Blog attack, run for your life!

What, a post two days in a row?  What could it mean?  It means that I'm having a blog attack. {Blog attack = having an incredibly strong urge to make a post even though you have nothing to talk about}


Hold onto your hat...


Julia and I watched part of Emma yesterday.  {I won't mention the fact that just a few days ago I watched it, then watched it again the day after.  I hadn't watched it in a really long time...}  What a great movie!  And to believe that I didn't like it the first time I watched it.  {I think it was because we watched it a couple Christmases ago and the power was out, so we were running our generator and couldn't hear what was going on.  Not good for a movie that depends on you actually hearing what the actors are saying to understand it.}  You have to look past Emma's hair though...most of the time it's pulled so tight you can hardly tell where her forehead ends and her hair begins.  Hideous hairstyle aside, I love that movie.  One of my favorite quotes from it is, "Is it possible that he met her while doing charitable work in a mental infirmary?" So great!


While I'm on the subject...
{Disclaimer: These movies are definitely girl only movies.  Their wardrobe leaves much to be desired.}



I love Sense and Sensibility.  
-Elinor reminds me so much of Julia.  And the Colonel is so endearing that you can kind of forget how old he is and actually be happy that he marries Marianne.  There's a quote I love in this movie, but I can't think of it right at the moment.


Pride and Prejudice.  
-Once again, Jane reminds me so much of Jewels.  We have fun laughing at how gross Mr. Collins is every time we watch it.  The mother and two youngest girls are...very annoying.  Oh well.  Favorite quote from this movie? "Do these compliments arise from the impulse of the moment, or are they result of previous study?"  Haha!
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On to other things...


For some reason, for the past week, I've been extremely clumsy.  {Don't laugh}  I have no idea why I've been hit with it so hard.  Nerves?  Probably.  Stress?  Probably that too.  Who knows.  But I have.  Normally, I'm not a clumsy person {really!}, but in the space of one day I dropped serving spoons, the dishtowel, and practically threw the toothbrush across the room while I was brushing my teeth, and worst of all, while I was "complaining" to Jewels about how clumsy I've been {while taking a clip out of my hair to get ready to brush it}, I dropped my clip.  To top it all off I dropped the brush while I was brushing my hair.  The next day - ok, it's a new day...it'll be great!  Yes, well.  Making macaroni and cheese...I know how to cook noodles, I 've done it a million times.  But suffering temporary insanity, I put the water, oil, salt and noodles in all at the same time and start to cook them.  Arg!  I can't believe I put the noodles in before the water was boiling.  {Thankfully, they weren't a huge gloopy mess - they turned out good}  Theeeeeen, I'm trying to light the stove, so I get a matchbox, open it upside down, and proceed to have matched dumped all over the floor.  Nice.  Why?!  This reign of clumsiness must end!!!!!    *determination*


We got a christmas package from our Nanna today!  We don't know what's in it because Dad hasn't brought it home yet, but weee'll seee!  


Tomorrow we're going to the snake park with Lee.  See all the poisonous snakes, etc., hold a cute garden snake, maybe ride the camels.  :)

{This post is longer than I anticipated}

~The end :)

Oh, Wednesday

I'm writing a new post (Yes, I just typed "pot"), not because I have anything to say, but because I just felt like writing something down.


First of all, I have this in a really cute font, you just can't see it.  Well, you could if you have the font downloaded on your computer.  (By the way, you should download it {it's really fast and easy, so there's no excuses :)} so you can see it too!  You can download it here - http://kevinandamanda.com/fonts/fontsforpeas/pea-karlee/...be sure and let me know if you download it!!).

We've all just been hanging out and doing random things.  Lee and Julia have spent alot of their time giving each other loving looks.  {Aww}  Julia got a wedding dress ordered, and found a bouquet she likes.  She even decided on the color of the bridesmaid dresses.  Green! {What else would it have been?}  The exact shade is yet to be determined.  We don't know the style and type of dress yet either, but hey, We've got the color!


Today being Wednesday, we don't have alot of time to get things done.  Speaking of which, I'm making homemade macaroni and cheese for lunch, that I have to get started in about...5 minutes.  Yikes!

*scurries off to start boiling noodles*

Lee + Julia = Love

Yes, it's true.  My dear, sweet sister is getting married!

~*~

She is always such a wonderful example to me ~ An example of patience, obedience, kindness, godliness,  faithfulness...the list goes on.

~*~

What an amazing sister and friend.  Preparing herself for the future, yet being patient and trusting in God at the same time.

~*~

Julia.  The greatest friend sister anyone could ask for.  Challenging me to try to be a better person and christian, one who would snuggle me close and play with dolls and tell me stories at night because I saw the Grinch's shadow on our bedroom wall, one who would brush and braid my hair...

~*~

Lee.  I couldn't ask for a better brother in law to be!  How glad and thankful I am that Jewels has you!  So godly, kind and caring.

~*~

Congratulations Lee and Julia!

~*~

~*~

It's the most wonderful time of the year!

Oh Christmas!  

It brings visions of...

           Pretty, twinkling lights on houses

Presents wrapped and waiting under the tree

Hot cocoa enjoyed with friends and family

It's a time of -

~

laughter and fellowship

 ~

 Giving presents

 ~

Trying to weasel your gift early

~

Visiting cranky old relatives

~

Feeling like you should let your belt out a notch after Christmas dinner

~

  Inspecting all the presents under the tree

~

Listening to Christmas music

~

We should count our blessings all year 'round, but it happens to be a convenient time to do so during holidays.  We have roofs over our heads, food in our stomachs and nice soft beds to lay down in at night.

-

Having Christmas in Africa is more like having a Fourth of July party.  In fact, every holiday is.  But that doesn't mean I'm not going to at least try to make it special.  Sure it's over 85 degrees outside, but I can still plug in the one string of lights, and put up our baby Christmas trees!  It was cloudy and cool for a small bit this afternoon, so I took advantage of it and made hot cocoa (And yes, it was a bit too strong).  I suspect there's even a pecan pie somewhere in the house!

~

!MeRrY cHrIsTmAs!

Would you like a side of optimism with your ham, Sir?

Think about the conversations that take place in your home - while working through the day, chatting at night, or around your supper table.  No really, stop and think about them.  Got it?  Ok, good...moving ahead.  What kind of subjects do you discuss?  Are they about what you did that day?  Is it about how your lawn needs mowed?  If so, that's great.  It's good to talk about what each person did that day, and your lawn really does need mowed (Well, maybe it doesn't if you like pretending you're in the wilds of the Amazon jungle...).

But...

Too many times we find that we've fallen into the Negativity Pit.  What is that, you may ask?  Well, the Negativity Pit is where you find your conversations centered around negative subjects, or sometimes positive subjects in negative ways.  The first is fairly obvious, but the second is maybe less so. 

Maybe you're talking about child discipline and how hardly anybody does it at all, much less does it right.  Or about how nobody dresses modestly anymore (very commonly in tones that seem to say "nobody has ever dressed modestly, nobody is dressing modestly, and nobody ever will dress modestly!").  Those are just examples...And I'm not saying that those things aren't needed, because they're needed very much.  (It is possible to discuss those subjects in a positive light -  try it!)    It's just that it's very easy to fall into the negative trap.  You talk about problems in your neighborhood, something you saw on facebook that bothered you to no end, and on and on it goes ~ You are in the Negativity Pit.  Are you really?

There's hope!

Day One:  Resolve to say nothing negative.  If you're tempted to let one slip, run around the house once.

Day Two:  Resolve to say nothing negative.  Tape up relevant scriptures on your bathroom mirror, or other places where they can be easily seen.  If you're tempted to open your mouth with a negative comment, run around the house twice.  

Day Three:  Resolve to say nothing negative.  Along with reading your scriptures you taped up the day before, write down or say 10 truly positive things throughout the day.  (No cheating here!!! Example:  "Yaaaaay! I'm suuuure glaaaad we get to wash these miiiillions of dishes from suuuuppeeer!)  If you slip and say something negative, run around the house forever.

These are unhealthy and ungodly habits that we shouldn't be guilty of.  However, don't give up and think you'll never be able to claw your way to higher ground!

We can find joy and happiness in every day if we look for it!

                               *****

This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.

~Psalms 118:24