2011 Wishes

2010 has just flown by and now it is time to head into 2011. As we head into this new year, I plan to fulfill the following...

• Purchase the Nikon D3000 and Lightroom
• Open up my online boutique
• Have my goal of at least 100 followers on blogger
• Learn how to cook chicken (don't laugh....ok fine, go ahead)
• WIN Mock Trial
• Figure out how to work Print Shop
• Do some sort of acting class (I am so ready to do something with acting besides musical theatre)

I hope you all have a Happy New Year! Don't drink too much! ;)

Christmas Recap!

This Christmas was absolutely wonderful! It will probably be one of the most memorable ones too. I mean, not that the others weren't memorable, but this one will be extra memorable because of some of the things I got.

Yes, I DID put food out! (But wait, what if Santa's allergic to dairy or gluten?!)

Christmas morning...

(Drake's presents)

(My presents)

Permission for a facebook! Aaaah! YES! =D

A new makeup kit...

 Ghirardelli Chocolates (compliments of Drake!)

My first cell phone! I am pretty sure I had heart failure when I opened this, I was so excited!

(Sorry for the photo quality)

Adorable rubber boots...

Print Shop! (This was from my grandparents along with some adorable clothing!)

We traveled to SC....and low and behold we had a white Christmas!



I hope you all had a very Merry Christmas and have a Happy New Year!

' Twas the Night Before Christmas...

Fabulous Days Consist of...

Coffee...
(Yes, I edited Santa hats on us)

Shopping downtown...



   and now for the finale...

What is something fun that you have done this week?

Of Hypocrites and Dramatic Bloggers...

I just finished telling my Mom about the *ahem* world of blogging and how some people are hypocrites, some people take it way too seriously, and some people miss the point of it.

First and foremost, it's a blog. A place to write your thoughts. Some people are all like, "I want my blog to be deep and all about Jesus. Enough with the silly, I am done with that." Sure, it's fine to post about Jesus and deep things; but it is also perfectly fine to post things that are silly, crazy, random, stupid, deep, and so much more. A blog is a place to let off steam, to let people know what's on your mind and going on in your life. Simply a place to post anything. Now, I will not name names, but I have seen several blogs who have taken a break from blogger and so called, "Stepped Down." I am not saying this is bad or anything (I mean if Jesus calls you to step down, then that is great if you choose to do so); but when people want their blog to be 100% about Jesus (which I'm still not saying is bad) and don't want to post anything that is remotely silly, that is stupid. Personally, I think being that dramatic over a blog is quite silly.

Then there are those who are hypocrites on blogger. I came across a blog just a couple of weeks ago that posted all of these blogging tips, and I saw that this person copied another person's tips. In the past, this person has copied the other blogger's posts; yet this same person posts all these blogging tips naming all these tips and one says "not to copy anyones' blog". HELLO?! You already HAVE copied the somebody else's blog!

I'm sorry, but there are those out there on blogger who truly miss the point of it. Oh. My. Gosh.

Once again, if you disagree, that is fine. But remember, I also have my opinion and nothing that any blogger in the world comments on here will stop me from having that opinion.

Though I do not ever post blogging tips (Since just a second ago I have decided that most blogging tips are basically pointless) I will give you one: Be yourself.

I 'm Dreaming of a White Christmas

and for the finale...

Prayer Request?

This isn't really a big prayer request or anything, but I still could use the prayers. I have just been cramping over the last couple of days (Tuesday morning to be exact) and it is not *how should I put this* a very lovely feeling. I'm not in constant pain, it's like sporadically throughout the day that I suddenly start cramping. I also am a major, major, major worrier and I come up with all kinds of *ahem* crazy solutions as to what this could be.

Once again my favorite Bible verse.....

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

Winner of the Holiday Giveaway!

I'll bet you all are anxious as to who won the giveaway, huh? After writing all the names on paper, putting them in a hat, my mom shuffling them, and me closing my eyes and reaching in for a name, the winner is..................................

Polka Dot @ Shine as Lights/(Life is too short not to) wear Red Shoes!

Congratulations Polka Dot! Email me at sunshinegirl101@triad.rr.com with your address. =)

Thank you to all who entered!

Oh the Places You'll go...

We have had a *how should I put this* very busy week this week! It started this past Wednesday when we saw the Trans-Siberian Orchestra in concert...

On Friday I had a Christmas party and there was lots of delicious food....

                                          and nachos and cheese (recipe at the end of the post)........

                                                                     and lemonade (recipe coming too!)...........

                                                        and made lip gloss (recipe coming)............

                                                                and did pedicures (compliments of moi!)............

After my Christmas party, my friend Kiley and I went to a lady's house to help with a kid's outreach. After that we came home, watched The Others (way less scary than the trailer made it seem), and went to bed at 10:30! I am shocked myself that we went to bed that early. I mean, we usually go to bed around 12:30 or 1:00. Then the next morning.......we babysat four kids (ages 10, 8, 5, and 2) for seven hours. And then after that, we went to Carols by Candlelight at my friends, Beth and Breanna's church (which was a-m-a-z-i-n-g!). Yes, I was pooped by the end of the day. Goodness.

Anyway.......

                          Here are the recipes for the nachos, lemonade, and the lip gloss!



Home-made Nacho Cheese

1. 1 large block of Velveeta cheese (other brands may be substituted)

2. 8 oz. of sausage

3. 1 can of rotel (other brands may be substituted)

4. Brown sausage and drain it

5. Combine all ingredients in pot over medium heat until cheese is melted

Lemony Lemonade

(How to make the lemonade.....super easy!)

1. 1 cup of lemon juice

2. 1  1/2 cups of sugar

3. 6 cups of water

Stir all three ingredients together in large pitcher

Then.....

Put 1/2 a lime, 1/2 a lemon, and 1/2 an orange in the lemonade and refrigerate

Lip Gloss

1. Vaseline

2. Any flavor of Kool-Aid drink powder (other brands may be substituted)

3. 1 lip gloss jar (I got mine at Wal-Mart....98 cents for two!)

Get one big scoop of Vaseline and put it in a bowl; and pour in as much flavored drink powder as desired (the more powder you put, the more color and flavor you get!). Stir the Vaseline and flavored drink powder together and put it in the microwave for 15 seconds. Take it out, put about a pinch's worth of water in the bowl, put it back in the microwave for 10 seconds, take it out, and stir it. After it is good and stirred, put it in your lip gloss jar and voila!

(For me, grape and cherry powder worked the best!)

J 'aime les vacances!

The Christmas season is absolutely, wholeheartedly, sincerely, entirely, most definitely my favorite time of the year. Who doesn't love it? Hot cocoa, Christmas music and embellishments, icy cold weather, snow, gifts, a roaring orange fire, and of course, Jesus birth. As Eldarwen once put it, "Without Christmas there would be no Easter."

So what exactly is Christmas all about? Linus shall explain...
(Disclaimer, video not mine)



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I am entering Olivia @ (Of)Horse Feather's Words for Snow contest and Hannah @ Aspire's Beginning to look a lot like Christmas photo contest! I am entering this photo for both contests.

  

        

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Also, if you have not entered my Holiday giveaway yet, click here!