October 27, 2012

Seven Smiles on Saturday (10.27.12)





1. Being home!

Nothing, nothing, nothing compares to coming home. Nothing ever will. I read something once that said "Home is where I can look ugly and enjoy it." Simply put, home is the place you can be yourself more than anywhere else. I love my home.

2. Cold weather.

I thought I hated it. Sometimes I do, and I know in two months I'll be sick of it and ready to move to Hawaii. But for now, fall is here, and it makes me excited for the holidays.

3. Lock-ins!

We got home around 10:30 yesterday morning after being gone for a week. We got to our church at 6:00 last night, and got home this morning after 10:00. I'm pretty exhausted, but I had so much fun. There are only so many years I'll be able to do these things, and I want to embrace every one of them.

In this picture we're playing a game called "Assassin". It's way too complicated to explain if you've never played, but trust me that it's a lot of fun and not as weird as the picture looks.

4. Online Christmas shopping.

Yes, I'm that person. The one who hates going into stores feeling pressured to buy stuff and spends way too much money on shipping. But I'm also probably one of the only 19-year-olds who gets emails from Gymboree, Children's Place and Carter's. Nephews are the funnest to buy for. :)

5. Ball caps!

Go random baseball team in Corpus Cristi, whoever you are! (Thanks, Steedee for the hats :))




6. Change.

I make everything in life way too monumental. This year as been full of "this is the last time I'll do this as a teenager!" I've been depressed at the thought that in January, I'll no longer be a teen. But in life, things are constantly changing. One of my favorite quotes says, “All changes, even the most longed for, have their melancholy; for what we leave behind us is a part of ourselves; we must die to one life before we can enter another.” As fall is here, and my own personal life has changed this summer, I'm learning to anticipate the things ahead of me while still appreciating the things I'll have to leave behind.

7. Laughing until there's pain.

I'm pretty sure some of us girls developed abs last night from laughing so hard. :) Sometimes it feels so good just to laugh until you cry. Once in a blue moon we'll get together and without words, we all know why we're laughing, or maybe we don't, but something tickled our funny bone, and it makes me glad to have these sister-friends that I do.









October 22, 2012

What We Did on Saturday...

Daddy had to leave early to go to Houston to get ready for the Missions Conference. The rest of us went to Port A and acted goofy:

At Port A we went to a candy store and filled our bags with all kinds of yummy treats that I'm still munching on. They had tubs of candy with scoops in them, and you just got whatever you wanted. Best candy store ever?

For supper we went to a hibachi grill where I tried everything but the sushi.


(P.S. Alabama won...again. Roll Tide! :))

Yesterday we went to church and heard a missionary to Trinidad preach (by the way, Amie and I got told we need to go on another Missions Trip - to Trinidad!! I think yes?). That afternoon we watched a movie while Mama and Tara napped. Tara started a night shift again last night. :( She has two weeks of it, so pray for her!!

She went to work and we went to church. On the way home we stopped and she gave us a tour of the hospital where she works. I wish I had a picture of her - in her scrubs and long white coat, clipboard in hand, the doctor on the floor. I'm so proud of her!!

Today me, Mama, and Amie head to Houston to be part of the meeting. We'll all be SO glad when Tara's residency is over and they can move back to Tennessee and be closer to us.

October 19, 2012

Picture Post

Fishing! :)





We're here :)

I slept on both planes (both the 2-hour long flight and the 38-minute long one) and we got here around 2:30-3:00 yesterday. Stephen and Tara made a wonderful supper...




 ...and then we walked it off at the ocean!! It's so beautiful!


Those little white specks are the reflection of the camera's flash on the water spray. Today we're going fishing, so hopefully I'll get some more pictures. It's so good to see our family! :)


October 17, 2012

Texas Bound!

Tomorrow morning (at 5:45 am) we're headed to the Nashville airport to catch a flight to Corpus Cristi, TX! I am beyond excited - Stephen and Tara (my oldest brother and his wife) have visited us a couple of times since they moved for her residency, but we haven't been down there yet. The last time I was in Texas was for my other brother's wedding....5 years ago (I was 14!). I'm not a morning person, so I'm going to get myself all ready tonight (even if it takes til midnight) so I can sleep until the very last minute. (Not really, my family wouldn't be all that thrilled.)

I'll try to update with pictures, and hopefully still do Seven Smiles, but if not, you'll know why! We're going to be with them until Monday, and then we're headed to another location in Texas for a Missions Conference my dad's preaching. It's going to be a fun week! I hope I'll be able to share it! :)

The last time I was in the Lone Star State:


To be honest, none of us even look like that any more. We've all....grown. From left to right it's Stephen, me, Jacob, and Amie. Maybe I'll do an "old picture" post someday (Amie and I were spoiled rotten by two big brothers). But for now, see you in Texas! :)

October 13, 2012

Seven Smiles on Saturday (10.13.12)

This is late in the day, but I just got home. It's been a wonderful day, but it's been a long one so if this isn't up to par....my apologies.

1. Church-wide picnic. (Sunday)

This picnic and hayride is one we have done every year since I can remember. The entire church brings potluck and we have "dinner on the ground" and then there are two hayrides: one for the little kids and their parents, one for the teens. I just love fall!




2. New hair. (Monday)

Why is a new hairstyle so exciting (for girls)? I've always loved them, and here's my new 'do! (bangs!)


3. Shopping and lunch with friends. (Tuesday)

Hannah and I drove up (I drove, she directed) to Cookeville to do some shopping and eat lunch with Faith.  (I forgot to take a picture.) So much fun!

4. Tanner's first birthday. (Wednesday)

The baby is one year old. My mind is blown!


5. Amie's surprise party! (Thursday)

You've already seen the pictures, but this was a highlight because she is SO hard to surprise.


6. Making cupcakes. (Friday)

I always dread baking for some reason. In my mind, it just takes forever. But really, when you use a box of cake mix, there is absolutely nothing to it. I had so much fun making and frosting these cupcakes! Aren't they beautiful? ;)


7. Fall Festival! (Saturday)

Wow, what a day! Hours in an old fashioned outfit, playing old fashioned carnival games, and the time it takes to clean up afterwards. It was a lot of fun!!! Here are a few pictures:


corn on the cob eating contest

going out to eat after cleaning up

October 11, 2012

10.11.12 - Amie's 18th Birthday!

My little sister turned 18 today - here's how we celebrated!

Surprise #1 - Pizza Hut! We were all there before she arrived, and when she walked in we sang happy birthday.


Surprise #2 - Our house! Everyone parked at Jacob's house so she wouldn't see the vehicles, then we walked to our house. We hid in my dad's study (watch the video) and were very successful!

 Waiting...
 PARTY!

 

Happy birthday, Amie!!! (Don't you think it's neat that her birthday was 10-11-12 this year? I'm a little jealous! ;))

October 6, 2012

Seven Smiles on Saturday (10.06.12)


People! It's October! Oh my goodness!

1. Cool mornings, cool nights, HOT days.

2. Leaves. Falling on my car. Me. Running over leaves.

3. Benadryl. (Let's face it. I live on the Cumberland. The weather is changing. Benadryl makes it all better.)

4. Chocolate Dreams. (It's a milkshake Stephen used to make when I was little. I recently discovered that I'm old enough to make them now and they are amazing. Ice cream. Chocolate. Marshmallow cream. Just imagine it. Mmmmm. Are you jealous, Steedee?)

5. The way fall smells. I just love fall. And it smells so nice!

6.My new header! Do you like it? I think it's fun to change it up for the seasons! :) (I've been told my blog design is bland and boring, but I like it that way because it's easy to read. I'll try to keep the header interesting though. ;))

7. Picnics at the park with....yes. Three little boys. :)

Jace Allen

Jackson Lee

Me and Tanner Blaine