Highlights of 2015

Can you believe that today is the last day of 2015?! It seems like it went by really fast. I would like to share with you all a few of my highlights from 2015. 

May 1, senior banquet.

                   My family and I went to the Oregon coast for a few days in May.

May 30, Graduation day!

November 2-7 my mom and I went to Pennsylvania. If you want to read more about that you can see my other post here.


I'm looking forward to what 2016 will bring!

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas everyone!!!
I hope you all have a wonderful day. I would like to share with you one of my favorite Bible verses.

Luke 2:8-14   NASB
 8 In the same region there were some shepherds staying out in the fields and keeping watch over their flock by night.
 9 And an angel of the Lord suddenly stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them; and they were terribly frightened.
 10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people;
 11 for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.
 12 This will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”
 13 And suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,
 14 “Glory to God in the highest,
And on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased.”


During the Christmas season it is easy to get caught up with things like: decorating, shopping, presents, and lots of other things. But we all need to take time to remember what Christmas is really about. Jesus coming to earth to eventually die on the cross to take the punishment for our sins so that we can have eternal life.
Merry Christmas! : )

A Christmas-y Tag

After seeing this fun tag on several other blogs as a open nomination I decided to do it too. I am not going to tag anyone either, so if you want to do this too go ahead.

Anyway, here are the rules:

--Post the picture on your blog

--Answer the questions

--Tag up to 12 bloggers

--Make up 10 questions for the other bloggers

1. What is your favorite Christmas treat?

Sugar cookies! We usually only make them at Christmas time, so they are a treat! 

2. Are there any special traditions that your family does to celebrate Christmas?

Well, on Christmas morning each year after everyone gets up we read the Christmas story, open stockings, eat breakfast, then open presents. 

3. Do you enjoy getting presents for your friends and family? Do you buy your gifts or go the homemade route?

Yes, I do! Sometimes I will make the gifts and sometimes I buy them. It just depends.

4. Is it cold where you live? Have you ever had a white Christmas?

It is cold here and yes, we have had a white Christmas before. Hopefully we'll have one this year. One time it actually snowed Christmas night. 

5. What's on your Christmas list this year?

Books! I really don't know a whole lot to ask for this year besides books. My brothers started asking me, "What do you want for Christmas besides books?" :)

6. What's your favorite Christmas song?

"What Child is This?", "Mary Did You Know?", and "It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year".

7. What is your favorite Christmas memory?
One of my favorite memories was when I got a collectable miniature dollhouse. Now every year since then I've received something for it. 

8. What are you reading in December? (Anything festive?)

I've read five Christmas books this month.

"Christmas at Rose Hill Farm" by Suzanne Woods Fisher

"California Crazy" by Beverly Lewis

"White Christmas Pie" by Wanda Brunstetter

"A Lancaster County Christmas by Suzanne Woods Fisher

"A Christmas Peril" by Diane Moody 

9. Are you an organized little elf or are you still shopping/preparing on Christmas Eve?

I am usually pretty organized, but this year I got my last bit of shopping done this morning. :)

10. How early do you start to get into the Christmas spirit?

The day after Thanksgiving.

11. What's the menu for Christmas Day?

Well, for breakfast my dad is going to make cinnamon rolls. 

Then for dinner we are going to have prime rib, mashed potatoes, corn, and rolls. 

12. What makes it FEEL like Christmas for you? (Weather, specific traditions, food, smell, person, etc.?)

Listening to Christmas music, snow, decorating, and making Christmas cookies. 

13. If you were to start a new Christmas tradition, what would it be?

To put up the Christmas tree the day after Thanksgiving. ;) 

Usually we do it the second week in December. 

14. What Christmas movies do you like to watch this time of year?

"The Most Wonderful Time of the Year", "The Christmas Card", "A Cookie Cutter Christmas", and "A Christmas Snow".

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year

Single mom Jennifer, who can't wait for Christmas to be over, has her perfect list-driven life derailed when her uncle Ralph visits for the holiday. 

During Uncle Ralph's trip, he meets a fellow, care-free, traveler named Morgan. Morgan's connecting flight is cancelled and Uncle Ralph convinces Jennifer to allow Morgan to stay with them for one night, but Uncle Ralph has alternative motives and things get crazy when Jennifer's list-driven life collides with Morgan's care-free lifestyle.

This is a fun, romantic, comedy that our whole family enjoyed.




I give this movie 9 out of 10 R's

Christmas in 10

Last year for school my brothers and I had a writing assignment where we had 10 min. to write a paragraph about Christmas. Well, that probably sounds really easy, but we were only allowed to use words of only one syllable. It was a little tricky since you can't use words like Christmas, Merry, December, Holiday, and all of those typical Christmas words. So I would like to invite anyone who wants to try this to do so. I would love to see what you come up with.

Well, here is the story that I came up with in 10 min. I hope you enjoy it. : ) 

(I just noticed that I might have a few two syllable words in there.)

Long ago in a small town a small Boy was born. His mom put Him in a warm cloth and set Him in a place to sleep. He was born in a barn that long ago night and His name is Christ. This is why we have that day where we put up a tree and get and give gifts. We don't have this fun day to just get gifts, but to look back on that day when Christ was born. 

What Child is This?

"What Child is This?" was written by William Chatterton Dix in 1865. It was originally written as a poem called "The Manger Throne" then later became a song and sung to the music of "Greensleeves". 

The first stanza asks a question and is answered in the second half of that stanza, the second stanza does the same thing, and the third stanza is an appeal to accept Christ. 

This poem was written while Dix was very ill and bedridden caused by a severe illness. 

What child is this, who, laid to rest,

On Mary's lap is sleeping?

Whom angels greet with anthems sweet,

While shepherds watch are keeping?

This, this is Christ the King,

Whom shepherds guard and angels sing:

Haste, haste to bring Him laud,

The babe, the son of Mary.

Why lies He in such mean estate,

Where ox and ass are feeding?

Good Christians, fear, for sinners here

The silent Word is pleading.

Nails, spears shall pierce him through,

The cross be borne for me, for you.

Hail, hail the Word made flesh,

The Babe, the Son of Mary.

So bring Him incense, gold, and myrrh,

Come, peasant king, to own Him.

The King of kings salvation brings,

Let loving hearts enthrone Him.

Raise, raise the song on high,

The virgin sings her lullaby

Joy, joy for Christ is born,

The babe, the Son of Mary.

This is one of my favorite Christmas carols. I also really enjoy playing it on my violin.

Snowfall

From the Back Cover:

Twenty-year-old Ruth Stutzman is a wonderful caregiver…but she has no experience with children. Laid off because of budget cuts from her job at a retirement home, she's relieved to find work-even if it means temporarily watching widower Martin Rhodes's brood of six!

     Martin has been doing his best since his wife's passing, but he and his children need help. Their house, once full of laughter and light, has been darkened by sadness. Soon after Ruth arrives, the children are drawn to her warmth and gentleness, and so is Martin, even though he feels it's wrong. But the harder he tries to ignore her, the deeper he begins to care for this attractive young woman who has brought joy back into his children's lives…and his own.

     Each passing day brings the family closer to Ruth…and closer to Christmas, when she will have to say goodbye. Ruth cannot deny the bond she feels with the children-and with Martin. When her old job becomes available again, Ruth finds herself torn: How can she stay with the Rhodes's? And yet how can she go?

This book wasn't quite as good as I thought it would be, but it was a kind of fun Christmas story. 

I give this book 7.5 out of 10 R's