decorating for Christmas!

Tonight we decorated the house for Christmas!  We had such a good time, even if we did all reek of dust afterwards.  Enjoy the pics!

Ellie decided to take a break and practice her handstands.

Chloe set up her toy horses to pull the sleigh.

I got this ornament years ago when I was obsessed with Little Women.  This is Beth March.  I used to have Meg, but she broke. :(

20 random posts : : top 10 favorite photo memories and why

This is number 8 in my 20 random posts series: top 10 favorite photo memories!  I've been really looking forward to this post.  It was really hard to narrow the pictures down; I only chose pics from about the last 5 years.  They are in chronological order.  Hope you enjoy!

*credit for this pic goes to Corey

This pic is from July 2010.  My youth group and I were on our way back from a mission trip to Denver, and one of the vans broke down.  We stopped at a gas station about an hour away from home to get the problem fixed, and while our leaders took care of it we all sat on the sidewalk and sang a bunch of worship songs.  It was a blast!  I appreciated the way we were able to turn a difficult situation into one of worship.

This pic is from August 2010.  My family and I went on vacation to Red River, NM, and I rode on a ski lift for the first time.  I was with Chloe and my dad, while Rachel and Ellie rode separately.  It was kind of stressful because I was so worried about Chloe falling off, but this is honestly one of my favorite memories ever; I loved riding on the ski lift.  It was so beautiful, and I can't wait to do it again!

This is my huge graduating class of...five, including myself.  This pic was taken in May 2011.  All the seniors from my church got together and we had a sort of photo shoot in ABQ so we could have some group pictures for our graduation video.  We had a blast!  It was so much fun to spend that time together before we all went our separate ways!

This pic was taken in June 2011.  This is a couple from my church that is very dear to me.  They made the decision to renew their vows, and it was hands down one of the most beautiful weddings I have ever attended.  This couple's faith and love for God was such a huge part of their wedding, and it was just beautiful to see!

In July 2011, I went to Regeneration with my youth group.  It was my last trip with them before my graduation, and was definitely one of the best.  We all bonded so much during that week, and I learned so much through the preaching of John MacArthur, Rick Holland, Andrew Guitierrez, and Austin Duncan.  Here's some of my posts about that week.

In August 2011, my family and I went to visit the Explora Museum in ABQ.  We found these awesome mirrors that distort your reflection, and we had a blast with them!  It was awesome. :)

My cousin got married in September 2011, and all my family on my dad's side came to ABQ for his wedding.  It was so great to see all of them.  This is a pic of my aunt's wedding ring; it's one of my favorite pics that I've ever taken.

In January 2012 Chloe turned six, and my family and I went to Chuck E. Cheese for her birthday.  I can't remember that I'd ever been before, and the games were so much fun!  This particular one was a war game; I had lots of fun defending my post, even if I did feel a bit silly.  We just had a great family day.

In May 2012, my mom and sisters and I went to visit my grandparents at their cattle ranch before Rachel and I went to Glorieta for the summer.  Ellie and I had quite an adventure; it was so much fun!

Two weeks ago my family and I went apple picking with my grandparents when we went to visit them for the weekend.  It was such a peaceful, relaxing day.  It wasn't even that we were having really meaningful conversations or anything (though I did talk a lot with Ellie that day about some great stuff), but it was more that we were just being together; nowhere else to go, nothing else to do, at least for that time.  It was great. :)

weekdate #017

1. On Tuesday of last week, I went to do my classroom observation.  They had a fire demonstration--fire trucks, lights, the works--so that was a lot of fun.

2. Also on Tuesday, I found an incredible song that I just can't stop listening to.  We sang it at the BSU meeting that night, and I went home to look it up.  Here it is--worship!!!



3. On Wednesday we went to the balloon fiesta.

4. Also on Wednesday I found out that I got a 97 on my anthropology midterm!!!  Yay!!!!!

5. On Saturday my family and I left to go visit my other set of grandparents, as well as some of my aunts and uncles, for the weekend.  We had such a great time seeing everyone!  We got back this afternoon.

6. I found another really good song this week too--"Christ is Risen" by Matt Maher.  Enjoy. :)

 

balloon fiesta '12

Last Wednesday, my family and I went to the ABQ balloon fiesta!  We weren't able to go last year, so I was so excited to go this year!  Hope you enjoy the pics. :)

* credit for all the pictures goes to Rachel

 That's my college's balloon in the bottom right!