please don't eat the whole bowl of icing, joey

barbara got a little cookie kit before christmas, but never got around to getting it out and actually doing it. so yesterday, being a biting cold and windy day, the sort that makes you want to bake, we made and decorated gingerbread cookies. 

here are barbara's and the little boys'. can you guess whose is whose?

a hint for you: cord fell in love with the mini chocolate chips and got a little carried away.

the two left cookies are mine, and the right one is joey's.

christmas is long gone and valentine's day is just around the corner, so we decided to turn them into love cookies. 

since our creations had such life and sparkle, joey and i gave them personalities.
the gingerbread boy on the left is the smart, preppy son with a can-do attitude. the one on the right is the slobby, deranged son who stays at home all day and plays video games.

the end.

this, my friends, is Yarni the Sheep. 

(Yarni has always been known throughout the herd for his piercing green eyes and aggressive nature. ewes warn their young, "don't let Yarni's car salesman grin fool you. if you look straight into his eyes, he'll think you're making fun of them and bite you.")

he is here today to give us a lesson in stalking.

(it's funny 'cause sheep are basically the least predatory animals ever.)

this is Yarni's cousin, Blanki.

(he is known for his lopsided nostrils and fat legs, as well as his retiring disposition. although he is kind and never wishes to cause anyone harm, he is also somewhat thick-headed and does Yarni's bidding very trustingly.)

he is here to...well, he's just here.


::4 days later::
i'm sorry, but the stalking lesson will have to wait until another day.
Yarni and Blanki had to rush away to see their grandfather who is currently recovering from...you know.
they will join us again someday.

Jehovah-jireh

the Lord provides. not only material possessions, but grace and strength and wisdom.

rest in this.

i hope you all have a wonderfully thankful Thanksgiving.

home

land where my fathers died

land of the pilgrims' pride

from every mountainside let freedom ring

What are you doing to celebrate?

summer? i think i love you. harmony hill? i know i love you.

i'm so indecisive. 

when it's winter, winter is my favorite season.

when it's summer, summer is my favorite season.

so right now, summer is my favorite.

but don't quote me on that.

it could change.

so far, it has been...everything i wanted.

and lots i didn't want. 

lots i tried to avoid.

oh well.

that's life.

it doesn't ever really feel like summer has started until Harmony Hill (and Camp Moriah (or in this case, this year, Harmony Highlands)) happens. but then once it's over, there is only 1 & 1/2 months left! NOT very appreciated by the graduated class of the current year who are trying to complete a certain amount of priorities before the school time comes again.

oh well.

it's incredibly worth it.

saw the sunrise every morning for a week. 

that right there will make you love God even more.

...and the singing was heavenly...

most of the time...

except for that one time when the basses in the girls' ensemble got off. :)

my brother kinda rocks.

"just sayin'..."

i'm pretty sure this is one of very few pictures that C and i have together. ...maaan! i wish Louisiana wasn't in the way. but while i'm wishing, i might as well just go ahead and wish for teleportation abilities. psh.

yay john and catie! i'm rootin' for y'all! 

...aaaand y'all have pretty eyes. 

the Ns.

i just want to say...it makes me very happy that there are people out there with which one can feel an instant connection. i think they just might be some of my new favorite people. 

no joke.

kneeeees!! aaaa!!! ...i promise it was unintentional and just that once. promise.

this is my "little buddy." ok. i don't like to use precious when it comes to kids because it sounds like those cheesy people who are always talking about how they remember when you were born and how they just "loooove" babies and all that good junk...

BUT...

she was precious. straight up. precious.

and now i will leave you. not to return for...probably a while. i haven't been that inspired lately. obviously. hence the lack of posts. but i'll be back! never fear, younglings. i'll be back. (i know you were all waiting with bated breath for that proclamation.) 

ok. now i'm just rambling. 

peace out.

{photo credit: beatrice and chelsea miller...and moi}

this summer

i believe in going to bed with wet hair. in spur-of-the-moment trips and surprise visits. in french love songs, produce stands, and breakfast. and i believe in dancing when and where you feel like it whether music is playing or not. i believe in early morning walks, in stopping the car on the side of the road and climbing that rocky cliff. and walking through the field of beautiful weeds even though you know you'll get bitten by critters. i believe in tomato sandwiches that are so juicy it drips down your arm. especially in driving with all the windows rolled down.

i believe in open windows.

...almost...here!

it's coming.

 it's coming faster than we realize. 

i can almost taste the popsicles.

i'm gonna pick a blue one. 

'cause the blue ones are my favorite.

which one will you pick?

It's funny. 

I've never really connected Valentine's Day with boyfriends, couples, or lovey-dovey-ness.

It's always been more of an excuse to have family time.

I'm glad. 

It will make it more special when I actually do have a boyfriend to be lovey-dovey with.

Go here

...

and here

...

They know what I'm talking about.

Valentine's Day doesn't have to be a sad day for singles.

It can be happier for singles than couples. 

Think about it.

You know what I'm talking about? 

Tell me your idea of what I mean.

It's time.

This past summer has been one of transition for me, and the shift has not been an easy one. I've neglected things I should've focused on, gone down paths I never even should've looked at, and completely missed out on some very essential moments. (Oh, and developed a nervous disorder that completely rules my life. Stupid.)

But I feel it's time to grow up.

In doing some good, old-fashioned soul-searching, I realized that I've been clinging to my childhood---my irresponsible teenage years.
I wanted to stay in my groove, wanted to go to Neverland with Peter Pan, wanted to live in my past me.
The age groups I started hanging out with got younger and younger, the choices I made got more immature and more immature, my self-confidence zones got smaller and smaller, and I became more and more recalcitrant.
My family got ticked at me more often, my friends wondered what was wrong with me, and my sisters---two of the best women on God's green earth--started distrusting my choices of friends, music, clothing, and tastes.

Several of my friends, such as Beatrice, have been the type to become old before their time, grasping at small indications of their great maturity and advancement in life and clinging to them as reassurances of what was to come (much to my puerile annoyance and disgust).
I've never really longed for grownup things. I've always been happy to be the age I am. To enjoy each age as it comes to me and to be in the Now.
But now I understand. Not necessarily the desire to be older, to be included in "the older kids'" activities, or to wear clothes that assure people of my mature age. But I understand why. And I agree with that view, more than with the one I've held up till now.

I've slowly begun to realize that it's all got to change, and that the only thing that has been holding me back is fear--fear of change.
My own incapability and unpreparedness for age and all the responsibilities that come with it has been my only excuse. And it's a poor one. If I never attempt to step out into the next stage on my own, I'll never improve or overcome my incapability.

I want to grow up gracefully, though, like Brooke Premo. I don't want to lose life in my Life or stand with the over-old youths. I want to keep my childish zest, but add compassion, generosity, responsibility, wisdom, self-discipline, and discretion to it so that I may grow to be like the many good examples I have before me---my parents, my grandparents...actually, I don't think I'm going to start that list. It's much too long to finish.




Maybe it's the New Year approaching. Maybe it's the fact that I'll be 18 in a few weeks. Maybe it was the jolt I got 2 weeks ago.

But whatever it is...it hasn't come too soon.

I'm going to grow up now.

Am I scared? Very.
Do I think I'll make it? With God's help.
Will it hurt? Heck, yes.

If I lived in a neighborhood...

I'd definitely pull these pranks on Halloween trick-or-treaters that came to my door.

I'd...

...Give away something other than candy like toothpicks, golf balls, or bags of sand.

...Fill a briefcase with marbles and crackers. Write "Top Secret" on it in big letters. When trick-or-treaters come, look around suspiciously, say, “It’s about time you got here,” give them the briefcase, and quickly shut the door.

...Get about 30 people to wait in my living room. When trick-or-treaters come to the door, say, “Come in.” When they do, have everyone yell, “Surprise!!!”

...Open the door dressed as a giant fish. Immediately collapse, and not move or say anything until the trick-or-treaters go away.

...Answer the door dressed as a pilgrim. Stare at the trick-or-treaters for a moment, pretend to be confused, and start flipping through a calendar.

...Answer the door with a mouthful of M & M’s and several half-eaten candy bars in my hands. Act surprised, and close the door. Open it again in a few seconds, and insist that I don’t have any candy.

My little baby's growin' up... ::sniff sniff::

Today is the 1 year birthday of... my blog!

I wonder where I'll be a year from now. Hmm...

Happy Fourth of July!!!!....a few days late.

I think I'd like to go to a land where Confusion is an unheard of monster.

In this magical place, Understanding is a beautiful angel, and Confusion is about as common as an icicle in the Sahara desert. In fact, if you go up to one of the Understandites and say, "Hello, old chap. Any confusion been around lately?" He would look at you with a face like a veritable blank slate and say, "Confusiawhat?"

Yes. That would be a good place.




Harmony Hill, Camp Moriah, and the last day of Harmony Highlands were all amazing. I wish you could've been there if you weren't. I'd post pictures, but I don't have a camera, therefore, there are no pictures to post.

Now for the Jamboree, Worldview weekend, and the July meeting. Woohoo!

Late Merry Christmas, everyone!

Listen to the whole thing. Trust me.

Thank you!

Yes, I know it's kind of late to be posting this, but I didn't want to pass up a chance to thank all the men and women who have served our country so faithfully for so many years.

And I just stuck this poster in because they are all so cute. ;-)

P.S. Have you kissed a veteran today?