of a Shopaholic" at the movies. The movie was really cute! It reminded me a LOT of 27 dresses....one of my favorite movies :) But it was an a awesome weekend with some of the most bestest, super duperest, most amazing friends in the whole wide world! :)

Valentines Day

2009-02-16T13:20:00.004-05:00

8am basketball practice. That's how I started my Valentines Day. We have a big basketball tournament this weekend and then the weekend after that. So my coach is going all crazy and adding a whole bunch more practices for the next two weeks. Including 8am last Sat morning. I hate getting up early on Saturdays....Scratch that...I hate getting up early period. Never less getting up early to go to basketball practice! Oh well... that was our last one early morning practice...I hope. But ya, so had basketball practice from 8am-10am. Then I came home and worked on the dreaded program. The dreaded program would be for the basketball tournament this weekend, which my dad is running. So I got drafted to create the program again (I did it last year). And I know what your thinking, oh a program that's not difficult, why is she complaining???. Well people this program includes 50 different teams being listed along with there entire roster, Jersey numbers, positions, and height, a whole bunch of advertisements from businesses. Brackets and schedules for the tournaments, contacts for all the teams, and letters from the NCHEAC board. So far I am at 38 pages, and I'm not done yet. Yes, so I sat down at the computer on Saturday at 10:30am and didn't get up till 5:30pm. Only because, Jason and I went to the Nemitz's house while Mr. Ryan and Mrs. Eve went out with parents for dinner. So that was definitely a nice break! We got home from the Nemitz's around 11pm and I sat down at the computer for another 3 hours. I finally got into bed around 2am....still not done with the program. Anyways that was my valentines day! Hope you guys had a better one then me! :P
Well I gotta go work on the program! haha....

Don't wanna forget a thing.....

2009-02-09T11:26:00.017-05:00

Well since I haven't posted in almost 2 months..and after many complaints....I guess I should start up againn.....So here it goes...

The last couple of weeks have been crazy.....

And because they're is just so much....there's a lot of pictures....cuz pictures are worth a thousand words....:)

Basketball season is coming to an end, well the normal season I should say. the last season games are this week. But we still have another month of tournaments. Whoo hoo! I love playing basketball, I love watching basketball, I love keeping the book for the varsity boys team and I absolutely love my basketball team this year. All the girls on my team get along reallyy well, which is a change from last year...but lets not go there right now. Our record right now is 2(wins) -12(lost), even though we haven't won nearly as many games as we did last year. I wouldn't trade my team for anything!

My TOG class is doing a comedy play called "While Shakespeare Slept." It's about Shakespeare and a bunch of his women characters..Juliet, Portia, Rosalind, Cleopatra, Macbeth and I'm Kate. The plays perfect for our class cuz our class is made up of 6 girls and 1 boy! haha poor Mickie...
We have been rehearsing it since before Christmas and are finally preforming it on Sunday. It's gonna be a hoot! :)

We went to the Airport to welcome home one of my bestest friends Morgan, and her mom, and her new little brother Amon, and her new little sister Amberlynn they adopted from Ethiopia. They are so cute, I could just eat them up!

A couple weeks after the Craigs (Morgan) got back. They came over to Ellie's house and all the kids played while the moms talked..it was a blast! :)

thay all attacked me...including Morgan...haha...

SNOW! It snowed here! In North Carolina! Like real snow! It was awesome... :)
we haven't had a real snow here in years! I didn't go out side and play in it a whole lot. But I just love to look outside and see everything covered in a layer of sparkly, white snow! :)

My Friends....I have the most aweomsest, amazing, sweet, loving (well most of the time:p), and hilarious friends ever! And we have a had a blast the last few weeks.....:)

With all the fun stuff that happened in the last few weeks....there was some sad stuff as well....:(

My big brother Alex, left for Iraq this past week. He'll be gone for 1 year + how ever longer they want to keep them there...:(
I'm gonna miss him!

Stay Safe Alex!! And come home soon!

<><

African Childrens Choir

2008-12-10T19:00:00.005-05:00

So I'm officially in love with the African Children's choir! We went to ACC concert this morning with the Nemitzs and the Bartons. Boy are these kids are amazing! Little bundles of energy, and boy can they bust a move :) You could tell that these kids are Praising the Lord with their song and dance. And just glorifying God the whole time. Towards the end of the concert each kids introduced him or her self and said what they wanted to be when they grew up. The last little boy to come up, his name was Joshua and he wanted to be optometrist. Man, was I ready to snatch him off that stage and take him home! (Ms. Eve, your hook idea woulda come in handy at that point ;) He was the cutest kid up there if you ask me! :)

I think this was the only time they were still......... :)

You Mean Their Not Water Proof??

2008-12-09T12:53:00.004-05:00

Holy Guacamole, has anyone else realized that Christmas is only 16 days away! I mean wasn't like yesterday that we were all stuffing our faces with turkey? sheesh. I've been telling my self I have plenty of time to get my Christmas shopping done, well that statement is getting further and further from the truth everyday. I guess I should start, huh? And boy do I have a lot of gifts to get! I made a good chunk of money this past weekend, so I can officially hit the stores now. Ok, before I go any further I have tell you my what I did this weekend..good! and bad...

So Friday Night I went over to the Fields house with a bunch of other girls from TOG class, and we just hung out, ate pizza, played catch phrase and apples to apples, and of course TALKED. My mom went to go over school stuff with Ms. Fields, so we didn't end up leaving till around 12:30am ( get got there around 6pm)..haha whoops. But it was a blast hanging out with the girls.

Saturday was busy. The Varsity Boys had a basketball game, and I normally go to because I'm the "stat book" keeper for the team. Well this time I stayed home, cuz it was in New Burn, which is about 3 hours away. So I wasn't gonna drive all that way on a Saturday for a game that I'm not even playing in. So I sent my dad on with out me. Well since I stayed home my mom still put me to work. I only got to sleep into like 9ish. Because I had to get up and iron pillowcases. Yes, pillowcases.

That afternoon My mom was helped put on a Christmas craft fair. Where they had tables set up with crafts for kids to do, tables for people to sell home made gifts, and a gingerbread house contest. Mom had me sit at a table and sell pillowcases (which Sarah made a couple years ago to sell, these were the left overs), calligraphy (framed verses and quotes mom made), and home made chocolate and gingerbread biscotti. I ended up selling like 6 pillowcases! which is more then the zero I was thinkin. So that was $60 in my pocket.... cha-ching :)

The Ginger bread house contest was put on by mom. There were only four entries, and everyone at the fair could vote for their favorite house for 25 cents a ticket. All the proceeds are going to the AHOPE Orphanage in Ethiopia. Well we ended up raising around $60 just from ticket sales and house entry fee's being 5 bucks! And then a lady donated $25 from her craft table. So we raised almost $100 for the orphanage! There was also a table set up for kids to make Christmas cards for the children in the orphanage. And we ended up getting like 30 cards made! pretty cool for a little homeschool craft fair. :)

Saturday night I babysat for a family in out homeschool group. These kids are Super cute! I LOVE babysitting them, They've got a 8 yr old, 5yr old, 2yr old, and a 7 month old. The parent took the baby this time, But I love playing with kids. And Bed time goes pretty smoothly! always a plus :) haha. Well That was another $32 in the pocket..I think I hear another cha-ching on it's way :) So I made almost $100 by sitting at a table for two hours and playing with kids for 4 hr's. Now that made me happy! :) lol

Well...this is where the bad news starts to creep in.....
After I got home from babysitting, I threw a bunch of clothes in the washing machine so I would have clean clothes for church in the morning. Everything was going like a normal Sat night for me, I checked my facebook and email, watched some TV, did some "tidying up" Well I went to go move my clothes to the Dryer. I went and opened the washing machine lid, and there laying on top of all the clothes was .....DUN Dun dun......My mom's Cell phone!!!!! AHHH!!
yes I washed my mothers new cell phone in the washing machine. I mean now looking back at it, I think it's kinda funny. But boy didn't think so when I opened that lid! I screamed...not like a high pitch screech...more like a AHHHhh! lol. I called my mom over and apparently she thought I died or something by the look on her face when she ran over. haha, but I showed her the phone, and I was like at the point of tears. I just didn't want to get drilled. haha. We took the battery out and laid it all out to dry over night and see what the verdict was in the morning. But I mean I wasn't really planning on it working after taking a bath in laundry detergent and water. Well I was right. Anyways we showed my dad and he called the Verizon people, because you see, we only bought this phone like 2 weeks ago, so he called to see how many days you had after you buy a phone to buy insurance on it. Well it was 15 days, guess what! We were on day 14!! Boy did I luck out! If we had waited one more day to call them it would have been to late! Well since you could still buy insurance on it which is like $5 a month, I'm gonna have to pay like nothing compared to what I was gonna have to pay to buy a brand new phone! can you say SCORE!! especially since I was gonna have to use all the money I just earned that day! lool Yea, so that was the excitement of the weekend. Normally this would be something Eric would do :p, but I guess it was my turn....But now my turn is over, and I don't want another one! :)

Now I'm in the middle of a super hectic, busy, stresfull week, between my team and the Varsity Boys, I've got basketball everyday this week including Sat, except for Wed. I've gotta get my rough draft for my research paper done by Friday night, and a module of Chemistry. Plus a geometry mid term, and all the other normal school I gotta get done. My choir sang at the mall this week, and got rehersal tomorow(getting ready for out concert) and me, mom and J are going to an African Childrens Choir concert! which I'm super excited about! I can't remember what else I got to do this week, and I don't really wanna think about it. :p Wish Me luck!

Happy Thanksgiving!

2008-11-27T13:42:00.003-05:00

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

I'm so thankful to God for providing me, A family who loves me, The bestest friends in the whole entire world, A warm house, clothes, food and water, And soooooooo much more! But above all I'm thankful for Jesus Christ my Savior for dying on the cross for our sins. And for that I will be eternally grateful.

F for FAILURE

2008-11-27T00:16:00.002-05:00

So I think I officially get an F for FAIL at this whole blogging thing... twice a month is kinda sad on my part. sorry. Ok lets get caught up here....
Basketball is going good. My team has only had one game so far, and we lost by like 10 points, but it was a really good game and we played good. We run, run, run, OH! and run some more at practices. We got a new coach this year, wayyyy better then last years coach is so many ways. This coach is really whipping us into shape, and we have already learned a lot, even those of us who have played for a couple years. It's been a pretty good season so far.
School is going pretty well, still in the process of writing a ten page research paper on "Famous Artists of the Renaissance." My writing got stopped for a little while due to a broken computer. Our house computer went down along with my research! talk about major UGH! that was like two weeks ago, but our new computer finally came today! YAY! I am officially no longer cut of from the world! haha. We had my dad's work lap top at night, but then me and mom were competing for that, and she always won.haha But now we finally have a new computer that works! :)
Sarah and Eric are home from college for Thanksgiving break. Alex comes home tomorrow from Texas! Excited about everyone being home again! Hopefully will be a good weekend. :/ Call me a little kid, but I'm super excited about watching the Thanksgiving day parades! Especially the Macy's Parade! hehe.. spend the morning watching parades on TV, then spend the afternoon eating SUPER yummy food and playing football, and then spend the evening sitting on the couch watching a movie complaining on eating to much. haha ...gotta love Thanksgiving!
Well that was a little bit...I'l try to write more as soon as I can! And see if I can do better then twice and month!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

<3

National Adoption Day

2008-11-15T19:20:00.002-05:00

Happy National Adoption Day!!!!

also....CONGRATS to Morgan and the rest of the Craigs for Passing Court for their adoption this week!!! Can't wait for you to bring them home! So Excited for You!!! :)

<><

Much Ado About Nothing....

2008-11-06T22:25:00.003-05:00

So business has taken over my life. :-p I basically never have a day that I don't have something. Volleyball season ended a couple weeks ago, but basketball started before v-ball ended. So no brake from sports! We practice for 2 hours on Tuesday and Thursday. And since we only get to practice twice a week, when schools practice everyday, our coach makes us work harddd. Like can't walk after practice hard..lol. We're trying to get ready for our first game in a week and a half, which mean we run, run, run, oh and run some more. Yuck. My dad is also once again the coach for the Varsity Boys team, which I keep the "books" for. Their season starts this weekend, so I'll be going to all there games, on top of mine. But I love keeping the books, so I'm definitely not complaining on that subject. :-)
School is...well school. I love my geometry class! Geometry is Soooo much better then Algebra...which I'm STILL doing from last year by the way. I'll be lucky if I get it done before I graduate! haha :-p We're still doing TOG (Tapestry of Grace) co-op. Class is fun, but there is a LOT of work. In the process of writing a 10 page research paper on famous artists of the Renaissance..fun stuff :p. In case you didn't notice we're learning about the Italian Renaissance, Shakespeare, Leonardo De Vinci, ect. ect. ect. We just finished reading Shakespeare's "Much Ado About Nothing"...it's was alright..bunch of gibberish if you ask me. :-)
Chemistry is total BLAH, the end. Can't remember what else I'm doing at this moment...I guess none of it is to bad, if I can't remember them on the top of my head! lol
Still doing choir. It's fun, I like it :-) And we're getting ready for our Christmas concert, so we're doing Christmas songs! who would a thought! I love Christmas songs! Christmas songs are my favorite! lol. No but I seriously can't wait for CHRISTmas! It's my favorite time of the year! <3 :-) Though personally I think it's just wrong that they already have a bunch of Christmas stuff in the stores, and it's we haven't even had Thanksgiving yet! No Joke, I went into a Craft store a couple of days ago and they were playing Christmas music! sheesh. :p
Oh, my foot is still all messed up. Basically feels like there is a huge knife jabbed into my foot when I run, jump, slide, basically anything athletic! I'm going to physical therapy twice a week to "strengthen" it. So I get on the stationary bike, elliptical, do all this funky balancing things standing on all these funky boards, balls, and tubes. haha some are fun, others not so much. haha normally when I leave P.T. my legs feel like jello, and I'm gonna fall over just walking to the car! :0 I think it's helping, honestly I can't tell the difference, but the physical therapist said it is. I just went and got orthotics to put in my basketball shoes, they're helping, pain isn't as bad with them. Going to another foot doctor (there's a special name for it that's like a mile long, and takes a whole breath to say, haha) in a couple weeks. Lets see the first doctor told me it was broken, then he sent me to another doctor who said it wasn't broken, but that I had "tendinitis" (a fancy word for "I don't know what exactly is wrong, so it must be ______ :p), then I went to another doctor who said I don't have tendinitis but have "Metatarsalgia". Now it took me about a month to even be able to say it. But apparently that's what I have....Metatarsalgia. He also recommended I stop playing sports for a while. HA!
hmmm...I wonder what fancy word this new Doctor will come up with....
Ales is coming home from Texas this weekend!!! YAY!! haven't seen him since the beginning of Aug! Sarah and Eric are also coming this weekend from Appalachian. Double YAY! So the whole Family is gonna be home this weekend! Whoa! When was the last time that happened?? Looking forward to it!

Well hopefully this rather long post will "satisfy" some of you for a while :-)

<3

Solja Boy..

2008-10-30T13:19:00.004-04:00

So we made a scare crow , using one of Alex's old camo army uniforms and boots. haha mom has named him her "solja boy". He's super cute :-) He sits in our front yard, next to the road greeting anyone driving past. He looks like a real person when looking from behind, so when we first put him out there, Ranger (our dog) sat at the window barking his head off at it..it was really funny. It still catches him off guard when we walks by the window and starts growling...haha...

How Cute is He?! :-)

Champions Once Again...

2008-10-27T11:13:00.010-04:00

About a week ago we went to Winston Salem; Wake Forest University, for the weekend for my volleyball tournament. My volleyball team this year went 16(w)-2(l) during the season, which is a HUGE differance from the past years where we've been around 9-9. This was an Awesome season! And I love all the girls on my team to death!! :-) Well needless to say we went into the tournament very confident. And well...We Won the Whole thing! For the 4th year in a row we are the -NCHEAC JV Volleyball State Champions!- Whoo Hoo! Andddd the Varisty won too!! We're both took home the first place trophey! YAY!

We played 4 games totall in two days. The first game we crushed the other team, then the second game was VERY close, tough game, bu we came out on top, the third game was also a VERY close, hard, tough game, but again we came out on top! and then for the Championship game we ended up playing the team weplayed in the second game, but this time we CRUSHED them for our 4th state title in a row! I also got tournament MVP! YAY! haha something I've wanted for the last 4 years and now I finally got it! lol

:-) It was a very fun weekend and playing volleyball, hanging in the hotel, hanging and eating with the team, being crazy with my friends...ya know, the usual :-p

haha playing in the stairwell waiting for our next game..

CAPTAINS! :-)

Katie has been on the team years leading up to this one but she went to school this year. :-(

LOVE HER TO DEATH! <3

GO EAGLES!!!

Photography

2008-10-04T12:06:00.011-04:00

I don't have a fancy expensive camara...but I still love taking pictures!

These are my favorite! =

Choir

2008-10-04T11:53:00.002-04:00

I'm in the Raleigh Homeschool Girls Choir again this year...some of m friends are also apart of it, and it's a lot of fun and we learn a lot. This is my 5th semester I've been in it I believe. We have done music ranging from songs from "Les miserables" and "Wicked", the traditionals like "all things bright and beautiful" and "Come thou Fount", to ones from poems like "Winken, Blinken and Nod" and "I'm nobody who are you?", and last semester we did a song in Spanish, and another one in Latin! This semester we have only have like 9 songs, a lot of them being christmas music. We have a Christmas concert in Dec. and then a spring concert usually in May. I love singing and really enjoy this choir. Our directer is super nice and was homeschooled when she was young as well!
<3

I'm still here....

2008-09-25T11:52:00.007-04:00

Well I haven't posted basically at all this summer. But now that the school year has started, we'll see If I can get back into the swing of things...;-)

Nothing to exciting happening right now, I'm in the middle of volleyball season, my team is
9(won) -2 (lost) so far which is awesome compared to last years finished season at 9-8 or something like that lol...yeah but I have an awesome team and we all have a lot of fun on the court :-) and Basketball starts Saturday! So those two sports seasons will over lap for like a month!..can u say tiring?

I'm a sophomore now (only 2 more years after this till I graduate!haha:-) I'm in a Chemistry Class(absolutely horrid..), Geometry class (LOVE it!), Choir (FUN), Tapestry of grace co-op (which is History, literature, geography, vocabulary, church history, and writing ...Yuck! like the class..hate the work..Norton Anthology Western literature is dumb :-p), Art class (only fun when we get to paint and use color) haha still wayyyy behind in Algebra (carried over from last year:-/..,) I think that's it for school...at least for now..:-)

Anyway I had a pretty good summer made up of New Life camp for three weeks (1 wk. camper, 2 wks. worker), visiting relatives in MA, Boston Redsox game at Fenway, Camping in the mountains with the family, my birthday :-), babysitting, Volleyball, hanging out with my friends! (that always makes me happy..lol), I got got my permit!!! (makes me doubly happy!) and can't remember what else I did so we'll leave it at that :-)

<3

Father Daughter Dance..

2008-06-15T13:46:00.001-04:00

Last night Me, Sarah and Dad went to a father daughter dance put on by our friends the Nemitz. It was a blast!

Make an on-line slide show at www.OneTrueMedia.com

NEW LIFE CAMP!

2008-06-13T11:15:00.009-04:00

Wow...haven't posted in a long time!....Here it goes....

Last week I went to New Life Camp as a CIT..(Counselor In Training). NLC is a christian over night camp that my siblings and I have bean going to for years.. So this past week, Jason went as a camper, I went as I CIT, and Sarah and Eric are both counselors, so more then half my family was there...and I ended up CITing in Sarah's cabin!..can't get any more like home!..lol Well anyway, it was an AMAZING week! We had the most awesomest(is that a word?) girls in our cabin! and this week is also mainly homeschoolers because alot of kids are still in school. The average day at NLC involves bible classes, meals in the dinning hall, swimming in the lake, electives...archery, riferalry, climbing wall, crafts, go carts, and some other stuff, recreation, and sooo much more.. But any way it did get VERY hot..but still managed to have fun ;-)

-Jason playing carpet ball...New life camp pass time...for the campers and counselors..:-)

-Recreation

Some of my campers..Ellen, Anna, Rachel, Cathrine...and Emily who also got to CIT

-Eric,Sarah, and Daryl

This amazing juggling guy, who apparently won like he gold metal in the Olympics for juggling...I didn't even know there was juggling in the Olympics!..:-)

PLEASE PRAY FOR THE CHAPMAN'S!!!!

2008-05-21T23:42:00.004-04:00

There are no words to express the heart wrenching grief and heartbreak we are experiencing right now for this precious family. Lord God our Heavenly Father, we need you more than ever....
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According to the Tennessean, Steven Curtis Chapman’s youngest child died Wednesday afternoon after being struck by a car driven by her teenage brother in the driveway of the family’s Williamson County home.

Maria, one of the Christian singer’s six children, was taken by LifeFlight to Vanderbilt Hospital, which confirmed the death, according to Laura McPherson, a spokeswoman for the Tennessee Highway Patrol.

The 5-year-old was hit by an SUV driven by her teenage brother, she said. Police did not give the driver’s name.

The teen was driving a Toyota Land Cruiser down the driveway of the rural home at about 5:30 p.m. and several children were playing in the area, McPherson said. He did not see Maria in the driveway before the vehicle struck her, she said.

“It appears to be a terrible accident,’’ McPherson said.

No charges are expected, she said. The accident was witnessed by two other children; the entire family was home at the time, McPherson said.

Singer/songwriter Chapman, who recently was inducted into Music City Walk of Fame, is one of contemporary Christian music’s most recognizable and most awarded names. He and his wife Mary Beth have long been supporters of international adoption, having brought three girls from China into their family. Maria was the youngest.The couple is so active in the cause that they formed an organization, Shaohannah’s Hope, to aid families wanting to adopt.

With his latest music tour, which came through Nashville in November, Chapman started a campaign called “Change for Orphans”. He asked audience members at each stop to bring spare change to the concert, where it was counted and given to a local family to aid in their adoption process.

“I don’t know of anybody who loves his children more than he does and is so committed to the adoption concept, and to lose one, no matter what the circumstances, is heartbreaking beyond all comprehension,” said John Styll, president of the Nashville-based Gospel Music Association.“He talks about his kids all the time. That’s his life. His kids are more important to him than music, that’s for sure.”

The tragedy was announced during Wednesday-night services at Harpeth Hills Church of Christ, which the family attends. Maria had just graduated from the church preschool.And word spread throughout the tight-knit Christian music community on Wednesday evening.

Styll got the news not long after Maria’s death.

“I’m confident I can speak for everyone in the community to say we will do everything we can to support this family, as we would do at any time, but especially at a time like this,” he said.

Most of the Chapman family was at Vanderbilt children’s hospital after the accident and could not be contacted. The long, gravel driveway leading to the home west of Franklin was blocked off by Williamson County sheriff’s deputies.
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This is an absolute tragedy. This family has been an inspiration to so many as they have dedicated their lives, music and ministry to the plight of the orphan and to Jesus Christ. They are so dear to many, we love them and ask all of you to please pray for them without ceasing during this most difficult time.

weekend of alot of fun!

2008-05-19T16:07:00.007-04:00

I had a VERY good weekend:-)

We had TOG co-op friday morning which we cut short so we could all go out to lunch and then go see "Prince Caspian"~ which was really good!. After the movies, Ellie came back home with me and hung out for a couple of hours before we all headed over to Mickie's house (the Shaws) for a co-op end of the year cook-out. That was a lot of fun, we ate, swam, played kick ball in the mud..thanks to the rain:-), and just hung out. After the cook-out, all the girls in my class came over for a sleep over! There were 7 of us and we had a blast playing twister, Pretty Pretty Princess...no we're not to old if that's what you were thinking;-), watching movies, and LOTS of talking...:-). On Saturday after some of the girls went home and it was just Ellie and Tabby left, we decided to go bowling! which was a interesting experience after going to bed at 5:30am the night before! haha...but it was alot of fun!:-)
Tabby somehow won both games...but I'd just like to point out I was the only one that did NOT use bumpers! That night, after everyone had gone home, I went to bed at 8pm and woke up Sunday at 9am....13 hours! which means I was able to catch up on sleep all in one night! whoohoo! After church on Sunday, me and my mom went shopping! And I got some really cute clothes!!!! another YEAH! Yep...so over all this has basicaly been an amazing weekend!!!:-)

Mother's Day

2008-05-12T14:04:00.003-04:00

Happy Mother's Day..to all moms!!!

He had a really fun mother's day:-)
We went to church, hung around in the afternoon, went to Red Robin for dinner, came home played a "family game" of Scattagories..which kept turning into a argument about if peoples answers were allowed or not..mainly dad anr Eric:-) Then we all watched "Princess Bride" which is a classic in our family:-)

This week is our last week of School!!! WhooHoo!!
Except that I have to do math through the summer, everything else ends this week! YES!
So happy :-) ....Summer's starting!!!!

Day at the Museme

2008-05-06T13:20:00.002-04:00

Yesterday we spent the day at the Museum of Life and Science with the Mestases. It was alot of fun. We had a picnic, went on the Train, looked at bugs, went to butterfly house, and then went into the museum and learned about dinosaurs, rocks, germs, space, and animals. It's a very hands-on museum and even us "older kids" had a lot fun:-)lol

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Trip to Boone

2008-04-29T16:07:00.006-04:00

This past Sunday my parents, Jason, Bekah(family friend), and I went down to Boone to Appalachian to see Sarah's Gospel choir concert. It was pretty fun! we packed a lunch, went to wal mart:-), hung out and watched a movie in her dorm room, went to her concert, and then got pizza. It took us 3 hours to get there and another 3 hours to get back home! so 6 hours in the car.....can you tell we love her....

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

more and more art work...

2008-04-24T13:53:00.008-04:00

Here is acouple of drawings/projects I've done the last couple of weeks- :-)

a stained class circle:-)

a boot....

this is a profile that was done by my shadow and then colored it with oil pastels. it looks kinda funny....lol

I really like how this came out. very bright and fun.... just like me!

SCC Concert!

2008-04-13T12:49:00.007-04:00

Last night me and mom went to a Steven Curtis Chapman with the Mestases. We volunteered with "Shaohanna's Hope" - an organization that the Chapmans started to care for the orphans. We were "bucket people" we stood in the lobby/theater before the concert/intermission collecting money for "Change for the Orphan". Change for the orphan is a project that at each concert goers can give their loose change to a family living in that area that's adopting. Last night we raised $3,000, some organization matched up to $2,000, so all together the family received $4,000! It's really cool to see what God can do!

It was a really fun night. Since we were volunteers we didn't have to pay to watch the concert. We could sit where ever there was an empty seat. Well it just so happened that there was a whole front row empty! :-) Also after the concert the Mestases had back stage passes, so we were able to go with them back stage and meet Steven Curtis Chapman! It's always nice to know the right people:-) lol

So all together was were able to get a free tshirt, front row seats, back stage passes, and be a part of helping a child in need of a family:-)

Josiah, Keren, and Keziah :-)

Being computer challenged I couldn't figure out how to flip it. sorry:-(

I made it! I'm alive!!!!

2008-04-11T17:34:00.003-04:00

I made it through the week!! Even though it was by the skin of my teeth:-)
This week has been one of the longest weeks of my life!!!! 30 hours worth of driver's ed has left me with a head ache:-( lol back to the skin of my teath thing....we had our finals today:-(
You have to get a 70 or above to pass. Well I had done some extra credit earlier in the week which added 2 points to me final score. My teacher handed my test back to me and it said 68%. And of course I thought I failed! But then I heard the teacher say "your extra credit will give you an additional 2 points on to your score" I then counted in my head 68-69-70!!!!!!!
I then said something on the lines of-
"O MY GOSH!!!!! I PASSED!!! WHOO HOO!!! THANK YOU JESUS!!!"

Next step- Get behind the wheel:-)...........

longest class ever.......

2008-04-07T22:48:00.005-04:00

Extremely boring, Super Long, after a while it leaves you brain dead. Yep, you guessed it........Drivers Ed.
Today was the first of 5 days of the most exciting class I'll ever take....not! The rumors are true! Drivers Ed is sooo boring and long especially when sitting in very uncomfortable chairs with kids who are, well lets just say not the quietest or the smartest (even though they think they are:-)
6 hours down , 24 left of class room and then I get to go be hind the wheel for I think 6 hours! WHOO HOO!
Yes a scary thing to those of you who know me:-) Well I hope I'll be able to post again soon, that is if I make it through the week........

What can I say I'm a Picture Person

2008-04-03T23:45:00.003-04:00

Sarah (my sister) took these pictures of Eric and Jason last time she was home.

triplets for the day

2008-03-27T20:11:00.005-04:00

A couple of weeks ago we were at our TOG co-op that meets every Friday morning. Mrs. Mestas had come to pick up Ellie after class and let the boys play on the playground for a while. Well when Jason walked out side they all realized that James and Josiah had had on the same "I do all my own stunts" shirt. Well all three of them were all smiles after realizing this, saying that they were "triplets" for a day :-)