New Blog

This is a new blog that I have created just for my equine photography.


I would appreciate it if anyone who is interested would pop over there and leave comments on my pictures. Please don't just look! I am posting them so I can have some feedback. Please leave comments, whether good or bad, and tell me how I can improve my photos!


I am not forcing anyone to look who doesn't want to. But I would much appreciate advice, encouragement, or even discouragement as long as it is given with advice to improve what you think needs improving. If you have any friends who would be intested in looking, please tell them about it! It is open to everyone to look and give me feedback on my photos!

"Trust Me"

You wouldn't believe how many times I've heard this phrase in my head the last six months.


"Trust Me."



I've read it so many times in my Bible the last six months. If it's not there, it's at church. If not there, it's talking to someone and it will pop up. Or those times when I'm thinking about my life and how it's been the last six months.
God just keeps bringing this phrase to mind.



Now my point in saying all this is that I am trying to figure out how to trust God.

These are some definitions of the word "trust".

assured reliance on the character, ability, strength, or truth of someone or something

Firm reliance on the integrity, ability, or character of a person or thing.

1. To have or place reliance; depend:

2. To be confident; hope.

1. To have or place confidence in; depend on.

2. To expect with assurance; assume:

3. To believe:

Now, you can have definitions. That's all well and good. But what does that mean to me? What in the world can that do for me? It gives me the definition. It gives me the head knowledge.

What about the heart? What about doing it? How do I really know how to trust God?


I can say I trust God. I can tell Him I trust Him. I can announce to the world that I trust Him. I can pray for things and pretend to trust Him. I can say I trust Him.


But does that mean I do?


I mean, really, what does it mean to truly trust God?


Does it mean to tell Him all my secrets? Does it mean to know that He will provide? Does it mean to believe that He loves me? Does it mean to remember that He will never leave me? Does it mean to hope? Does it mean to call on Him and recall that He is the same yesterday, today, and forever?



Excuse me for sounding so immature when I talk about this. But I'm wondering what people think. Can I get some feedback on this?



I love God with all my heart. I try to put Him first in everything. I try to believe that He wants what's best for me. I try to know that He loves me and that He will provide.


It's hard to trust.


God, teach me to trust you.

I can't believe it's over.

I thought that maybe I would have a horse last spring.

A whole year has passed since I thought that.

Now I don't even know if I'll ever get a horse.




Wow.

This has been a really different year.


I can't believe Christmas is over. I can't believe this year is almost over.

Wow.

Yay!

Christmas was pretty good, I guess. I'm happy with everything I got which was more than I wanted, but not everything I asked for. =\ So, I'll just have to wait 'til my birthday. =P There wasn't any snow. ='(

I got a REALLY nice pair of riding boots and my own helmet!

I can't wait to ride in them!

On that note...

I REEALLLLY want snow for Christmas.

Just a half an inch.

Just on Christmas eve.

Just for Christmas morning.

Then it can melt.

But I really want snow.

I've been praying for snow.

It's supposed to rain.

But I've been praying for snow.

So maybe it will snow.

Just for Christmas.

The Christmas Story

Matthew 1,2, 26, 27, 28, and Luke 1, 2, 22, 23, 24

I've included the last passages of Matthew and Luke because they are why Jesus was born in the first place.



I found a book in Barnes and Noble this morning entitled "The Purpose of Christmas". I turned it over to read the back cover and this is what it read:

Why is Christmas such a big deal?

If you stop to think about it, it is astounding that the simple, unassuming birth of a peasant baby boy more than two thousand years ago in the Middle East can today cause traffic jams every December in places like New York City, Tokyo, and Rio de Janeiro.

I never finished reading the synopsis because this was a truly amazing thought. It is amazing how the birth of a baby can cause such traffic jams for an entire month. People are so busy getting ready for the one day of the month they miss the entire purpose of the day. Perhaps some have never heard. Perhaps they just do it because it's expected. Maybe they have heard, and they keep forgetting. I suspect many, like those who have written "xmas" in place of "Christmas", just don't want people to remember. Many would have us believe that Christmas is about santa claus coming on Christmas eve. Many would have us believe that it's about showing the people we love that we care.

But the real reason for Christmas?


It's been lost in the business of the gifts, the stockings, the fireplaces, the food, the family time, the cards, the traditions, and everything else that's seeped in originally just to celebrate the Christmas season.


The reason that so many have forgotten is that Jesus came to earth as a baby. He came as a baby. That's an amazing thought. That such a holy, righteous God would come to earth as a little baby boy. That He would humble Himself to such an estate. He was and is a King. He could have come as anything. He could have come as a conqueror or a king. But He chose to come as a baby.


He chose to come as a baby.


What an amazing thought. And He came not to condemn us, but to forgive us. To live a perfect life and then die for our sins, that we might live for Him. That we might be saved through Him. I cannot begin to fathom the kind of love He had in His heart for us. To die for us. To forgive us for all the wrong things we have done. To still forgive us when we're so imperfect.

You know, we are so selfish. We don't want to forgive someone who may have borrowed our hairpin without asking. And yet, Jesus forgave all of us for every single thing we have ever ever done wrong.


"Wow" is the only word that comes to my mind.


How can I be so selfish and unforgiving of those in my life when Jesus forgave me for things that I deserve death for? How?


I'm speaking to myself here, so those who may get offended at anything I'm saying, please forgive me. =D Seriously, I have a lot of things that I need to fix about myself, and I'm not meaning to attack anyone personally.

I just wanted to remember the real reason for Christmas. The reason we're even here on this earth. It's not about presents, it's not about food, or traditions, or santa claus.







It's about Jesus Christ and what He did for us.

These are some photos I found

I found these on facebook and I thought they were beautiful! I just love the mood and expression and light in these photos!

Giulia Molon, Jamie Schmidt, Frances Alton, and Tracy Smith Kolisnyk, and Donna Fowble

took these photos and posted them to facebook. I absolutely adore these.

My Christmas wish

1 (suggested, but not limited to) horse

I would literally cry if I found one under the tree. =')

So...

Guess what I did today?
Doesn't it look beautiful? I LOVE cleaning tack. It's so much fun.

And the end result is so satisfying!

Rain, rain, go away...

I really hate rain.

It makes me feel sad and seems to drain me of energy.

And, yet, at the same time, it makes me inspired. I have no idea why. It's just an inspiring thing. It makes me think about God more. It makes me think about a lot of things.

I want to go riding again. I miss being around horses. It's pretty wet, though. And I was supposed to go with a friend.

Perhaps, people can't understand this, but for me, horses are very therapeutic. They just have something that nothing and no one else can give me. There's something special about each and every one of them. And each of them understands a different way. But, no matter how they respond, somehow I just know that they do. I can't really explain it. It's just so real and special. I really want a horse. No, let me rephrase that.

I really need a horse.

There's something awesome about riding in the rain. I've never ridden in pouring rain, but I have ridden in rain. I also really want to ride in the snow.

But I'm actually going to go hang out a barn tomorrow. I'm not riding, but I'm going to muck stalls, maybe clean tack, clean stuff, and maybe even groom some horses. I'm so excited. I can't wait to go. I'm also bringing carrots for them. And maybe apples. They'll be following me around like puppy dogs.

They'll love me forever. Maybe. I've never met these horses. I guess I will see. I'll be bringing my camera.

Mom's birthday party

Okay, so the whole story behind this is Mom and I were out shopping one day. She happened to go by a new candle store in the mall and saw this little tiny tea set she absolutely loved. She started oo-ing and ahh-ing over it. I made a mental note to buy it later and hoped she wouldn't buy it. She finally said, "okay, I'm not buying for myself," and then she took one last longing look at it and we went out of the mall. The next day, she ended up going shopping and I mananged to talk her into taking me. We went to a couple of places and then she went to her doctor's appointment. Then we went to the mall. When we got there, I asked Mom for a twenty dollar bill and told her I had some shopping of my own to do. We figured out a place to meet and I took off. I stopped in Claire's looking for something for my sis, then I continued down to the candle shop. I found it closed down. I was pretty annoyed. Then I saw the note that said, "I will be right back" and I went to a couple of stores around it. About the fifth or sixth time I went back to it, it was open. So anyway, I picked up the tea set and looked around for a minute and then went to the checkout. I was telling the cashier that I was buying it for my Mom and I hoped she wouldn't come back in there. He told me that he would just tell her that he sold it. So I left and hid the te a set in my purse and then went to Jcpenney. Since Mom wasn't there yet, I went back to Claire's. We met there anyway. I told her that I didn't find anything and then we looked in Jc Penney for a minute then left. On the way out of the mall, Mom told me "that little tea set was gone! I went back to buy it and the guy told me that he sold it yesterday! I should have bought it yesterday!" I hemmed and hawed trying to pretend that I was all upset about it. We got to the car and Mom asked me if I still had the twenty she gave me. I told her yes, because I was not about to give the tea set away. Then we went to Hallmark. I looked there for something for my sister and since I only had ten dollars, I asked Mom, "Mom, if I wanted something more expensive, do you have another ten?" She only had two ones. I took them anyway. The next day, Mom was asking me how much I spent at Hallmark and I told her, "Well, I had the twenty." Ahhh!!!! Anyway, Dad and I were planning secrets all this week and she never knew about them. We had to stop a couple of times to pick things up for this cake in order to keep it a secret. I had a friend over for "baking" on Friday and we actually made her birthday cake! Well, I made the cake the night before, but we made the frosting and put roses on it since we ran out of time. So anyway. It's sooo hard keeping secrets from your Mom! I even heard that she took Dad back to that candle place again, but she couldn't buy the other sets, because she liked this one too much!

Well, this is the cake. I liked it, but I didn't like the fondant recipe I used. So I'll probably find something else next time.

This is my Mom when I told her I was supposed to get a picture of her.

Then she got to the glasses case. =D

She finally got to the bottom.

Then she had to ask Dad if he had anything to do with it.

Then of course, she hugged me, very excited and happy someone else hadn't bought it and she continued to play with her toy.This is it.

Just a random shot I really liked that took of the extra roses.

Anyway, she told me it was the best birthday she's had in a long time!
=) =) =)

First ever cake(and yes, I am a perfectionist)

I know, I'm crazy. I'm making my Mother's birthday cake for tomorrow. I will post pics. I'm actually having someone over to help me decorate it tomorrow. But I finished making it tonight. I am hoping to have it perfect. But one of the cakes is fallen in. =( Maybe it will look good with the decorations. =) I hope so, because I want Mom's birthday to be special and the cake to be perfect! It's a bonnie butter cake and I think I'm going to decorate it with real roses, roses made with icing, fondant, and buttercream icing. I hope Mom will like it. Dad and I have planned some special surprises for her. =D

Just for the record...

Planning things ahead is a good idea. =\

I didn't.

A few Christmas recipes

I LOVE these Christmas recipes!

I will point out that I stole this one from my sister's blog.

Popcorn Balls

1 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup dark corn syrup
1/2 cup butter
1 tsp. salt
16 cups popped popcorn

Heat all ingredients except popcorn to simmering in Dutch oven over medium-high heat, stirring constantly. Add popcorn. Cook, stirring constantly, until popcorn is well-coated, about 2 minutes. Place on wax paper. Cool slightly. Dip hands into ice water; shape mixture into 2-inch balls. Cool completely. Store in plastic bags or Tupperware container. Also make good Christmas tree decorations if covered in plastic wrap.



Chocolate Mint Dreams

3/4 c butter
1 c confectioner's sugar
2 squares chocolate, melted
1/4 t peppermint extract
1 1/2 c flour
1 c mini chocolate chips


Icing:
2 T butter
1 c confectioner's sugar
1 T milk
1/4 t peppermint extract
1-2 drops green food coloring

Drizzle(melted together):
1/4 c chocolate chips
1/2 t shortening



Cream butter and sugar; Add chocolate and mint flavor; add flour and stir in chocolate chips. Drop by teaspoonful onto ungreased baking sheet. Bake 375 degrees for 6-8 mi. Spread icing and let set before using drizzle.



Sweet party mix

4 c corn chex cereal
4 c rice chex cereal
4 c pretzels
2 c sliced almonds
3/4 c brown sugar
6 T butter
3 T light corn syrup
1/4 t baking powder
2 c dried cranberries and/or blueberries, and/or cherries

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Combine dry ingredients in large roasting pan. In medium saucepan, combine butter, brown sugar, and corn syrup:melt. Boil and continue boiling steadily 5 min. Remove from heat and stir in baking soda. Pour over cereal mix, stir to coat. Bake in oven for 15 min. Stir and bake 5 min. more. Remove from oven. Stir in dried fruit. Spread in greased foil to cool. Break into pieces and store(or eat!).

Yeilds twelve cups

Black Bottom Cupcakes

Line muffin tins with cupcake papers.

Blend for filling:
8 oz. cream cheese(room temperature)
1 egg
1/3 c sugar
1/8 t salt

Fold in:
1 c semisweet mini chocolate chips

Then set aside.

In separate bowl, mix:
1 1/2 c all purpose flour
1 c sugar
1/4 c cocoa
1 T white vinegar
1 t vanilla
1/2 t salt
1 c water
1/3 c vegetable oil


Fill muffin tins about 3/4 full with batter, then drop a heaping Tbs of cream cheese mixture into the center of each cupcake.

Bake 375 degrees for 20 min (mini cupcakes)
40 min (large cupcakes)


Apple and Pomegranate Cider

6 whole cloves
2 (3 in) cinnamon sticks
1 (3 in) strip lemon rind
1 (3 in) strip orange rind
8 c unfiltered apple cider
1 c pomegranate juice
3/4 c fresh orange juice
1/4 c sugar
1/4 c lemon juice


Place first four ingredients on a double layer of cheesecloth(or teaball). Gather edges together; tie securely. Combine cheesecloth bag, apple cider, and remaining ingr. in a dutch oven; bring to a simmer. Cook 30 min. Discard cheesecloth bag.

Serves 10

This one isn't exactly Christmas, but my sister made it at Thanksgiving and I LOVED it!

Cranberry, Sour Cherry, and Grapefruit chutney

1 bag (12 ounces) fresh or frozen cranberries
1/4 c unrefined cane sugar or brown sugar
2 T apple cider vinegar
3/4 tsp ground cardamom
Pinch of ground cloves
pinch of sea salt
1/3 c dried sour cherries
2 Ruby red grapefruits, pith and peel removed, separated into segments

1. In a medium saucepan, combine cranberries, sugar, vinegar, cardamom, cloves, and salt. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until cranberries just begin to burst and soften. (About 5 minutes.)
2. Turn off heat; stir in cherries, and transfer to a bowl. Let cool completely. Then gently fold in grapefruit. Refrigerate in an airtight container up to 5 days.

At the risk of regretting it in the morning...

I'm going to write about my life again. This is supposed to be a profound post. =P

Today has been horrible, as I mentioned earlier. I can't go riding on Friday...I'm trying to plan a surprise birthday party for my Mom, but nothing is really working...I didn't feel like doing school...I need to make a decision about college sometime...I gotta send out Christmas gifts...I gotta send out Christmas letters...I gotta make cookies...I gotta exercise..I gotta keep secrets...I gotta not be disappointed if I don't get anything for Christmas...I gotta be helpful...I gotta be friendly...I gotta be a good example...I gotta serve others...I gotta finish shopping...I gotta talk to so-and-so...I gotta finish this...I gotta finish that...(you get the picture)...


So I think it's all to much. I think my brain is overloading and rejecting all the things that I need to do. I might mention that I haven't been able to get up early enough to do my Bible time. I've been trying to pray throughout the day as the need comes or before I go to sleep or before I start the day. But I think I'm crazy busy. Not literally. Just in my brain. Between Christmas and friends and horses and dogs and housing and presents and family and sleep and promises and secrets and all the info that's overloading my brain, I've had too much.

I need to slow down and take some time with God. I need to pray. But even through my mind's busyness, I can hear His quiet whispers. He's been reminding me of His unchanging, unfailing love and how life is never hopeless with Him.

On Sunday, the message was absolutely wonderful. It seemed like it was pointed right at me. It seemed like it pointed to all my problems and showed me the answers. The message was from Psalm 107.

Psalm 107
1 Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good!
For His mercy endures forever.
2 Let the redeemed of the LORD say so,
Whom He has redeemed from the hand of the enemy,
3 And gathered out of the lands,
From the east and from the west,
From the north and from the south.

4 They wandered in the wilderness in a desolate way;
They found no city to dwell in.
5 Hungry and thirsty,
Their soul fainted in them.
6 Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble,
And He delivered them out of their distresses.
7 And He led them forth by the right way,
That they might go to a city for a dwelling place.
8 Oh, that men would give thanks to the LORD for His goodness,
And for His wonderful works to the children of men!
9 For He satisfies the longing soul,
And fills the hungry soul with goodness.

10 Those who sat in darkness and in the shadow of death,
Bound in affliction and irons—
11 Because they rebelled against the words of God,
And despised the counsel of the Most High,
12 Therefore He brought down their heart with labor;
They fell down, and there was none to help.
13 Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble,
And He saved them out of their distresses.
14 He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death,
And broke their chains in pieces.
15 Oh, that men would give thanks to the LORD for His goodness,
And for His wonderful works to the children of men!
16 For He has broken the gates of bronze,
And cut the bars of iron in two.

17 Fools, because of their transgression,
And because of their iniquities, were afflicted.
18 Their soul abhorred all manner of food,
And they drew near to the gates of death.
19 Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble,
And He saved them out of their distresses.
20 He sent His word and healed them,
And delivered them from their destructions.
21 Oh, that men would give thanks to the LORD for His goodness,
And for His wonderful works to the children of men!
22 Let them sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving,
And declare His works with rejoicing.

23 Those who go down to the sea in ships,
Who do business on great waters,
24 They see the works of the LORD,
And His wonders in the deep.
25 For He commands and raises the stormy wind,
Which lifts up the waves of the sea.
26 They mount up to the heavens,
They go down again to the depths;
Their soul melts because of trouble.
27 They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man,
And are at their wits’ end.
28 Then they cry out to the LORD in their trouble,
And He brings them out of their distresses.
29 He calms the storm,
So that its waves are still.
30 Then they are glad because they are quiet;
So He guides them to their desired haven.
31 Oh, that men would give thanks to the LORD for His goodness,
And for His wonderful works to the children of men!
32 Let them exalt Him also in the assembly of the people,
And praise Him in the company of the elders.

33 He turns rivers into a wilderness,
And the watersprings into dry ground;
34 A fruitful land into barrenness,
For the wickedness of those who dwell in it.
35 He turns a wilderness into pools of water,
And dry land into watersprings.
36 There He makes the hungry dwell,
That they may establish a city for a dwelling place,
37 And sow fields and plant vineyards,
That they may yield a fruitful harvest.
38 He also blesses them, and they multiply greatly;
And He does not let their cattle decrease.

39 When they are diminished and brought low
Through oppression, affliction, and sorrow,
40 He pours contempt on princes,
And causes them to wander in the wilderness where there is no way;
41 Yet He sets the poor on high, far from affliction,
And makes their families like a flock.
42 The righteous see it and rejoice,
And all iniquity stops its mouth.

43 Whoever is wise will observe these things,
And they will understand the lovingkindness of the LORD.




Notice how the phrase "Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble,
And He saved them out of their distresses" is repeated several times. I was reminded of how I need to look to the Lord when I need help and not so much to anyone or anything else. I was reminded that God loves me and that He's there, even when I don't make time to spend with Him. The pastor also told several stories about songwriters lives and how they came to God and why they wrote the songs they wrote. This one song in particular really got my attention because the writer wrote this at a time when his wife left him because she couldn't stand being an evangelist's wife any more. It's not the same, but it still hurts a lot when friends just don't talk to you anymore. Or even tell you why. And lately, I've been feeling a little upset that I pray for people who don't even notice my existence. I guess I've just been wondering why I even care when they don't even know I exist. Or they try to pretend I don't and ignore me. But I keep praying for them anyway. Because it's the right thing to do, I guess. Or maybe it's because I honestly do care for these people, even though the don't care about me. So God used this song to remind me that even though no one else may care, Jesus still cares.

No one ever cared for me like Jesus
Written by Charles Frederick Weigle

CHORUS
No one ever cared for me like Jesus;
There's no other friend so kind as He;
No one else could take the sin and darkness from me.
O how much He cared for me!

I would love to tell you what I think of Jesus
Since I found in Him a friend so strong and true;
I would tell you how He changed my life completely,
He did something that no other friend could do.

CHORUS
No one ever cared for me like Jesus;
There's no other friend so kind as He;
No one else could take the sin and darkness from me.
O how much He cared for me!

All my life was full of sin when Jesus found me;
All my heart was full of misery and woe;
Jesus placed His strong and loving arms around me,
And He led me in the way I ought to go.

CHORUS
No one ever cared for me like Jesus;
There's no other friend so kind as He;
No one else could take the sin and darkness from me.
O how much He cared for me!

Ev'ry day He comes to me with new assurance,
More and more I understand His words of love;
But I'll never know just why He came to save me,
Till some day I see His blessed face above.

CHORUS
No one ever cared for me like Jesus;
There's no other friend so kind as He;
No one else could take the sin and darkness from me.
O how much He cared for me!

You can check out the full story about Charles Weigle(or look further on google or something) here.

But anyway, God just spoke to me through this song and message. It was such a wonderful feeling. And I didn't really want to go to church that morning. But He knew I needed to be there. I can't express how much I needed to hear this. I was so glad that God can still speak through even little things. I haven't really wanted to go to church for the past six months or so because we haven't had a church that was doing me any good. I haven't heard a good message since probably 2007 when I was at The Wilds. So I've just tried to do what's right and go anyway. Not because I really wanted to, but because Mom and Dad were going and they thought it was the right thing to do. But I think can honestly say that for probably the first time in six months, I am at least looking forward a little to this Sunday. I can't really begin to write what God is doing in my heart. I have so many things that I have been struggling with and so many things that I have had so much trouble with.

Wait, trust, and hope are the three main things that I've had trouble really doing. In my heart, I want to. But to be honest, I think fear has something to do with it. Fear that my dreams will never be realized. Fear that God will not provide. Fear that God wants something for my life that I will hate. Fear that I will never have a horse. Oh, I know in my heart that these things are not true. But I just struggle with the whole concept of me wanting what God wants for my life. Maybe that's it. And maybe I'm just incoherent, like my sister said she was. It is midnight, after all. I have an excuse. =D But anyway, I hope someone actually reads this and will maybe comment on it.

Cream cheese walnut muffins and more

As I drink my second mug of wassail, I will tell you about today.

Today started out kinda slow. We got breakfast and finally made a decision about where to get a Christmas tree. We decided to get one here. (Blogger did it again. So click on the pictures, please)

Christmas tree hunting...




I wanted to put this one in my room. Oh, well.






We finally picked out a tree and tied it to the car. After we brought it home, I started the wassail, and decided to start some cream cheese walnut muffins and we got the tree in the house.

Cream Cheese walnut muffins
Beat together-

1 c soft margarine
8 oz. cream cheese

Add-
1/4 tsp. salt

Work in by hand-
2 c sifted flour


Roll into ball and refrigerate overnight or at least 3 hours

Roll out dough cut to fit mini muffin tins

Filling(may have to make double)-
1 1/2 c brown sugar
2 T melted margarine
2 eggs
1 1/4 c chopped walnuts
1/4 tsp. vanilla
1/4 tsp. salt


Bake 350 degrees for 20 min.

Let cool in pan a few mins. before removing. (May have to use butter knife to remove from pans)





But anyway, after starting the dough, I ended up going out again to get some things an hour away. When we left, it had been snowing a litte, but I didn't think much of it since it usually doesn't do much here. So, when we came out of Walmart, it was really snowing. We drove the hour home through the snow and when we got home I went out with the dogs to get a few pictures of the half-inch of snow for my blog.

Then I turned the wassail back on(which I had never finished making) and we got some turkey soup for dinner. After dinner, I finished the filling on the cream cheese walnut muffins. By this time, it was probably about nine or so. I finally got started on decorating the tree. There is not much else(excluding riding of course) more satisfying or fun than decorating the Christmas tree in your pjs when you have Christmas music playing and wassail to drink and cream cheese walnut muffins to eat.



This was not a set up shot. She was just there. I got inspired and tried to get the other dogs set up, but the pictures just didn't turn out except the bottom one. =( But Lexi is sooooo cute! She looks just like a little present.

After decorating a I came up here. I'm going to redo my blog picture tomorrow. I think God sent the snow just for me today. =)

Also, I would appreciate prayer that it wouldn't be too cold or wet on the 13th as I am going riding with a friend. I am praying really hard, and I'm sure she is, too, as she hasn't had a chance to go since before last Christmas. So please pray.

OH, oh, oh!

We're going Christmas tree hunting today! I'm going to have such a blast. I LOVE Christmas tree hunting. We might be going to Floyd county to find a tree. But we might buy from the place that we got if from last time in town. I'd rather get it here, because that leaves more time for decorating and my all time favorite tradition.

Wassail!!!



By the way...those of you who read my blog, and even those who don't(hee-hee)...
I will be posting many, many recipes this month, so keep watching for them!

I have to post our cream cheese walnut muffin recipe later. These are my favorite Christmas cookies!


And...I have a HUGE(well, actually it's pretty small) surprise for my Mom for Christmas or possibly her birthday. I will post about it after I give it to her, just in case she were to read this. =D

Late night rantings...

Well, tonight is pretty normal. I'm at home, messing around on my computer. But I'm having trouble picking what to ask Mom and Dad for for Christmas. =\ I have about five things that I want, but they're all expensive and so I can probably only get one of them, if any. *sigh* I've been needing riding boots for about six months. But I found a really nice pair of snowflake pjs that I love. And some WONDERFUL slippers that are WAAAAYY too expensive. And there is mug that I'm dying to get. It's handthrown pottery that reminds me so much of my grandmother's dishes. I love it so much. But again. The money. Oh, well. Maybe I won't get anything. =(

Other than that, I've gotten a few gifts for other people today. Not that I had the money. But I'm still not satisfied with them. I need to go back out to find something. I need a job. *sigh* I wish I were still babysitting. =(


Countdown until Christmas is 19 days, 2 hours, 13 minutes. Whew. That seems pretty short. =)

First blog template

This is my first ever blog template that I did for someone else. I can't say that I did it, really, because I mostly just played around my original template which my sister did for me. But, I think it turned out pretty well. She did the title picture after my many attempts. The pictures in her title picture are all her own. I took the background picture. But please look and let me know what you think.

As you can see I've also done a Christmas template of my own. What do you think? I think I will be changing the title picture after this weekend hopefully, because I want to put a picture or two of our Christmas tree in it!

OH, MY WORD.

I found these looking for pictures for my desktop background. I'm going to build one of these this year.

Thanksgiving week

We couldn't get her to look at the camera
Riding in the wagon

Sitting with Grandpa

Dancing with Nana

Just her size

Now I want a Christmas tree so I can start decorating. =)

SNOW!!!

Haha. None of it stayed of course. =P

Lamentations 3:17-26

I found this reading through my Bible last night.



You have moved my soul far from peace;
I have forgotten prosperity.
And I said, “My strength and my hope
Have perished from the LORD.”
Remember my affliction and roaming,
The wormwood and the gall.
My soul still remembers
And sinks within me.
This I recall to my mind,
Therefore I have hope.
Through the LORD’s mercies we are not consumed,
Because His compassions fail not.
They are new every morning;
Great is Your faithfulness.
“ The LORD is my portion,” says my soul,

“ Therefore I hope in Him!”
The LORD is good to those who wait for Him,
To the soul who seeks Him.
It is good that one should hope and wait quietly
For the salvation of the LORD.

What I love about God

A few girls that I know(or know of) have posted on this subject. I thought that I would join in!


One of the things I love most about God is how He loved me first. He loved me more than life and gave His own Son to die for my sins. I love His mercy. I love that He can never sin. I love His faithfulness. I love His comfort. I love how His intention all throughout His word was for the salvation of man, and all so He could get the glory. I love His humility. I love His relationship to His people. I love how His wrath turns to mercy over and over again in His word. I love that God is compassionate. I love that He speaks through the quiet of the night and not so much through the storm. I love to hear His voice in the storm. I love that God cares about everyone. I love that He cares what happens to me. I love that He cares how I treat others. I love how He's always there and I will never get a "busy" signal. I love how God's love waits for me. I love how beautiful He made horses and all His creation. I love His creativity. I love how He made everyone special in their own way. I love how He answers prayer. I love how He is always gentle. I love how He can make me respond to the little things. I love that He never pushes Himself on me. I love that He is always listening. I love that He thinks I am worth more than sparrows. I love how He reassures me of His love when I so often forget. I love how He has blessed me with so much more than I need or deserve. I love His grace. I love that He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. I love that Jesus cried. I love that He never forgets me. I love all His promises. I love His protection. I love His forgiveness. I love His quickness to take me in His arms and hold me. I love His selflessness. I love that He makes intercession for me when I pray. I love that He has made it possible for me to pray and talk directly to Him. I love that He notices me. I love that He became human and can therefore understand all my of weaknesses and failings. I love that He was tempted in every way possible on earth. I love that through it all He never sinned. I could keep going and going and going, but I'll stop here for now.



I almost hate to say it, but I love the way He makes me wait for things until His timing. I just love the way that He always fulfills my dreams soooo much more than I ever dared to dream. I can remember things that I prayed sooo hard about that I would constantly wonder why He was making me wait. But then He would answer me and often it would be far more than I ever dreamed He could do! I just love that about Him.

Of rainy days...

I don't know why, but there is something about rain that makes me depressed. Not to mention my dream got shot for the millionth time today. But that's a different story. It's always so depressing. Maybe there's something in the sun that makes me happy. Maybe it's just the overall color gray. Or maybe it's that our dogs come in soaked after going out. I don't know. But for some reason, it always makes me depressed. ='(

Bread notes...

When kneading bread, DO knead it until it bounces back when punched. Don't always listen to the time. =D

DON'T add yeast into a boiling water, because it kills the yeast. =(

DON'T let the milk boil over if using milk in a recipe. Electric stoves are a pain in the neck to clean. =P

After rising, DO knead for a few moments to get air bubbles out.


(I didn't do any of these this morning, but I've done them before. So DON'T DO these things. They mess up the bread.) ;)

Anyway, I will post a bread recipe later. =D

I wanna go riding...

Bareback...

Yesterday...

We got gas for

$1.59


That was pretty cool. =)

Candle making(or rather "mess making")

So...guess what I did this afternoon?

Melting the wax...

Starting the candle...

Dipping the candle...

Cooling the candle...

Cooling...

More dips...Kerynne said these looked like pickles...

More dips and cooling...

Putting it in the stand...

Lit!!!

Two of my very own homemade candles...

Even though they look terrible, at least they burn!