Spring Break

So I've realized something, I'm really bad at keeping up with my blog. The combination of being busy or not knowing what to post I think is behind this sad fact. But have no fear, I am hear now!!!! cue dramatic music. lol...so since last time I've posted Spring Break has come and gone. It was lots of fun and now I'm going to precede to bore you about it (plenty of pictures included).


So spring break is suppose to be this crazy time of kids going to warm places like Florida or the Bahama and having fun in the sun. Well I thought it would be boring to do the oh so typical cliche spring break, so instead I traveled to...wait for it....wait for it....SOUTH DAKOTA!!!!...is that laughter I hear? (then again, that was one response I got here. The same person also asked how our time in Nebraska was when we got back. :D I guess he was close with the state. They are neighbors. This would also be the same person who used to think I was from Idaho and thought we grew potatoes. Apparently, the Midwest is all one giant state to people on the East Coast. lol) Anyways, random tangent over. So, yes my sister and I traveled to S.D. for our break.


The adventure began on a Friday afternoon where we caught a bus to the train station and from there caught Amtrak down to Boston. My sister was really excited about that because she loves taking the train. So do I; I actually prefer it to flying. However, it would have taken the whole break to travel to S.D. by train, so we got off at Boston North Station. From there we preceded to the Quincy Market area where we had Philly Cheesesteak for supper and then we took metro from South Station to Logan Airport....but wait, our flight was not until the next morning (and yes we knew that) so we spent the night at the airport. We did some school, watched a movie and then my sister fell asleep and I decided to read a book. Turns out I never actually slept that night. lol. We flew out at six the next morning and got in to Omaha, NE around 10ish where we were met my our parents and one brother. That is when the real craziness began...


That weekend we stayed at our aunt and uncles house, which was TONS of fun. It was lazy days filled with weight lifting or pathetic attempts at weight lifting depending on how you look at it, delicious tasting rolls from the bakery, yummy dinners including tacos, yelling at horses on the TV because we were watching horse racing, learning how to keep squirrels off of bird feeders (you don't want to know) and lots of other fun, silly times....One really funny time was when our aunt and uncle asked us if we had ever seen two hairs fight in water. We were like, "Uh, no." They then got a plate and put water on it, me and my sister then gave them two strands of hair that were then placed in the water. Then our uncle told us that we had to look closely, so me, my sister, brother, and mom all leaned in close. Then....BAM....my uncle hit the plate with his hand and we all got splashed with water! It was hilarious and we spent the next few minutes in stitches (and no longer had need for a shower. lol)...another fun time was when Natalie and I walked with our aunt and uncle to a local gas station for ice cream. It was a really windy night (which is not unusual, South Dakota is practically ALWAYS windy ) and on the way home we were bucking the wind, so we decided to start drafting. Natalie led and we all line up behind her and used her as a wind block. It was working until my aunt stumbled on my heel. We also tried a V like geese, but that didn't work as well and my aunt ended up stumbling again. Good times, good times.

My Uncle!

Dad

We also had a fashion show with some of these clothes.

Nap time: we apparently exhausted our aunt. :D

Lots of guitar playing was involved!

Sunday we had our own worship service, which was awesome.

Outside my aunt and uncle's house.



Our view

  The rest of the break was spent painting a little, visiting old family friends, hanging out as a family, and playing lots and lots of Crazy Taxi (a really fun arcade game). The next Saturday, we went back to Omaha and my brother drove up from St. Louis and we spend the day as a family shopping and having fun. (Quick side note, I bought myself new ballet shoes. I really needed them because my old ones were duct taped and still falling apart. :D). Sunday morning, Natalie and I got up at three and flew back to Boston, where we again rode metro to South Station, walked to North Station, where we spent five hours, and then took Amtrak back to Maine, and finally caught a bus back to campus. Thus ends our spring break. However,  I still have lots pictures to show. MUUUHAAAHAAAHAAAHAA!!!!!!!!!!!!

New Bridge connecting South Dakota and Nebraska.

Missouri River from old bridge.

Taking a walk!

Nice, right?

They are sooo awesome!

One of South Dakota's many gorgeous sunsets!!

I've really missed these skies!

The weather was in the 70's and 80's!!!!

Delicious tasting Sarsaparilla!

We bought cases of Sarsaparilla, which is basically really great tasting Root Beer and a place called Bob's Candy Store. While there we also bought a case of candy cigarettes. I don't know if any of you remember them, but as little kids we loved them. They kinda look like chalk. lol. Us kids spent the rest of the time drinking and smoking (Sarsaparilla and candy cigs.) lol.

Such pretty blooms.

I love spring!

"That's All Folks!"

P.S. I'm going to post a few more random pictures from spring break on my Photoblog. :D

Photocrazy

So if you haven't figured out by now I really love to take pictures. I have lots and lots of pictures on my computer because I can go photocrazy sometimes. LOL. One thing that I like doing with my many pictures is puting them to mucis and making a video. My first video I created was roughly six years ago, but I still love watching it. I actually just came acrossed it again today and thought y'all might like to see it....

Hope y'all enjoyed that! Have a great weekend!

"That's All Folks!"

Blessings in Disguise

"Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus." - 1 Thessalonians 5:18

I don't know about you, but that verse is very hard to follow sometimes for me. I always seem to find myself in instances where I'm getting annoyed at people or things around me and I forget to give thanks for the Lord has blessed me with. It is in those moments where I need to remember that ALL things work for the good of those who love Christ (Romans 8:28). See, the other day I was really annoyed that Maine was going to be hit by a large snowstorm on the first day of March. I was like, C'mon man! I didn't want the hassle of snow covered paths or stuff like that, but the snow was truly a blessing in disguise. Instead of having to wake up around 6:30 to go to class and take a test later that day, I was able to sleep in until 8:30. Then I had the chance to spend a good amount of time reading the Word (which is, of course, when the Lord started leading me to verses on thanksgiving. Isn't He awesome?). Then the rest of the day was spent relaxing and reading books. It was awesome having that unexpected break from the busyness of school.

There have been many, many more time where this has happened in my life. Something happens that I find completely annoying, irritating, or just plain wrong, but then looking back a little later I see that God had a hand in all of it. What God has made me realize is that I need more awareness of Him in my life. When I fix my eyes on Him I won't have to live in the state of reactions anymore. That is why I'm now trying to be thankful in ALL circumstances instead of letting myself get annoyed. I'm going to try to keep my eyes open to those little moments where God producing His miracles. I still have my moments, but when I do I try to remember these...

"The reason we do not give thanks for everything is that we do not have a revelation of God in every aspect of our lives. But the Lord Jesus whom we serve is in every aspect of our lives, every day, in everything we encounter."

"Because the man who is truly thankful is the man who is really aware of the presences of God in every aspect of his life. He becomes a worshiper because he is in tune with the Lord Himself." 

"A thankful heart is an aware heart, aware of the presence of God. This is the basis of real worship."

                                             - John Robert Stevens Thankful

"To be thankful is to be aware if the Lord in everything. Even beyond your understanding, this awareness is very real to you."

                                             -John Robert Stevens Unthankful

God is in every breath we take and every move we make. He's closer than our heartbeat. All we need to do is be thankful in everything and let our eyes be open to God's blessings (that sometimes come in disguise).

"In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you." - 1 Thessalonians 5:18 (KJV) 

"That's All Folks!"