tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-84335942932834248802024-02-20T21:26:27.296-06:00A Joyful Noise!lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12440006704491788297noreply@blogger.comBlogger64125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8433594293283424880.post-17254444402725573562016-01-02T13:41:00.000-06:002016-01-02T13:41:01.253-06:00Hello Third Trimester!3 months.<br />
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3 months until this little one is no longer kicking and punching my stomach, but being held in our arms.<br />
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I cannot fathom this. I mean, I have a niece and nephew that I have just adored before they were even born and loved holding their little bodies close to me as they looked so perfect sleeping in my arms.<br />
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But to have one of my own...<br />
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<i>Our first doctors appointment! Yep, she was there, all 1 centimeter of her and a perfect lil' heartbeat!!</i></div>
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Say whaaaaaa??!<br />
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I know, I know. It's something that no parenting book or amount of advice from others can really prepare you for, and this little girl will change our lives forever, and for the better. And I <i>do</i> believe that. It's just so hard to wrap my mind around still!<br />
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<i>Back when I thought my bump was "sooo big!" haha!</i><br />
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I've had such a wonderful pregnancy thus far and feel so blessed to have such a sweet, loving man by my side throughout this first part of our journey to being parents. He is going to be the best dad. He already loves her so much. It's beautiful.<br />
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<i>All 3 of us completed the BCS Half Marathon in December. Mike was such a good encourager!</i></div>
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I have all these hopes for Guinevere and her life. I hope that she has good friends, that she is kind and compassionate, and enjoys learning. I hope that she has a good relationship with us as her parents, and feels like she can come to us with anything.<br />
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<i>My birthday, the day we found out she was a girl! What a beautiful gift! </i></div>
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But far above all those things, I hope that she grows to love Jesus Christ as her Savior. I hope and pray that she comes to know the One who is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. And that she sees her value and worth by what He sees of her, not the world.<br />
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As King David prayed this over Solomon his son, I pray the same for Guinevere Jade-<br />
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<i>"... know the God of your father and serve Him with a whole heart and with a willing mind, for the Lord searches all hearts and understands every plan and thought. If you seek Him, He will be found by you..." 1 Chronicles 28:9a</i><br />
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These next 3 months will fly by. And I hope that through the waiting and pain and joy and tears of it all, I can be in the moment and <i>be thankful in all things, for this is God's will for us in Christ Jesus. (1 Thessalonians 5:18)</i><br />
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eagerly waiting,<br />
lisa<br />
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<br />lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12440006704491788297noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8433594293283424880.post-21731415923478200902015-05-26T20:50:00.000-05:002015-05-26T20:50:22.719-05:00Amidst the StormsSoooo... if you live in Texas, or have friends in Texas, or just love to keep up with weather happenings around the country, you know that we have had some serious storm-age going on over here.<br />
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Like, flooding-tornadoes-lightning-hasn't-stopped-raining-for-a-month kinda storms.<br />
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And yes, it's crazy and almost every Texan is fed up with the rain.<br />
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But I'm just gonna say it...<br />
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I love it.<br />
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If you've never experienced a Texas lightning/thunderstorm before, you are missing out.<br />
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Last night was incredible and I don't even know if there are words to describe what I saw last night justice. Imagine the brightest orange sky to your right, dark, ominous clouds to your left, magnificently terrifying bolts of lightning literally all over the sky, and then the biggest, most vibrant, beautiful rainbow arching over everything. And it was a double rainbow!!!<br />
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I mean WHAT???!!!<br />
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And then there was about a 3 or 5 minute window where the sun was setting, but somehow the clouds in the sky were creating these intense shadows on the trees and ground. And this was at 8:15-ish at night, so it was weird.<br />
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Like, I thought Jesus was coming back. (Which I mean, I was ok with)<br />
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But I just thought to myself, this rain is going to end. There will be a time when this rain will stop. It won't be 65 degrees in Texas at the end of May probably ever again. I may not ever see a sky like this again in my lifetime. There will be a time when we pray for more rain, and maybe look back on that summer of 2015 when the whole state of Texas flooded and wish we had even a drop of that rain.<br />
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But I also thought it was such a beautiful picture of life.<br />
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Just like the storms that have been tormenting Texas for the last month, there are "storms" in our lives. And sometimes, it feels like a flood, never ending and always increasing in pain and loss. But somewhere, amidst the storms of life, we get a glimpse of hope. We see the rainbow.<br />
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can you see it? can you see the double rainbow?!</div>
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And the rainbow is a promise. Not only is it amazing that the rainbow symbolizes God never flooding the whole earth again (which I think some of us Texans needed that reminder!), but it's amazing that during life's storms, we can hold on to the promises of God. We have to believe that the rainbow is coming, that the sun is still shining beyond the clouds. Though we may not be able to see it at that moment, we need to ask ourselves, "What am I believing right now? Do I believe God is who He says He is?"<br />
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Because my friends, His promises are either true or they aren't. He is either good, or He isn't. He is either faithful, or He isn't. I don't know what "storms" are going on in your life right now, but there is hope. There is hope in the ONE who will never fail you. (Deuteronomy 4:31) There is hope in the ONE who is the LIFE-giver. (John 11:25-26) There is hope in the ONE who cannot lie. (Hebrews 6:18) There is hope in the ONE who is faithful when we are faithless. (2 Timothy 2:13) There is hope in the ONE who never changes. (Hebrews 13:8) His word is either true or it isn't. (2 Timothy 3:16-17) Don't put your hope in just "getting out of the storm" or even lose hope amidst the storm.<br />
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There is hope. Seek Him and you will find Him. (Matthew 7:7) That is a promise. Hold fast to His promises sweet friends and family. Because during our darkest times, His love and grace and compassion for us can shine brighter than ever before.<br />
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ever hopeful,<br />
lisa<br />
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<i>for as many are the promises of God, in Him they are yes; therefore also through Him is our Amen to the glory of God through us. 2 Corinthians 1:20</i>lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12440006704491788297noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8433594293283424880.post-47777083395663920562015-02-01T16:55:00.000-06:002015-02-01T16:55:04.677-06:00HomemadeSo Mike thinks I've turned into some hippie-voodoo-witch doctor... not really, but kinda.<br />
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Anyway, I started my essential oil journey back in September simply for health benefits. As a teacher, I pick up a lot of germs from kiddos. Since then, I have been significantly less sick and felt better emotionally, and have also been learning a lot about the chemicals that are in our everyday products.<br />
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There is so much science behind essential oils, I don't get it all. But basically I've been wanting more products without those harsh chemicals in them, products I can really trust, BUT without having to pay $4509485029834 for a 1 ounce bottle!<br />
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Ok, a slight exaggeration, but you get what I'm saying!<br />
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Anyway, a sweet friend from church is into making her own household products and offered to share her insights, ingredients, and expertise in making some products of our own. Love you Amy!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWck1tmn5j1GMqgeWPayNPisIDJAAXLwCDuXS7iS0SvsKpIHSWgCD1QRB91t5Sam_TbWFN-3UdbcL1tG1qhBx90exavUrA36KJ_LW7VLqX8yw99DbKTiJmbAhOJ6JUQh9-fxM8FHoJCGuh/s1600/IMG_1911.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWck1tmn5j1GMqgeWPayNPisIDJAAXLwCDuXS7iS0SvsKpIHSWgCD1QRB91t5Sam_TbWFN-3UdbcL1tG1qhBx90exavUrA36KJ_LW7VLqX8yw99DbKTiJmbAhOJ6JUQh9-fxM8FHoJCGuh/s1600/IMG_1911.JPG" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
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Below I will share with you what we made, the recipes, and some of my favorite essential oils and how you can get some yourself! (recipes are not my own!)<br />
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<u><span style="font-size: x-large;">Disinfecting Wipes</span></u><br />
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<ul><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfFz0heql56KmuLoMnk0U3Oe6MuYjsVDxKSWkM2ojUeJjHu82VeuiugMCkLR7_oDFqqxWZPY3EaBrxW0ds8QVHNUFhy_eObfeV7gHqdCyVq_yzXojkTs5YtUT9XrQ8MVPHZAiox9EOr1xj/s1600/IMG_1910.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfFz0heql56KmuLoMnk0U3Oe6MuYjsVDxKSWkM2ojUeJjHu82VeuiugMCkLR7_oDFqqxWZPY3EaBrxW0ds8QVHNUFhy_eObfeV7gHqdCyVq_yzXojkTs5YtUT9XrQ8MVPHZAiox9EOr1xj/s1600/IMG_1910.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a>
<li>1 cup water</li>
<li>2 Tbsp Castile Soap (can get this at pretty much any grocery store now)</li>
<li>8-10 drops <i>Young Living Thieves essential oil</i> (could also use tea tree oil, but I love, love, LOVE Thieves because of it's crazy-awesome immune boosting properties!)</li>
<li>1/2 roll paper towels (cut in half)</li>
</ul>
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You can make these a couple different ways. If you want to leave the paper towels on the roll, put them in a big enough container right-side up, dump mixture on top, and the roll in the middle will eventually become soft enough to pull out and voila!</div>
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OR </div>
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if you would like to have them in a box of some sort, kind of like baby wipes, you can unroll it, alternating fold directions, put them in the container, pour mixture over towels, and let it soak. You can get fancy and make your own "pull out tops" or just open the lid up. :)</div>
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<u><span style="font-size: x-large;">Lip Balm</span></u></div>
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Ok, so I am obsessed with chapstick, so I was pretty excited about these!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEFfdl_DZNpa2CSY60lucLAodXrUBBlCE1SIlYwp3fLg9KkYI50zg0eLOk6Q-pDtPzq1dOn_0Him_0xCxDl90nW1ywqR_3bmr_IezaQby9kP-ZLWuep7f5UWw1J1adDBxlLh50zAb0RDkd/s1600/IMG_1901.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEFfdl_DZNpa2CSY60lucLAodXrUBBlCE1SIlYwp3fLg9KkYI50zg0eLOk6Q-pDtPzq1dOn_0Him_0xCxDl90nW1ywqR_3bmr_IezaQby9kP-ZLWuep7f5UWw1J1adDBxlLh50zAb0RDkd/s1600/IMG_1901.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
<ul>
<li>1/4 cup coconut oil</li>
<li>1 tbsp and 1 tsp beeswax</li>
<li><i>Young Living essential oils of your choice</i> (I used a variety: orange, lime, grapefruit, lemon, peppermint)</li>
</ul>
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Melt coconut oil and beeswax together. (careful, it will harden quickly!) I added my essential oils to each individual container so I could have a variety. But if you only wanted one, you can drop it in the big mix. (in my little container I only added 1 drop which was a very mild scent, so if you want a little stronger, I would add 2-3 drops.)</div>
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<u><span style="font-size: x-large;">Body Butter</span></u></div>
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<ul>
<li>1 cup shea butter</li>
<li>1/2 cup coconut oil</li>
<li>2 Tbsp almond oil</li>
<li><i>Young Living Essential oil of your choice</i></li>
<li>wide mouth mason jars</li>
</ul>
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Place shea butter and coconut oil in a microwave safe dish. Microwave in 30 second increments, stirring in between until completely melted. </div>
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Transfer the melted mixture to a metal bowl and place in fridge until it begins to firm up. (usually 30 minutes to an hour). You want it firm, but not hard.</div>
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Remove from the fridge and whip on high using a stand or hand mixer until light and fluffy. (about 2-3 minutes)</div>
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If making one big batch, add essential oils to mixture. If making several different smells, transfer body butter into mason jars and add essential oils, stirring with fork or spoon to mix.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMdUlWngkwRQfZZNeYYTZkpM_2vycPwQ6gwm6L3NKuHv1mcLEs4z79mbKXgak1gzW7i_e9Pp5XFIaLJ6o8bczzo8nUBi9xnxVsgF77gJLLNeIbrc2anRMlZCRJzYIJgqv8btg58avKxZTd/s1600/IMG_1903.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMdUlWngkwRQfZZNeYYTZkpM_2vycPwQ6gwm6L3NKuHv1mcLEs4z79mbKXgak1gzW7i_e9Pp5XFIaLJ6o8bczzo8nUBi9xnxVsgF77gJLLNeIbrc2anRMlZCRJzYIJgqv8btg58avKxZTd/s1600/IMG_1903.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
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I used Lavender and Peppermint and it smells amazing!</div>
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<i><span style="font-size: x-large;">Young Living Essential Oils</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTOgYuw5BBB2Pl1EYf-iC2eUZQBfds6hP65CJeSH1sxUtZVYqwn1BHfiy3e4Yb24PVQjUQPn8MkhyphenhypheniYL2kvobECQ9Dl9EDFVP40HSYb_OG6chjzKrQctQRYW4evuAkekaU0hHYHmSNM3wZ/s1600/yl+pic.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTOgYuw5BBB2Pl1EYf-iC2eUZQBfds6hP65CJeSH1sxUtZVYqwn1BHfiy3e4Yb24PVQjUQPn8MkhyphenhypheniYL2kvobECQ9Dl9EDFVP40HSYb_OG6chjzKrQctQRYW4evuAkekaU0hHYHmSNM3wZ/s1600/yl+pic.png" height="117" width="320" /></a></div>
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If you are new or interested in learning more about what these oils have done for me and others, please don't hesitate to contact me or comment below!</div>
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Here are some that I use every day:</div>
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<ul>
<li>Thieves: blend of clove, lemon, cinnamon bark, eucalyptus radiata, and rosemary.</li>
<ul>
<li>highly anti-viral and anti-septic properties</li>
<li>I put Thieves on the bottom of my feet every day (your feet have the fastest absorption rate in your body- just in 20 minutes Thieves will have reaches every cell of your body!)</li>
</ul>
<li>Joy: blend of bergamot, ylang ylang, geranium, rosewood, lemon, madarin, jasmine, roman chamomile, palmarosa, and rose.</li>
<ul>
<li>I put this oil over my heart every day (I know, sounds cheesy) but it really helps balance my hormones and emotions throughout the day!! </li>
</ul>
<li>Lavender: called the "first aid kit in a bottle"</li>
<ul>
<li>can help with SO many things, but I really like putting this on my face mixed with my moisturizing lotion to help get rid of scars and fight acne</li>
<li>plus it's calming so I diffuse it at night sometimes</li>
</ul>
<li>Frankincense: this one surprised me because I was like, "when am I ever going to use <i>that?</i>"</li>
<ul>
<li>also really good for your skin! among many other things! </li>
</ul>
<li>Lemon:</li>
<ul>
<li>delicious in water (glass container only)</li>
<li>refreshing when diffused</li>
<li>household cleaner! :)</li>
</ul>
</ul>
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Maybe I'll need to do a whole separate post about essential oils someday... :)</div>
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Until then, happy homemaking and happy oiling!</div>
<div>
lisa</div>
lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12440006704491788297noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8433594293283424880.post-1719443875959816932014-09-28T16:51:00.002-05:002014-09-28T16:51:35.436-05:00Vegan Recap!Well, after 40 days, Mike and I no longer vegan. Our little "experiment" was at times fun, interesting, and challenging, but we did it! Here are 20 things from our vegan adventure!<br />
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<ol>
<li>The first 2 days I had a headache... and I rarely get those because I drink like, an exuberant amount of water! Guess my body was detoxing!</li>
<li>The very first day, I noticed that I had to do a lot of "thinking" about the food I was going to eat. I couldn't just grab any ol' thing out of the pantry or fridge. Which I thought was very interesting because I feel like we should think at least a little bit, and care at least a little bit, and <i>know</i> at least a little bit about what we are putting in our bodies! </li>
<li>It really wasn't as hard as I thought. Yes, I missed cheese. Like, <i>a lot.</i> Vegan cheese is... well... the worst! I was so saddened by that. But for the most part, it was pretty simple, even in a not-so-vegan-friendly town. </li>
<li>In the beginning, it took a lot of planning in regards to meals, but after we became more familiar with foods that were vegan, it became easier.</li>
<li>Our local grocery store actually has more vegan-friendly options than I realized! </li>
<li>There were a lot of meals I made that were super yummy and will for sure make again, even now that this is over! (I'll post recipes below)</li>
<li>Going out to eat was a little bit annoying in the beginning as well... especially in a town that loves meat! When going out friends, most were very gracious and sweet and wanted to make sure we were going to a place that Mike and I would be able to eat something. Mike and I quickly became knowledgeable of restaurants in town with the best salad bar or vegan options, but not necessarily advertised as "vegan" eateries. Also, it was much easier to ask to see an allergen menu to check for dairy and things like that than ask for ingredients!</li>
<li>Lots of people don't really know what veganism is...</li>
<li>Lots of people don't really care <i>what</i> they eat...</li>
<li>Lots of people don't really <i>know</i> what they eat...</li>
<li>I could be a vegan if I had to. </li>
<li>I could definitely be a vegetarian. Who knows...</li>
<li>I never really felt that "ugh-too-full" feeling. That feeling you get when you've just eaten enough for 2 people. Yeah, that never happened, which was nice. I felt a lot lighter, and after a meal, I would be satisfied, but not overly stuffed. However, I felt like I was always eating and always hungry. BUT, I wasn't gaining any weight. In fact, I lost weight. (which was not part of the plan, so I was glad that we stopped!) But I really did feel good, ya know?</li>
<li>This might be TMI, but I was regular and felt very cleaned out every day!</li>
<li>Not all vegans/vegetarians are crazy-weirdo-hippies! (I already knew that, but to all those who think otherwise, there ya go!)</li>
<li>There really is a problem with the meat industry; how the animals are treated, but also <i>how</i> the meat is produced. I watched quite a few documentaries about the food production in our country, and a lot of it was appalling. Now that we can eat meat, I want to try to be more conscious of where I am buying my meat from.</li>
<li>Mike and I will still have a couple nights a week where we are eating vegetarian/vegan.</li>
<li>Cashews can be ground up to make a "ricotta" like texture for lasagna. :) Yum!</li>
<li>I wish every box of food, every restaurant, every item you could eat had a label saying "vegan" or "vegetarian". It was so funny to tell people "oh, yeah, Oreos and Lay's chips are vegan!" And them being totally surprised, because those weren't weird-hippy-people foods. I just think the labels would make vegan life a little easier! And if all restaurants had those options, that would just be so nice!</li>
<li>Vegan chocolate chip cookies don't even come close to the real thing. I tried. The real things are just too good!</li>
</ol>
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<div>
Some of our faves:</div>
<div>
<ul>
<li>Red beans and Rice ****</li>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.budgetbytes.com/2014/02/vegan-red-beans-rice/">http://www.budgetbytes.com/2014/02/vegan-red-beans-rice/</a></li>
</ul>
<li>Orange French toast ***** </li>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://theveganstoner.blogspot.com/2011/03/vegan-stoners-orange-french-toast.html">http://theveganstoner.blogspot.com/2011/03/vegan-stoners-orange-french-toast.html</a></li>
</ul>
<li>Veggie Lasagna ***** (minus the Daiya cheese!)</li>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://86lemons.com/vegan-lasagna/">http://86lemons.com/vegan-lasagna/</a></li>
</ul>
<li>Slow cooker lentil chili ****</li>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.twopeasandtheirpod.com/slow-cooker-lentil-chili/">http://www.twopeasandtheirpod.com/slow-cooker-lentil-chili/</a></li>
</ul>
<li>Kale and Quinoa Minestrone ***** (probably my favorite)</li>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.cookingclassy.com/2014/02/kale-quinoa-minestrone-vegan-gluten-free/">http://www.cookingclassy.com/2014/02/kale-quinoa-minestrone-vegan-gluten-free/</a></li>
</ul>
<li>Sloppy Black bean Joes ****</li>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://tastykitchen.com/recipes/special-dietary-needs/sloppy-black-bean-joes/">http://tastykitchen.com/recipes/special-dietary-needs/sloppy-black-bean-joes/</a></li>
</ul>
<li>Curried Gnocchi with roasted veggies **** (could use rice instead of gnocchi)</li>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://tastykitchen.com/recipes/special-dietary-needs/curried-gnocchi-with-roasted-veggies/">http://tastykitchen.com/recipes/special-dietary-needs/curried-gnocchi-with-roasted-veggies/</a></li>
</ul>
<li>Black bean avocado enchiladas ****</li>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.thegardengrazer.com/2014/07/black-bean-avocado-enchiladas.html">http://www.thegardengrazer.com/2014/07/black-bean-avocado-enchiladas.html</a></li>
</ul>
<li>Classic apple crisp (sub vegan butter) ****</li>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://tastykitchen.com/recipes/desserts/classic-apple-crisp/">http://tastykitchen.com/recipes/desserts/classic-apple-crisp/</a></li>
</ul>
</ul>
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<div>
So there ya go! I'd challenge you to try vegan, or even vegetarian diet for a short time. It was a fun adventure! I was a little sad that it was over, but then I thought: CHEESE! :)</div>
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happily eating cheese,</div>
<div>
lisa</div>
lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12440006704491788297noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8433594293283424880.post-22891919805533995342014-08-15T10:01:00.000-05:002014-08-15T10:01:42.506-05:00Ready or not, here goes VEGAN!So Mike and I are going to do a vegan diet until September...<br />
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This should be interesting... actually, I went to the store yesterday and already felt healthier! ;)<br />
<br />
I'm sure most of you already know what a vegan is, but incase you don't, basically a vegan doesn't eat any animal byproduct- including meat, milk, eggs, cheese, etc. Some vegans don't even eat honey... but that's just crazy. I LOVE cheese so this will be an adventure- a whole new world has been opened up to me about vegan cheese, which seems weird, but it'll have to do for now.<br />
<br />
We aren't going vegan because we think animals need equal rights or anything, although I do care how they are treated, but that's not our reason (don't worry, you won't see us protesting the local KFC anytime soon). Pretty much we just want a little challenge and to eat healthier. I'm curious how I'll feel- if I'll have more energy, better skin, sleep better, etc. So over the next month and a half, I'll try to post some of the recipes I make for us.<br />
<br />
I am a little apprehensive about the possibilities of <i>going out</i> to eat with friends, or having friends invite us over for dinner... so just know that we still <i>do</i> want to go out to eat with you (just might have to stick to a salad or something) and we <i>do </i>still want to come over, we just might not eat much, or you can come over to our place for dinner! We won't be hermits/snobs/those crazy diet people I promise!<br />
<br />
If you are a vegan and have any recipes to share, please do!<br />
<br />
vegan for now,<br />
lisalisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12440006704491788297noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8433594293283424880.post-63406200296412833912014-06-03T19:03:00.001-05:002014-06-03T19:03:56.700-05:00cast out fearI have this fear. This fear that people will reject me, or not like me, or like other people more than me. This fear that I need to earn people's love to stay in their good graces. This fear that causes me to believe lies about others and lies about myself, sometimes even lies about my Savior.<br />
<br />
No one wants to live in fear. I believe fear is not something that was in God's original plan. There was no fear in the garden of Eden. Adam and Eve were naked and unashamed. They didn't have any reason to fear or distrust the other until sin entered the picture and they felt like they had to cover themselves with fig leaves.<br />
<br />
But before sin, there was no fear. And the Lord says in His word that <i>there is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear. 1 John 4:18 </i>I believe the word of God to be true, and I believe these words, but do I live like I do?<br />
<br />
Sadly, no. Sometimes, maybe. But more often than not, this fear of rejection sits in the back of my mind, sometimes dictating my decisions, my motives, my thoughts, without me even realizing it is there.<br />
<br />
But go back to that verse for a second... <i>perfect love casts out fear.</i> The only love I know out there that is perfect is that of God the Father and His Son, Jesus. His love is perfect. His love will never reject me. I am His for eternity. I never have to worry about being in or out of His good graces because <i>where my sin increased, His grace abounded all the more. Romans 5:20. </i>Because <i>His grace is sufficient for me. 2 Corinthians 12:9. </i>And because <i>it is BY His grace that I have been saved, through faith. Ephesians 2:8.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
So you see, I have no "real" reason for these fears. Nothing that any person can do or say to me will ever change how Jesus feels about me. And His opinion is all that matters, in this life and the next. Because <i>I am convinced, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing will be able to separate me from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:38-39.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
I want to encourage you with this truth. Because I know I am not the only one who struggles and wrestles with this. Jesus Christ loves you. And He wants to have an intimate relationship with you. And though I struggle with these things, I can have peace.<br />
<br />
<i>These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world. John 16:33</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful. John 14:27</i><br />
<br />
For this, I have Jesus.<br />
lisalisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12440006704491788297noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8433594293283424880.post-78689724360800847622014-03-17T16:07:00.000-05:002014-03-17T16:51:11.162-05:00... to die is gain<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<i>Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends. John 15:13</i></div>
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This past Friday my dad was honored for the 33 years he served our country. </div>
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He served both in the Air Force and the Army, as well as the National Guard. </div>
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His ashes will be buried at Ft. Sam Houston National Cemetery in San Antonio. It's amazing to me all the people that have been buried there and that there is somehow room for others still! It was overwhelming to see all those headstones. From the moment I got out of the car, there was an air of honor, respect, and dedication. I felt so proud that my dad would receive a service like this.</div>
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I wasn't quite sure what to expect at a 21-Gun Salute. My mom had already had the flag, and the 2 men who presented it to her first unfolded it, and then folded it again- off to the side (I guess a practice?) and then after the 21-Gun Salute, stood in front of us and unfolded it in a neat presentation, only to fold it again. It was amazing to see what seriousness there was in their eyes. While unfolding and folding, both the men looked each other in the eyes the entire time, somehow communicating with each other. Later, when I looked up the meaning behind the folding of the flag, it made a bit more sense, and held an even more special meaning. I would highly recommend reading <a href="http://www.legion.org/flag/folding" target="_blank"><b>this article</b></a> to find out what each fold means. There are 12 folds in all, the final fold representing an emblem of eternity, and glorifies God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Very cool. Please go read it. :)</div>
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These men are retired veterans and represent each branch of the military. They do this as a volunteer service. They were so cute with those big, powerful guns. Again, I wasn't sure what a 21-Gun Salute was, but there are 7 men with guns, and they fire 3 times, equalling 21 shots fired. The shots represent peaceful intentions by emptying their weapons. You can read more about it <a href="http://www.history.army.mil/html/faq/salute.html" target="_blank"><b>here</b></a>. It does a way better job of explaining and anyone interested in history will appreciate it. The man you see on the far right side was playing Taps. Wow. Talk about chilling. It was so surreal to hear that song in the context where I was sitting, with my family, honoring my father. That was probably the most emotional part for me.</div>
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Afterwards, we enjoyed a lovely lunch at Los Patios where my parents had their wedding reception 35 years ago. It was gorgeous. Tons of trees created a beautiful canopy over several acres of land, leading to a little creek with lots of turtles. My mom and aunt talked about what a beautiful and lovely party it was. Wish I could go back in time and experience that joyful moment.</div>
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Please take a look at <a href="http://keehnphotography.blogspot.com/2014/03/to-live-is-christ-to-die-is-gain.html" target="_blank"><b>my brother's blog</b></a> to see some much better photos! ;)</div>
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humbled,<br />
lisa<br />
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<i>for to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain. Philippians 1:21</i><br />
This verse will be on my dad's headstone- a true testimony of his life here on earth.<br />
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<br />lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12440006704491788297noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8433594293283424880.post-42423052574078873302014-02-25T21:22:00.001-06:002014-02-25T21:22:49.406-06:00All dogs go to heaven...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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So yesterday my mom put our old dog Foster down to rest. He was so old and seemed to be getting worse every time I saw him, I started saying my goodbyes early- like 4 years ago! And yet he still managed to live on every year!<br />
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"This is your last Christmas Foster" became sort of a joke in our family. He just wouldn't die. It was a shock that Foster outlived anyone in this life!<br />
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And not that we wanted Foster to die, but he just wasn't lookin' too great. He was blind, and eventually he couldn't even hear anymore. Within the last 6 months or so he lost almost half his body weight and was just getting worse and worse.</div>
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However, Foster was ol' faithful to my dad. They were buddies, and I think Foster became really sad when my dad wasn't around anymore. When my mom took him to the vet, the vet took one look at him and gave a sort of sympathetic grunt saying "He either has diabetes or cancer." I think that helped my mom feel more at peace putting him down.<br />
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He lived a loooooong 16 years of doggie life and enjoyed half of that with our family when we rescued him. I'm sure Foster is just bounding around heaven, tail wagging, meeting up with our other dog Rowdy, and possibly Pockets too. I imagine them running with my dad in heaven, licking him and smiling at him.<br />
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Foster, you were well loved. Gonna miss you sweet boy!<br />
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lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12440006704491788297noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8433594293283424880.post-38486083427741758082014-02-02T15:23:00.002-06:002014-02-02T15:23:10.498-06:00Overwhelmed... in the best way possible.Ok y'all. Can I just share how GOOD and PURPOSEFUL and AWESOME God is?!?<br />
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It's only been about a month and a half since my dad went to be with the Lord, but wow. God is so good and doesn't waste anything. Conversations I would have never had with people are happening, being more intentional to pray for others and my family, and just how God constantly reminds me of His abundant lovingkindness towards me and His grace and peace.<br />
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The other night I was sitting in bed and I picked up my journal. As I started writing, I was curious to see if I had written anything the year before. Exactly a year ago I had written a prayer for both of my parents, that they would grow more in love with each other and more in love with the Lord and that Christ would just be in every part of their marriage.<br />
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I noticed more joy and love in my parents' marriage in the last year of my dad's life and that there was true enjoyment and lots of laughter, all the while my dad's tumor was probably growing inside him.<br />
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I turned even further to see if I had written anything 2 years before, but my journal had started on April 2012. That day was filled with prayers of thanksgiving and praise because the tumor that was found in my dad's brain was benign and not cancerous.<br />
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That whole story just gives me chills now because as I look back, I can see an even bigger thing happening.<br />
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When my dad had his brain tumor and there were many uncertainties. God answered my prayer in a way that I couldn't really understand until now. You can read about that story <a href="http://ajoyfulnoise-lisa.blogspot.com/2012/04/god-is-so-good.html" target="_blank">here</a>. (and his response below that post is just so great) Yes, God healed him of that tumor and was faithful to answer my prayer in that moment, but our God is not a God who is confined to our timeframe or any time for that matter. Our God sees the whole picture, not just one piece. Because my dad had that tumor, I began to see the frailty of life here on earth. I began to think about what it would be like to lose someone very close to me. I began to be more intentional with my dad in conversations and being more patient with him. I didn't want to take my dad for granted.<br />
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Those 2 years were a blessing from God. Who would have known that just two years later he would be diagnosed with cancer. I praise God for giving us that time, for those 2 years that God helped me love my dad with more intentionality and allowed me to experience more of his love in return. I am so thankful that God doesn't waste any of our sorrow, any of our pain, any of our suffering. He is purposeful in every way. He truly does work all things for our good and HIS GLORY!<br />
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And He is worthy of all the glory friends! I'm just overwhelmed by His sovereignty and goodness. No, my prayer wasn't answered in the exact way I expected, but I have a hope and peace that I can trust my Lord and my God with everything.<br />
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And THAT is what God has so graciously revealed to me in the last couple of days.<br />
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overwhelmed by the goodness and mercies of our Lord,<br />
lisalisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12440006704491788297noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8433594293283424880.post-90830359387645559092014-01-04T21:55:00.001-06:002014-01-04T21:55:19.916-06:00Dad, with love.Today was a celebration of my dad's life. Not only remembering my dad and who he was, but Who he lived for. I don't feel like the English words "thank you" expresses how grateful I am to friends and family that came to the service. I was completely blown away to see so many friends there, even ones I hadn't seen in a very long time! What an incredible blessing from the Lord! I had the privilege to speak at my dad's service, and the following is what the Lord laid on my heart.<br />
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">However, I consider my
life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the
task the Lord Jesus has given me- the task of testifying about the wonderful
good news of God’s grace. Acts 20:24<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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I don’t think there is just “one word” to sum up my dad. He
was so many things to so many people he encountered throughout his life. He was
funny, caring, dedicated, faithful, hard working, humble, and the list goes on.
My dad didn’t know a stranger and made every person he talked to feel important
and valued- which was a lot because he loved to talk to people! I’m sure he’s
seeing a lot of people in heaven right now that he maybe met only briefly in
his lifetime, but somehow greatly impacted!<o:p></o:p></div>
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My dad deeply loved his family. Looking through some of his
drawers and dressers there were pictures of cousins, aunts and uncles, and us
kids everywhere. Even though most of them were old pictures, he never took them
down. He cherished every card, and I mean <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">every
</i>card from us, whether handmade cards from my brother, sweet cards from my
sister, or corny birthday cards from me, they were still all hanging up at his
desk. Even a poem my brother and I wrote for him in the 3<sup>rd</sup> grade
was still hanging up by his desk! I know he thought about us a lot and loved us
so well. He’d call from work ‘just to talk’, even just for 10 minutes,
encourage us with a verse, or even sing us a song. My sweet, sweet mama and
daddy shared 35 years together and have been such a testimony of faithfulness
and unconditional love. Lovers through thick and thin.<o:p></o:p></div>
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My dad never forced us to be anybody we weren’t. He
encouraged us in our extracurricular activities- no matter what they were. And
even though he wasn’t always able to be there because of his job, his words of
encouragement and telling us how proud he was always meant so much. His love
was completely unconditional and never got upset if we didn’t get 1<sup>st</sup>
place or “win” or whatever the case, he was just so proud of us for going out
there and doing our best. His smile and hugs were worth more than any medal or
ribbon received.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
My dad’s life was never about himself. I know my family can
all recall countless times of my dad’s generosity, even when it didn’t seem
like he had much to give. I remember one time he passed by a man on the side of
the road while I was in the car with him. He mentioned something about going
back and talking to him, and I was begging him not to because that meant he
would be talking to this stranger for at least 30 minutes and that’s just not
what <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">I</i> wanted to do! Well, of course,
he turned the car around, drove back, and parked near where the man was. We got
out of the car and my dad gave him some food he had in the back of the car. I
can’t remember the conversation or even how long it was, but I’m sure he talked
to that man about Jesus. He wasn’t about to let that man go without a Bible and
the Gospel presented! He even picked up a kid waiting outside in the hot summer
heat and gave him a ride where he needed to go. My dad taught me so much about
compassion and generosity that I will never forget. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
My dad worked hard for our family. He never sought the
recognition or praise of man over that of the Lord’s and was a true example of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">doing all things without complaining.</i>
When others would have quit or thrown in the towel, gotten upset and felt sorry
for themselves, my dad chose to persevere and endure, to choose joy and praise
the Lord. When any other dad might be closed off and want to be alone after
long hours of work, my dad was rejuvenated by spending time with us and loving
on us.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Not only was his love of family so evident, but his love of
the Lord shined brighter than anything else. His Bible would always be open at
his place at the table. He wasn’t ashamed to lift his hands high, jump around,
and shout praises of joy to the Lord. He wasn’t ashamed to walk up to complete
strangers and hand them a small Bible and some snacks. He wasn’t ashamed of the
Gospel- The Good News that gave him the very life he lived. Romans 1:16 says <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“For I am not ashamed of the Gospel, for it
is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes…” </i>That seemed to
be my dad’s life verse… among many others! He lived by the truth of God’s word!
The grace and love of Christ poured out from his heart, and he was a true testimony
of a faithful, humble servant. He would pray these verses over me as he tucked
me in at night, ones I will never forget:<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Lord bless you and keep you. The Lord make His face to shine upon
you, and be gracious to you. The Lord lift up His countenance on you, and give
you peace.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Numbers 6:24-26<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
There may not be “one word” to sum up my dad, but if there
was one thing my dad lived for, One Person he lived for, it was Jesus Christ.
Yes, he loved us very much. He loved others so well and put them before
himself. But all of that was just an overflow of his love and passion for
Jesus. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Looking back on his life these last couple of weeks with
family and friends, and reflecting on my dad’s last months, I see even more
clearly how my dad lived for things of eternal value. He truly saw each moment
as a gift, definitely didn’t rush through life, and really lived each day as if
it were his last. My dad was full of life and shared Life with others.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I am so comforted knowing that he is in heaven now, partying
with Jesus and the angels, pain and cancer free, never having to be rushed
through a conversation again because he has all eternity! He probably had the
biggest welcoming party at the gates as he heard the words from the Lord: “Well
done, My good and faithful servant”. I’m sad because I miss him, but I have
such joy and peace knowing that Romans 8:18 is true: <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy
to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us.” </i>And I know my
dad is basking in the glory of God right now, where he was always meant to be. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
still joyfully praising,</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
lisa</div>
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lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12440006704491788297noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8433594293283424880.post-66867611392371316752014-01-01T11:37:00.000-06:002014-01-01T11:37:22.324-06:00Bienvenidos 2014!First off, I want to say a HUGE thank you to friends and family that prayed for my dad, and continue to pray for my family, and me. Your prayers and words of encouragement have been felt, despite whatever distance is between us. The body of Christ is amazing! I know my dad is enjoying looooong, lovely conversations with lots of people and as my Tia Nancy said, he is singing in God's heavenly choir with gusto! So, despite 2013 ending quite differently than I ever imagined, God is still good and I am resting in His goodness as this New Year begins.<br />
<br />
Looking back at my 2013 NewYear's goals, this is what I wrote:<br />
<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>grow in the fruit of the Spirit</li>
<li>read the rest of my mystery series</li>
<li>run a half marathon... or 2</li>
<li>work out. just do something</li>
<li>be better at budgeting and saving</li>
<li>be better at keeping in touch with others</li>
<li>blog more? (there was literally a question mark there... I guess I wasn't too sure about that one)</li>
<li>read 1 classic book</li>
<li>invite people over for dinner</li>
</ul>
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I would say I had pretty good goals in mind. Did I remember that I wrote those? Nope! I'm pretty sure I hadn't looked at those since the day I wrote them. However, I did accomplish some of those things this past year! </div>
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Obviously, growing in the fruit of the Spirit is a lifelong goal, so I can't say that I am there quite yet. </div>
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I actually re-started my mystery series from the beginning and JUST finished the last book I had already read... which means THIS year I will be starting to read the rest of the series! </div>
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I did run a half marathon with my sister, so that was fun. Mike and I have already signed up for the BCS half next December, so that one is a for sure this year as well!</div>
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Sooo... hopefully since I've signed up for another half marathon I will continue to work out in some shape or form. One can only hope. </div>
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As far as budgeting goes, I just downloaded YNAB (You Need a Budget), so we are trying something new this year. Hopefully this will help us budget and save, especially since Mike is back in school and we have more loans to pay off. Our goal is to pay off my small loan this year. Let's see if we can do it!</div>
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I think I did a fair job of keeping in touch with others. Haven't been too great on the bookface, but I have stayed in contact with friends.</div>
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I'm not sure if I blogged more or not... maybe that question mark was there for good reason!</div>
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Hmm... classic book. Did I read a classic this past year? Ummm... I honesty don't remember. I know I read books, just can't think if any were classics or not. This year Mike and I have cleared out one of the shelves on our bookshelf to add any books we read during this year to see how many we come up with. This should be fun!</div>
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<br /></div>
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And I think I can recall at least 3 times inviting people over for dinner this year! So, that's like, 1 invite every 4 months! Yeah! I could probably be better about that too. I think we could handle once a month!</div>
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Some of these past year's goals will stay the same and just continue on into 2014, but I think I'll add some more.</div>
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2014 Goals:</div>
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<ul>
<li>Spend more time with family (talking on the phone, dinner, visiting, emails, etc)</li>
<li>Pay off one of my small school loans</li>
<li>FINISH my mystery series</li>
<li>practice guitar at least once every week</li>
<li>keep a list of those that I am praying for and pray for them often!</li>
<li>finish reading the Bible all the way through for the 2nd time (currently half-way there!)</li>
<li>continue to grow in the fruit of the Spirit!</li>
<li>blog more?... yeah, let's just keep that one on there. It's a goal. If I put it on the list it might happen, but if it's not on the list, it probably definitely won't happen... right?! :)</li>
</ul>
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I think that should do. (Don't want to overwhelm myself from Day 1!) Do I think I'll remember all these come July 23rd? Probably not. But maybe you can help keep me accountable with these things. What are your New Year's resolutions/goals? </div>
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Happy New Year!</div>
<div>
lisa</div>
lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12440006704491788297noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8433594293283424880.post-81896159023637913792013-11-14T21:50:00.002-06:002013-11-14T21:50:15.234-06:00A Five Letter WordAs many of you know, my dad has been in a lot of pain recently. What we thought was just simply back pain and stomach bug, has now turned into something that I never saw coming. That six letter word that no one wants to hear from the doctor. That word that seems synonymous with short life, suffering, and death. That word that cuts deep in the heart because probably everyone you know has known someone or has suffered through it themselves. That word that you think "will never happen to you".<br />
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;">cancer.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><br /></span>
It's weird to actually verbalize it now and say to people "my dad has cancer." Those are literally the last words I thought I would say about my dad; always paying attention to what he puts in his body, taking care of himself.<br />
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My dad has been diagnosed with Stage 4 Pancreatic Cancer that has spread to the liver. The mass in his body can be felt just by touching his abdomen. 10-11 cm. Yeah, I know. crazy. And all this happened during 'Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month' of all times...<br />
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I wasn't quite sure how my dad would feel about chemotherapy, but in my heart of hearts I was hoping that he would choose to fight it and see what happens. Thankfully, after meeting with Dr. #2, (who is a God-send by the way) he suggested a form of chemo that is 'easier' on the body. I literally cannot imagine what chemotherapy is like, at all, but my dad heard him talk about it, and said "sign me up!"<br />
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I am grateful that my dad is wanting to fight this. And I want him to know that we will be fighting this with him with prayer and fasting.<br />
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<i>Beyond all things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity. Colossians 3:14</i></div>
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<i>May my prayer be counted as incense before You; the lifting up of my hands as the evening offering. Psalm 141:2</i></div>
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<i>Rejoice in the Lord always, again I say rejoice! Philippians 4:4</i></div>
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And if I am honest with you, I am doing well. It is a day-by-day thing, but I have never felt so much love and support and encouragement from friends and family. God has so richly blessed me beyond what I could ever imagine. And I know, without a doubt, no matter what the outcome is, God loves my dad. He loves my family. And He loves me.<br />
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Because the Lord is near the brokenhearted.<br />
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Because the Lord comforts those who mourn.<br />
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Because the Lord is quick to show compassion.<br />
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Because the Lord heals all diseases.<br />
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Because the Lord works all things for our good and His glory.<br />
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Because the Lord thinks about us literally all.the.time.<br />
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Because the Lord is with us.<br />
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Because the Lord brings peace that passes all understanding.<br />
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Because He loves us.<br />
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Because He has overcome the world.<br />
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Because He is coming back some day and it's going to be totally awesome beyond words.<br />
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And I can trust in His promises.<br />
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That six letter word has no power over my dad. Over my family. Over my attitude and outlook on life. But there <i>is</i> a word that <i>does</i> have power. A word that comes from Christ alone. A word the world so greatly desires to achieve. A word that speaks volumes of the goodness and love of God. A word that comes from giving it all over to the One that is in control.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">PEACE.</span><br />
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<i>Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful. John 14:27</i><br />
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<i>And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:7</i><br />
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hopeful, trusting, and still making a joyful noise,<br />
lisalisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12440006704491788297noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8433594293283424880.post-66928401342347527142013-06-26T18:48:00.001-05:002013-06-26T18:48:37.175-05:00Kodály: Who was he and what's it about?<span style="font-family: inherit;">As some of you know, the past 3 weeks I've been in the traffic-jammed city of Houston learning all about the music teaching concept known as Kodály. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>It's pronounced KOH-die, not <strike>koh-DALLEE</strike>. </i><- please don't pronounce it like that. Look, I've even scratched it out for you so you don't even have to look at it!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Say it with me now, Kodály! Kodály! Kodály! Ok, I think we got it. Now to move on.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">First off, WHO is Kodály? </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnwgnhvn3u97Y3tJvRX405IV7nVybSF62H73vpYdqg9nJKJdoP_G-0-2t47wtCKcMuk2elX5XmlViVEktHdnLWchvtoHNOSwJ-imrHYY0w_-DA_G2x4YyPae8vsGsC9zj_2Gd6jjuXwHkB/s1600/Kodaly-Zoltan-01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnwgnhvn3u97Y3tJvRX405IV7nVybSF62H73vpYdqg9nJKJdoP_G-0-2t47wtCKcMuk2elX5XmlViVEktHdnLWchvtoHNOSwJ-imrHYY0w_-DA_G2x4YyPae8vsGsC9zj_2Gd6jjuXwHkB/s1600/Kodaly-Zoltan-01.jpg" height="320" width="248" /></a></div>
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: inherit;">There he is! -------></span><br />
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 14.545454025268555px;">Zoltán Kodály lived from 1882-1967 and is known as a prominent Hungarian composer, musician, ethnomusicologist, philosopher, and teacher. </span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 14.53125px;">Kodály</span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 14.53125px;"> directed his creative endeavors to the musical education of the Hungarian nation- an interest that developed over many years. </span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 14.53125px;">Kodály</span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 14.53125px;"> began collecting folk songs of Hungary in 1905 and became aware of the great need to improve the quality of singing and music training of teachers and children.</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 14.53125px;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: inherit;">He began composing for children's choruses in the 1920s and was greatly inspired by folk music, which became the musical basic for many of his compositions. By 1929, he was determined to reform the teaching of music and to make it an integral part of the education of every child.</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 14.53125px;"><i><span style="color: #666666; font-family: inherit;">"Teach music and singing at school in such a way that it is not a torture but a joy for the pupil; instill as thirst for finer music, a thirst that will last a lifetime... If the child is not filled at least once by the life-giving stream of music during the most susceptible period- between the sixth and sixteenth years- it will hardly be of any use to them much later on. Often a single experience will open the young soul to music for a whole lifetime. This experience cannot be left to chance, it is the duty of the school to provide it."</span></i></span><br />
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 14.53125px;">Kodály believed that music is meant to develop one's entire being- personality, intellect, and emotions. </span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 14.53125px;">Kodály</span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 14.53125px;"> realized this was part of everyone's basic heritage and was necessary for human development and should be started at as early an age as possible. </span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="line-height: 14.53125px;">Ok, got it. Now was the heck is the </span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 14.53125px;">Kodály</span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 14.53125px;"> concept??</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 14.53125px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 14.53125px;">In a nutshell...</span></span><br />
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<ul>
<li><span style="color: #666666; font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 14.53125px;">a philosophy of education and concept of teaching</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #666666; font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 14.53125px;">a comprehensive program to develop basic musical skills and foster musicianship through reading, writing, and performing music</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #666666; font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 14.53125px;">an integration of many of the best ideas, techniques, and approaches to music education</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #666666; font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 14.53125px;">an experience-based approach to teaching</span></span></li>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 14.53125px;">What can you expect to see in a </span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 14.53125px;">Kodály-based classroom?</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 14.53125px;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<li><span style="color: #666666; font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 14.53125px;">Singing!! Lots and lots of singing!!! (a cappella) And not just singing some song from the radio, but singing folk songs and games of American culture, traditional folk songs, folk songs of other cultures, high quality music, pedagogical exercises written by master composers.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #666666; font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 14.53125px;">Musicianship (sight-reading music, ear training, dictation, part hearing, hearing and singing harmony, development memory, perceiving form)</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #666666; font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 14.53125px;">Quality art music used in listening and movement activities</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #666666; font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 14.53125px;">a sequential learning, experienced-based process</span></span></li>
</ul>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 14.53125px;">(information taken from OAKE pamphlet)</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 14.53125px;">So that's who </span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 14.53125px;">Kodály</span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 14.53125px;"> is and what the teaching philosophy is about. So what have I been doing for 3 weeks??</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 14.53125px;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 14.53125px;">Well... basically all those things listed above. I have been challenged musically, doing music theory exercises I haven't done since college. Peer-teaching the other students. Learning how to be a better conductor. Becoming a better musician myself with singing challenging songs. Expanding my repertoire I use in the classroom.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 14.53125px;">The Kodály</span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 14.53125px;"> program is set up into 3 levels, beginning with Level I and ending with Level III. This is a 3 year process, so hopefully I will be taking this for the next 2 summers and get even better and eventually be </span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 14.53125px;">Kodály</span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 14.53125px;"> Certified! <i>(I don't get paid any extra, but the training pays off exponentially in the classroom!)</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 14.53125px;"><i><span style="color: #666666; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></i></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 14.53125px;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: inherit;">Our classes consisted of Musicianship, Conducting, Ensemble, Special Topics, Pedagogy, and Music Literature. I've learned so many new songs, names of folk singers, singing games, singing using different modes like aolian and phyrgian... yeah don't ask. haha</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 14.53125px;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 14.53125px;">I hope for all my non-musician friends this gave you a little idea of what I've been doing, and I look forward to implementing these ideas in my classroom! Thankfully I had a wonderful student teaching experience in the elementary level with a </span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 14.53125px;">Kodály</span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 14.53125px;"> certified teacher, and was already exposed to a lot of the ideas and concepts. Thanks Jennifer!!! </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 14.53125px;">After tomorrow's last day, Mike and I will be heading to Austin to celebrate our anniversary and the end of my training! Finally a little break! </span><span style="line-height: 14.53125px;">What do you have going on this summer??</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 14.53125px;"><i>Only the best is good enough! -</i></span><i><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 14.53125px;">Kodály</span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 14.53125px;"> </span></i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: inherit;"><i><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 14.53125px;"><br /></span></i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 14.53125px;">lisa</span></span></div>
lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12440006704491788297noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8433594293283424880.post-61089490528083997412012-12-28T17:20:00.002-06:002012-12-28T17:20:56.910-06:00San Antonio ChristmasI'm almost to the end of my 1st week of Christmas break. Should I feel guilty that I spent most of today on my bed with a little heater going so I could stay warm all day? naaaaah. I mean, I <i>did</i> crochet, read, make a grocery list, and write a couple of thank-yous...<br />
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Mike and I spent a couple of days down in good ol' San Antonio. The entire familia was under 1 roof, which was a little crazy, but we managed just fine. Only 1 casualty, my mom falling over and then my dad (jokingly) falling beside her, creating an odd, but somewhat sweet moment.<br />
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All us "kids" laughed a lot while going through old pictures, and ooooh-ing and aaaawww-ing at how cute we all were when we were little. I even found a little booklet that talked about my first couple of days after being born, which was an interesting read and I will spare you those details because it was awkward to read out loud and we all ended up laughing so hard because it was so awkward. Yeaaaaah, good times.<br />
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Of course, Christmas Eve would not be complete in our household without the following:<br />
tamales<br />
queso<br />
guacamole<br />
chili<br />
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It simply must be done. No questions asked.<br />
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I would just like to say I'm preeettyyyyy sure that was the first picture he actually smiled normal in. Ethan, not my brother. ; )</div>
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Now, other than finishing crocheting a scarf for my niece, I need a project. One that is of the cleaning/organizing sort. However, I pretty much cleaned everything in the house before we left, so that's taken care of... maybe I'll work on our guest room closet...<br />
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Hope you had a Merry Christmas and have a Happy New Year!lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12440006704491788297noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8433594293283424880.post-65651696344962096312012-11-25T20:45:00.000-06:002012-11-25T20:46:29.458-06:00Friends, family, & hair.Our Thanksgiving Break was kicked off on Tuesday when we met up with one of my best friends and her husband while they were in Texas for the holidays from Florida!<br />
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We met up in Bastrop, sort of half-way between us and Austin.</div>
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We went into Buc-ees since neither of them had been there before!</div>
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Ya know, just shoppin' around because it's humungous!</div>
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Don't mess with Texas <strike>magnets</strike>.</div>
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Of course Mike and I talked up their restrooms, because let's get real, they are awesome.</div>
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Sad to say goodbye, but happy to see them!</div>
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THEN... on Wednesday we had a belated birthday celebration for our oh-so-cute nephew. We had fondue and it was dee-lish! Sorry my bro bro had to miss it because he was having car troubles. :(<br />
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Yeaaaaah this guy.</div>
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He's really into heavy machinery. </div>
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Also loves reading books with Mi-ma.</div>
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And this lil' cutie enjoying Pop! <i>Notice outfit #1 of the evening, including grass skirt.</i></div>
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Eva loves her Uncle Mike! <i>And outfit #2 of the night. I'm pretty sure she squealed about this dress.</i></div>
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I LOVE THEM SO STINKIN' MUCH!!!</div>
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Just look at that face...</div>
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Love 'em both!</div>
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On Thanksgiving, we had lunch at our dear cousin's house in College Station. We missed our Tia Kathy and Tio Dennis and cousin Roger! We love y'all!</div>
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I just really liked this picture.</div>
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This year we had NO spilt sweet potatoes! Success! </div>
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And because we are just a <i>little</i> crazy and for no good reason, we decided to go Black Friday shopping. Which was weird to call it that because we actually went Thanksgiving evening. We stopped off at Michael's, which was AWESOME! Coupons and discounts and teacher discounts. And nobody there! Yeah, pretty sweet. And then we went to Target and only waited in line for 10 minutes to check out. Not bad! Not included in the picture is a fire-bowl that we don't really have a place for at the moment!... : )</div>
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AND to finish off the break, why not chop some hair off, huh?!</div>
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Our sweet friend Kim owns a salon and pretty much cuts everyone's hair at our church.</div>
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That head massage was a-mazing!</div>
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Really long I know! Longest I've ever had it!</div>
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Before the cut...</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv097dlp4l3xEOOIdP0cydaSWV3YZEyo0kUNG6_4zSO4x8GkHudSXdVsv6PAzeoBBMK2Fb1m2dsbkO8ahuFwZMQ9fao9gPbOABOytRByYnWHM1RMdbh7RrKv5IAuVqOV0BP-kGY4C0UiwD/s1600/IMG_2480.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv097dlp4l3xEOOIdP0cydaSWV3YZEyo0kUNG6_4zSO4x8GkHudSXdVsv6PAzeoBBMK2Fb1m2dsbkO8ahuFwZMQ9fao9gPbOABOytRByYnWHM1RMdbh7RrKv5IAuVqOV0BP-kGY4C0UiwD/s1600/IMG_2480.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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Snip, snip!</div>
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Good to go! Donating about 11 or so inches to Pantene Beautiful Lengths.</div>
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Kim working her magic!</div>
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She really does make everyone in our church look good! ; )</div>
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Almost done!</div>
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I think this haircut really brings out my cheek bones...</div>
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Ta-dah! </div>
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LOVE it! </div>
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Before and after...</div>
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Hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday. We have much to be thankful for. In everything, give thanks!!!!!</div>
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lisa</div>
lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12440006704491788297noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8433594293283424880.post-38358781978075784802012-11-01T21:06:00.001-05:002012-11-01T21:46:31.252-05:00Birthday Month!25 was welcomed with a month long celebration, of sorts. I'm not complaining or anything, it just somehow ended up that way, and I'm totally ok with that.<br />
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My parents came in town, more so for my sweet brother's birthday, who was also in town, but my generous mama took me shopping, so you know, birthday presents already!<br />
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First I was surprised with a pumpkin carving party with some of our sweet high-school-Bible-study-goers, so that was fun. :) Messy, and so worth it!<br />
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Then, about a week before my birthday, I was surprised once again. Mike suggested we get out of the house and walk around the mall. I was mulling around Bath and Body Works, ya know, smelling a bunch of stuff. <i>(you should really smell the "Cashmere gold" or whatever it's called. Pretty much my favorite scent now)</i> So, you know, since it was my birthday month I HAD to buy, like, the whole collection!<br />
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Ok, it was buy 3 get 3 free, so I didn't feel so guilty. Let's just say 25 is going to be a great smelling year!<br />
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Anyway, so we go to the mall for a little bit, and then we leave and go to some park that I've never been to. By then, I was so tired and didn't really feel like walking around, but Mike convinced me. After braving it through a field of mud, we made our way to the walking path where I found a rose with a note attached.<br />
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Eventually, there ended up being 12 roses, each with a sweet, thoughtful note. We ended up having dinner at the little lake at the park, where a table was set up and Chuy's Mexican food was waiting for us! Yum!<br />
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Of course I had to feed the ducks some of the leftover chips... and made sure to leave when that huge goose started attacking the other ducks. It was getting serious up in there!<br />
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For my <i>actual</i> birthday, I had choir practice after school and my cute, little choir sang happy birthday to me. Mike and I went to eat wings and then stopped off at my sister's house for dessert. <i>I made sure not to overstuff myself like last year where I literally ended up eating so much I threw up!)</i> So we talked and played with the cute lil' munchkins for a bit.<br />
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And then of course, since my birthday is the day before Halloween, there's always some celebration the next day, which I just pretend it's for my birthday anyway... not really, but kinda. The coaches at my school got me Freddy's for lunch. So yummy!!!<br />
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I don't know why, but I'm really excited about being 25. It's going to be a fantastic year. Looking forward to what the Lord has in store!<br />
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already loving 25,<br />
lisalisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12440006704491788297noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8433594293283424880.post-30729138804567641592012-10-27T16:16:00.002-05:002012-10-27T16:16:36.884-05:00Lately...So, I've kind of failed as a blogger recently. And I'm sorry. <i>(and that sentence has been sitting there for about, ummm 2 weeks.)</i><br />
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In order to recap what's been going on lately, here are a few pictures!<br />
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School <i>(obviously) </i>started again! It's been a great 2nd year! Just finished up my first music program of the year with 3rd grade!</div>
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We celebrated Mike's birthday at Texas Roadhouse, where they sat us under some falling bugs... they eventually moved us <i>(twice!) </i>and had to bring Mike out a new steak because the bugs were falling on him and his food. I was in the clear! Just Mike's side of the table. We were laughing so hard!</div>
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We've also been going to the students' volleyball games in our youth group!</div>
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I went on our church's women's retreat. It was a great time!</div>
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My birthday came a little early this year and Mike got me a new camera! Really nice! I love it! (Oh yeah, and Mike shaved his head!)</div>
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We attempted to eat the biggest calzone I've ever seen in my life.</div>
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And of course have been enjoying snow cones at my favorite place in Bryan: JJ's!!! <i>PS Get the mango with chili powder. MMMH! </i></div>
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My new camera can do this fun thing! And my mom got me some pretty flowers. :)</div>
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Enjoying some Friday Night football!</div>
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Woo!</div>
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My choir, Celebration Singers, performed at the Texas Reds festival! They did a great job!</div>
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We had quite the turnout!</div>
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We saw off some of our lil' "linklings" to Homecoming. :)</div>
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I'm still singing in our church choir.</div>
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All for the glory of the Lord!</div>
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Mike surprised me with a little pumpkin party! I carved my first pumpkin just a hair under my 25th birthday! I went the basic-face route since it was my first time.</div>
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Obviously my other sweet friends have had more practice...</div>
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They did an awesome job!</div>
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Perfect!</div>
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And a couple of weeks ago we saw some of our sweet middle and high schoolers get baptized. LOVE Y'ALL!</div>
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Hoping to be better at posting more frequently now that I've gotten all caught up! I think 25 is going to be a fantastic year! :)</div>
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lisa</div>
lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12440006704491788297noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8433594293283424880.post-75543059694340921272012-07-26T14:22:00.002-05:002012-07-26T14:22:59.006-05:00Lovin' Summer!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Our trip started out with a Lake Day with our high schoolers from church. It was fun!</div>
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Last week Mike and I had the chance to visit one of our favorite places in Texas, His Hill. Since I grew up going to summer camp there (10 years!) and Mike completed his 2 years of Bible school there, AND we were both counselors together for 2 years, AND it's where we first met 6 years ago, AND became a couple 5 years ago... it's pretty special to us.<br />
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And it's just an amazing place.<br />
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<span style="text-align: center;">Buuuuut first we had to stop at Buc-ee's.</span><br />
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Which this one just so happened to be <i>literally</i> the largest convenient store in the country!</div>
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I mean, HUGE! </div>
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But sadly, this is what happens when you leave gummies in your car in the Texas summer heat! :( Sad day.</div>
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Anyway, we got to visit camp during high school week, which is always the most fun. You never know what's going to happen. Plus, we knew a lot of the campers that were coming that week, and it was so cool to see them all grown up. (how and when did that happen?? I had some of those campers when they were only 8!)<br />
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One of my old campers!</div>
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We visited every activity, hung out with some staff members, stayed the night, and enjoyed more time just relaxing at one of our favorite places! It was really fun to go back there and visit old friends.<br />
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Then we trekked the 4.5+ hours to Lake Jackson to visit more people from the Hill! I had been a camper with Nathan for years... basically every year I went to camp since he lived there! And we also went to Bible school together in Costa Rica for 1 year and were counselors together afterwards. Mike went to Bible school with Nathan's wife, Davina during his 2nd year and also worked together at camp.<br />
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It was so much fun getting to hang out with them for the weekend. We were <strike>creepily greeted by Nathan staring out the window at us getting out of the car </strike>welcomed with delicious hot food and hugs from our dear friends. We went to the beach the next morning for a couple of hours. It was overcast (which was nice and made it cool) and we just enjoyed making drip castles, flying Nathan's amazing kite, (while being better kite flyers than those kids who had Buzz Lightyear! phh!) and throwing the frisbee... ya know. Beachy stuff.<br />
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<i>Sorry... I didn't get any pictures from the beach! Buuut I did remember to get pictures of shoes that Davina and I really wanted to buy!</i><br />
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And while doing a <i>great</i> job at convincing our husbands we "needed" these heels, I about fell over and took all the other shoes... maybe Davina too, with me!</div>
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There we go! Stay classy San Diego.</div>
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Then we went to see The Dark Knight Rises! Woo! We were the 1st people in line... which there wasn't much of a line to begin with, but we wanted the seats with the bar in front, so you gotta do what you gotta do. Aaaaand lemme just say- people who bring their children into movies like that should have their own little room to sit in because: 1.) THEY ARE CHILDREN WHO SHOULDN'T BE SEEING THAT MOVIE!!! 2.) Those kids make too much noise and are obnoxious and 3.) see reason 1.<br />
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We visited their church the next morning which was fun. People trying to convince us to move down there... I'm not sure I could take the humidity or mosquitos! We had a great time and decided that since we don't really live that far apart from each other (about 2.5 hours) that we should at least make time to meet half way each month or alternate who goes where. So yay for friends!<br />
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I can't believe July is almost over! Next week we will be in Birmingham on a mission trip with our youth group! Please pray for that trip that the Lord will be working in the hearts of the people there, as well as ours.<br />
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enjoying what's left of summer,<br />
lisalisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12440006704491788297noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8433594293283424880.post-26150813129151998662012-07-16T19:18:00.001-05:002012-07-16T19:18:03.243-05:00My Best Friend's Wedding!One of my best friends in the whole world just got married this past Saturday. It was a beautiful, emotional, joyful wedding! The week started out Amy (one of my other best friends) <span style="background-color: white;">& I flying into Dallas and enjoying dinner at In'n'Out Burger! Oh yeah!</span><br />
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As always, I LOVE when all 3 of us can hang out together. We have a lot of laughs.<br />
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Us gettin' our free Chik-fila on!! Moo!</div>
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We prepped a lot for Natalie's wedding making poofs out of tissue paper, filling mason jars with birdseed, and lots of other fun stuff! :)<br />
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Literally, 70 pounds of birdseed!</div>
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The lil' U-haul filled with decorations! And yeah, those trash bags: all filled with poofs!</div>
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The bachelorette party was at this amazing chicken place, Babe's. Needless to say, it was a ton of fun and many laughs!<br />
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Bride and bridesmaids!</div>
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Our first of several attempts to re-create the 'Bridesmaids' movie poster. haha</div>
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The rehearsal was at one of my favorite Denton restaurants, The Greenhouse. It was dee-lish as always.<br />
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All the bridesmaids in their un-planned floral!</div>
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Aaaaaaand then: the big day!!!! Ok, so before I start, let me tell you something: I'm not really a crier. Like, those moments when everyone else is crying in the movie, I'm just sitting there. When everyone else is bawling their eyes out at graduation, I'm just smiling saying goodbye.<br />
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But weddings... they just really get to me and I think it's because of the incredibly beautiful symbolism in a wedding ceremony and amount of joy I feel for the couple, mixed with a strange bit of sadness, but yes, mostly joy. :) I pretty much get teary-eyed at every wedding, so when it came to one of my best friend's in the world wedding, I was a tad emotional.<br />
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<i>sidenote: a wedding symbolizes Chris and His bride, the church. Christ is preparing for this wedding feast, and has been for thousands of years. THOUSANDS of years! We plan for weddings for about 1 year or so. He is coming back! And we need to be ready! Just like getting ready for a wedding with all the makeup, and dresses, and shoes, and hair... we need to be ready for His return in our hearts!!!!! Jesus is the bridegroom and we are His bride. Are you ready to call Him King?</i><br />
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I don't even think it was Wednesday of last week and I already had cried about it. Then came the wedding day itself and the Pastor came in to pray with the Bride and bridesmaids and I lost it in the middle of the prayer. I was doing a guh-reat job walking down the aisle, smiling away, doing my best walk in the tallest high heels of my life, and then probably about 3 steps before I reached the pastor, I looked at him and mouthed the words, "I'm going to cry", turned around, and quickly got the kleenex from my pocket.<br />
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I tried to stay strong, but I just couldn't do it. The wedding was so, so beautiful. Natalie was beautiful. Josh was beautiful. And they were both emotional and that made me emotional, and then I'd look out to everyone else and they were emotional, so I'm pretty sure I closed my eyes for some of the ceremony so I couldn't see all the emotion going around!<br />
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Bride's beautiful hair by Miranda the Great!</div>
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The sassy bride!</div>
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The bride was ready to get the show on the road! Teaching the Footloose dance to everyone! :)</div>
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Muah!</div>
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The reception was fun, people were dancing, and it looked amazing. All our poof-making paid off! :) I gave my Matron of Honor toast, speech thing. <i>-Which I had practiced on at least a couple of people beforehand! </i>But as I was reading the words I wrote, it just really hit me, and again... I started crying. At one point I couldn't even see the words I wrote because of all the tears in my eyes! My hand was holding the paper with my speech on it so I wouldn't forget anything and it was shaking so bad from all the emotion I had to put it down on the table. I was not expecting that at all! But I made it through praise the Lord!<br />
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First dance</div>
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After it was all over...</div>
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It was just such a lovely, fun, beautiful, great time with dear friends. Natalie & Josh are a beautiful, genuine, sweet couple and I love them both and look forward to hanging out with them again soon!<br />
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One emotional Matron of Honor,<br />
lisa<br />
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<br />lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12440006704491788297noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8433594293283424880.post-70050777447037311352012-07-07T16:25:00.000-05:002012-07-07T16:39:51.550-05:00Look what we got!Mike and I hadn't even really been debating getting a new couch... but kinda just knew it needed to happen.<br />
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Well I got on Craigslist and looked up some couches and found these beauties for a really good price! They even dropped them off for us because they had a U-haul! Woo! Now we can have more than 3 people sit in our living room!</div>
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We called the seller in just right time too. Only 10 minutes later someone else called about the couches and we had already told them we were coming to see them!<br />
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And they are comfy! So come on over and enjoy a sit! :)</div>lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12440006704491788297noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8433594293283424880.post-41238261095772519092012-07-05T22:40:00.000-05:002012-07-05T22:40:01.392-05:00USA!We spent our 4th of July at Lake Conroe with Laurie, Erich, and the kiddos! It was a really fun time! :)<br />
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We jumped in the lake...</div>
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And Ethan fell down a lot because he is cute...<br />
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And made this face a lot because he is cute... <i>and by the way, Ethan totally has THE cutest lil' singing voice. I mean, so precious.</i><br />
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Eva held her first sparkler like a pro!...<br />
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And I stood like the Statue of Liberty...<br />
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While Laurie and Ethan <strike>played with</strike> stared at their sparkler...<br />
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I made a heart cause I'm good like that...<br />
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And Eva just looked adorable because she is!<br />
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Hope you had a wonderful 4th of July!lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12440006704491788297noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8433594293283424880.post-14833289566776619562012-06-28T15:04:00.000-05:002012-06-28T15:04:07.722-05:00First in Fredericksburg!Mike and I just celebrated our 1 year anniversary last weekend on the 23rd. I'm sure everyone says this, but it's crazy to think that it's been 1 year! It was kind of fun because as we were celebrating throughout Fredericksburg, we kept saying, "this time last year I was..." and it was fun to just think about all that.
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<span style="background-color: white; text-align: left;">Mike planned out a weekend trip to Fredericksburg which was so perfect and so much fun! We both LOVE the hill country area so it was nice to get out there. If you've never been to this lovely, little hill country town, it's so worth it! A HUGE Main St. with plenty of stores and shops. </span></div>
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You know that raspberry chipotle sauce that people pour on top of cream cheese and no one can stop eating?? Ok, well, the place that first made that yummy goodness is in Fredericksburg! Sooo of course we had to sample every other kind! ...<i> and maybe buy a few more...</i><br />
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Lots of restaurants, including our favorite, Hondo's.<br />
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Let me tell you why Hondo's is our favorite. Because it has a burger that has queso and pico de gallo on it. Need I say more?
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Anyway, we enjoyed spending time at the Pacific War Museum, which of course was very educational and interesting. Definitely stop by all three parts if you go!
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We also took a tour of a winery down there. I always really enjoy going on those tours because it really is so neat how they make wine. And every place has their own little method of doing it. It's crazy to me how long, and detailed the process of making wine is, and then Jesus' first miracle was turing water into wine! And not just any wine, the BEST wine. Wine that would probably take years to make! I think that's pretty amazing.
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Of course we got some incredible peach cobbler at one of those peach places on the side of the road!<br />
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We also spent some time with some friends from the summer camp Mike and I both worked at. We went bowling and all did a terrible job, then got some yummy pizza to make up for it! We spend a few hours on our balcony patio, just talking, hanging out. We noticed across the street from us there was a bride and groom taking pictures, and so we cheered and yelled "congratulations!" to them. Aaaaaaand then we stayed out on the patio until the very end of their reception. :) haha
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Aaaand we all crammed into 1, yes 1 car. We were so inconspicuous 2 cops driving by didn't even notice. ;)<br />
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But probably the funniest part of the weekend was going to the Rock Box Theater. What this place does is they have an entertainment group performing a bunch of different songs spanning from the 50s through the 90s. (including a very talented Deputy Barney Fife impersonator!)
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Let's just say we were the youngest people there under 50. We were looking around, and everyone we saw had white hair and was just so much older than us! Some of them were even celebrating their high school reunions from the 60s! Aaaaand others were celebrating anniversaries like Mike and I were, but instead of being married 1 year, oh, you know, they'd been married 32 or 54 years. No big deal.
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But they did a ticket drawing for a free pair of tickets for the birthday people. And then, jokingly I said to Mike, "We better win those tickets for our anniversary!" What do you know? They not only gave the 54th anniversary people free tickets, but us as well! We were dying laughing. When we were leaving, everyone pinned us as "the 1 years". I wonder how they figured that out? ;)
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Our stash that we brought home with us.<br />
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It was a perfect weekend! This 1st year has been met with several challenges and adjustments, but many, many, many laughs.
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Looking forward to someday being that couple celebrating their 54th wedding anniversary. :)lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12440006704491788297noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8433594293283424880.post-35013990995238869922012-06-16T10:48:00.001-05:002012-06-16T10:49:11.685-05:00Lake BryanYesterday our friends from church, the Clarks, took Mike and me out on their boat to Lake Bryan. Their daughter, Sarah Beth, is in my small group at our youth group. I love her! <br><br>
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Anyway, they took us out on the boat, just a perfectly sunny day! We did wake-boarding, knee-boarding, and skiing. However, we only managed to get pictures of the wake-boaring. It was a lot of fun! <br><br>
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I really like wake-boarding. I even got up and stayed up for quite a while on my first try!!! I felt pretty proud of myself. <br><br>
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There I go! Woo!
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Can't you tell just how excited I was?
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I actually thought that I would be better at water skiing, but by the end of it all, my legs were just so incredibly tired, I couldn't keep myself up for very long. And after wake-boarding, using 2 skis felt a little strange... my shoulders are feeling it this morning!!!<br><br>
What are your summer plans?lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12440006704491788297noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8433594293283424880.post-60380271953257084942012-06-11T21:06:00.002-05:002012-06-11T21:10:57.987-05:00My Closet ProjectWhen I first arrived at my school, Johnson, I noticed there were 2 closets in my room. <i>Sweet! Lost of storage space for you know, useful stuff!</i> That was what I had thought. However, upon opening one of the closets, I found this.
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and this.
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You <b>literally</b> cannot walk inside this closet! So I did what any good, sensible, 1st year teacher would do: I left it alone the entire year. I will say that I did ask the 2 previous music teachers at my school if they had any idea what was in there, and they said they didn't really want to mess with it.
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I see.
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So, I took it upon myself to clean this thing. To actually go through all the boxes and figure out just what the heck is in there. Maybe something I could actually use in the future! I had to know! <i>I also just wanted more space to store things and peace of mind that the closet was clean!</i>
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And so I began the cleaning out process last Monday. My strategy was to empty the closet completely, and organize/trash from there.
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Step 1. Making room to even get IN the closet.
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Wow! There's actually a floor!<br><br>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcKz-8kae991IC28k6g0c2xuCuSMVKLWUhEV-3SJM75MWrIpnyDZDHOunzkWE81vnw7Rc6H1RTAAaNWo9klHvMdaILcuWlDhPRY0e_1Qi-S6ysIpbhO-Qv0boFoI2k5wmUNzdslhPnlQNb/s1600/IMG_20120530_081504.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="400" width="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcKz-8kae991IC28k6g0c2xuCuSMVKLWUhEV-3SJM75MWrIpnyDZDHOunzkWE81vnw7Rc6H1RTAAaNWo9klHvMdaILcuWlDhPRY0e_1Qi-S6ysIpbhO-Qv0boFoI2k5wmUNzdslhPnlQNb/s400/IMG_20120530_081504.jpg" /></a>
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And <i>this</i> is all <i>that</i> stuff that was blocking the way.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguLKM7r8C9ww8WEBdGBAuvbCIJPj6oKR9RjGcjO3vJ6qj1VD75O_LJNhfi4kGU26jL8P8Xad9U3tO5zoM9E_jcmjNvJgP_QyeUvVmgHmgA78voG0vEorgaq6t4EUubyf6n6xU2mRBve6R-/s1600/IMG_20120530_081536.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="300" width="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguLKM7r8C9ww8WEBdGBAuvbCIJPj6oKR9RjGcjO3vJ6qj1VD75O_LJNhfi4kGU26jL8P8Xad9U3tO5zoM9E_jcmjNvJgP_QyeUvVmgHmgA78voG0vEorgaq6t4EUubyf6n6xU2mRBve6R-/s400/IMG_20120530_081536.jpg" /></a>
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Step 2. Get everything else out.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUIf4AK0j-_dKUrZPspQ9ocjKWKLXjFPhV0RS3iihTFAlMehVXq5mVAGlmur00X1n81Yh8iw0ulJn9cplPaK1EsZZDwMdhhcM4QpZbzPyflA-zEv1_YUUbVR0jhyphenhyphenJs-2nwmUan1peNqplH/s1600/IMG_20120530_155439.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="400" width="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUIf4AK0j-_dKUrZPspQ9ocjKWKLXjFPhV0RS3iihTFAlMehVXq5mVAGlmur00X1n81Yh8iw0ulJn9cplPaK1EsZZDwMdhhcM4QpZbzPyflA-zEv1_YUUbVR0jhyphenhyphenJs-2nwmUan1peNqplH/s400/IMG_20120530_155439.jpg" /></a>
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Oh goody! I get to go through all these terribly dusty, mostly trash, extremely dusty, old, did I mention <i>dusty,</i> boxes!
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDfa81NgysWRHSMW0MpDRTgufAlRM5oYgzhmfn3wqTxxoGKzldaJLT7uzhof7Oqa8pXAAhMU8J487je3pK45Hi8kXL49f0Hrhaq7HJxL4Ijp4u5JpEUGZsEzJIFxfmmOUjAmRppUDSsoah/s1600/IMG_20120530_155334.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="300" width="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDfa81NgysWRHSMW0MpDRTgufAlRM5oYgzhmfn3wqTxxoGKzldaJLT7uzhof7Oqa8pXAAhMU8J487je3pK45Hi8kXL49f0Hrhaq7HJxL4Ijp4u5JpEUGZsEzJIFxfmmOUjAmRppUDSsoah/s400/IMG_20120530_155334.jpg" /></a>
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A teacher friend moved the shelves to make the most use out of the small space in there, which I was very thankful for. Because then it began to look like this.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEWR51YOSeq_ZK34vQhkI84Ixoznw3OFlFLxByw9RmB0fuY3-bzo35KrVgr4PvAowC7MZNM4chuO_QUQadtjOC-blyW9-VZIj5TXFohT-CioGcJcL4HQ1dxjObJXFYpcsWENCzl5GpfcfK/s1600/IMG_20120601_160413.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="400" width="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEWR51YOSeq_ZK34vQhkI84Ixoznw3OFlFLxByw9RmB0fuY3-bzo35KrVgr4PvAowC7MZNM4chuO_QUQadtjOC-blyW9-VZIj5TXFohT-CioGcJcL4HQ1dxjObJXFYpcsWENCzl5GpfcfK/s400/IMG_20120601_160413.jpg" /></a>
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Including fresh new labels on boxes! And dust free might I add! <i>I not only scrubbed those lids, I scrubbed the floor, AND the walls. It was like one giant dust ball in there!</i>
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Eventually, it looked like this with everything in there.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEite_23Ok26Eu9BNlw9kXqKjtXaSRMicbVQQ9lQzG99UBfqkTMucdk50TGLc5_36BDrE11PT87wPv5U0YbWzbNTbD_eFsnqxhfWNzAkmHJqDQ1XIdMJP-m9zhCrIClKIp7fahirRtm787g3/s1600/IMG_20120611_122024.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="400" width="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEite_23Ok26Eu9BNlw9kXqKjtXaSRMicbVQQ9lQzG99UBfqkTMucdk50TGLc5_36BDrE11PT87wPv5U0YbWzbNTbD_eFsnqxhfWNzAkmHJqDQ1XIdMJP-m9zhCrIClKIp7fahirRtm787g3/s400/IMG_20120611_122024.jpg" /></a>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9wbdc0XAthoBt65s2Q_7iVA966acEXC1FxU89LePBTME-rSmqBNAlABc1LifTEFDddnrxEnQhL1NboD4p1kucS857EDr6QWNLRtaaB7rOApYhnvydaPBwEg-LZAQLekHeXxZKzZaHVDzP/s1600/IMG_20120611_122031.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="400" width="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9wbdc0XAthoBt65s2Q_7iVA966acEXC1FxU89LePBTME-rSmqBNAlABc1LifTEFDddnrxEnQhL1NboD4p1kucS857EDr6QWNLRtaaB7rOApYhnvydaPBwEg-LZAQLekHeXxZKzZaHVDzP/s400/IMG_20120611_122031.jpg" /></a>
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Clean. Happy. Organized. Not dusty. Spacious. <i>aaaah, it just makes me happy inside.</i>
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And now my room looks like this!
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHJjU2y49Y8flW3tApPmmuRnNUugUdB2YiIwQ98Y2LpsvuBIcKkcvgpXnEHNdye2EXcjJv9ZbXBXpjho4odeu3YAq_SiwKCsgy1bi86hf9fsN82m4voMv-fHPKHfUHDuusOJQO434HwilV/s1600/IMG_20120611_122109.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="300" width="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHJjU2y49Y8flW3tApPmmuRnNUugUdB2YiIwQ98Y2LpsvuBIcKkcvgpXnEHNdye2EXcjJv9ZbXBXpjho4odeu3YAq_SiwKCsgy1bi86hf9fsN82m4voMv-fHPKHfUHDuusOJQO434HwilV/s400/IMG_20120611_122109.jpg" /></a>
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All those things ready to be donated, given to teachers, or thrown away. I'm very much looking forward to a clean music room again! It's funny though, when I am done with an organization project. I don't know if this is just me, but I love just looking at it, and staring at it, thinking about what it once looked like, and how much better it is now. How much brighter the sun looks. How much better food tastes, now that it's organized. I could stare at this for <strike>hours</strike> a long period of minutes.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEite_23Ok26Eu9BNlw9kXqKjtXaSRMicbVQQ9lQzG99UBfqkTMucdk50TGLc5_36BDrE11PT87wPv5U0YbWzbNTbD_eFsnqxhfWNzAkmHJqDQ1XIdMJP-m9zhCrIClKIp7fahirRtm787g3/s1600/IMG_20120611_122024.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="400" width="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEite_23Ok26Eu9BNlw9kXqKjtXaSRMicbVQQ9lQzG99UBfqkTMucdk50TGLc5_36BDrE11PT87wPv5U0YbWzbNTbD_eFsnqxhfWNzAkmHJqDQ1XIdMJP-m9zhCrIClKIp7fahirRtm787g3/s400/IMG_20120611_122024.jpg" /></a>
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BEFORE:
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd-NoZMXrHIZ8EQsEbtAH_ORenXeHp4xqnRWMQ8ltwyUEHIbE6neNq5IqEZkd7ZSErOd9PEVxZ8n7dGxwvqc30eh-EpRs92KFn_mTOuthqdrTV8kow9Fin30voGhLu6-YZOCUpUloEZhX8/s1600/IMG_20120529_150413.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="400" width="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd-NoZMXrHIZ8EQsEbtAH_ORenXeHp4xqnRWMQ8ltwyUEHIbE6neNq5IqEZkd7ZSErOd9PEVxZ8n7dGxwvqc30eh-EpRs92KFn_mTOuthqdrTV8kow9Fin30voGhLu6-YZOCUpUloEZhX8/s400/IMG_20120529_150413.jpg" /></a>
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AND NOW:
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEite_23Ok26Eu9BNlw9kXqKjtXaSRMicbVQQ9lQzG99UBfqkTMucdk50TGLc5_36BDrE11PT87wPv5U0YbWzbNTbD_eFsnqxhfWNzAkmHJqDQ1XIdMJP-m9zhCrIClKIp7fahirRtm787g3/s1600/IMG_20120611_122024.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="400" width="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEite_23Ok26Eu9BNlw9kXqKjtXaSRMicbVQQ9lQzG99UBfqkTMucdk50TGLc5_36BDrE11PT87wPv5U0YbWzbNTbD_eFsnqxhfWNzAkmHJqDQ1XIdMJP-m9zhCrIClKIp7fahirRtm787g3/s400/IMG_20120611_122024.jpg" /></a>
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Aaaaaaah. How lovely.
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Completely satisfied,
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lisalisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12440006704491788297noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8433594293283424880.post-88784160481109656832012-06-01T21:20:00.001-05:002012-06-01T21:20:46.814-05:001st Year Teacher: check!Is it really over?? Is this school year actually finished? Did I really just complete my 1st year of teaching? It seems so surreal! When that bell rang today, it was ringing in my first summer as a teacher. I have had an incredible year! It's been amazing how much God has blessed me at my school; my principal, my team of teachers, new friends.
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One thing I learned this year was to not let things worry me. I had to put on a total of 5 music programs this year and the day of my first program, one teacher came up to me and said, "You are the calmest music teacher I have seen on program days!" That made me feel good! I mean, there was no sense in worrying about it! The kids knew their music, nothing I could do to make it any better! I was more nervous to just speak into the microphone and say something awkward! Those kids shined and sang beautifully and were just so cute!
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The best part about this year was creating my own music games and activities. I'm gonna be honest- I know people say that musicians are really creative, which, don't get me wrong, PLENTY of them are! But I am just not that creative when it comes to making things up. But I created several music games and instrument accompaniments for the students to play and they had a blast! Plus, it was fun for me to make and refreshing to have something new in my tool box!
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One of the funniest things that a kid said to me (on numerous occasions- practically every single time I saw this one little kindergartner), was "Mrs. Nice I like your hair!" No matter what it looked like! In a bun, in a braid, down with a headband- this kid liked it all. Even today, on the last day of school, I saw him for 1 second, and he turned to me and said it in that little voice of his. It just made me laugh.
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I'm excited for next year because the art teacher and I are going to try to collaborate and combine music and art in our classes. The 'Composer of the Month' will be in the same time period as the artist that the students are learning about. She'll play music from that time period in her classroom while the students work on their art. We also want to plan out a fine arts night at our school and have music and arts and crafts for the whole family to come and enjoy! I am getting so excited about that!
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It's funny because I still sometimes feel like such a little kid at work. <i>Who wouldn't? I get to play games and sing and teach music all day!</i> But because I <strike>am</strike>, was a 1st year teacher, I felt sometimes like I was inferior to the other teachers, or I couldn't relate to them. Granted, most of them have been married for years and have kids. But I just have to remind myself that I know what I am doing! I know how to teach! I just had a bit of an inferiority complex goin' on... does that ever go away? I think part of it is because I still look really young. Funny story- so before school started, I was sitting on the floor in the music room going through books or something, and the PE coach walks in and looks at me for a second and asks "Oh, is your mom here?" I had to laugh because that was what I had joked about, saying that I will blend in with the kids! Well, the kids weren't even there yet! :) We still laugh about that day.
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If I were to give one piece of advice to anyone about to dive into their first teaching year, I would say this: It's going to be hard, but maybe not how you think or expect. Be confident in what you know and have spent years learning and practicing and preparing. But don't be too afraid to seek help or advice. Oh, and don't stay at work for hours and hours and hours after the kids leave! Go home! And have a life! <i>Ok, that was more than 1, but I just had to share that!</i>
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1 year ago I was applying all over the state of Texas for a job. 2 days before our wedding I was offered the elementary music teacher position at Johnson Elementary in Bryan. Get to be close to my sister and brother-in-law, and niece and nephew and LOVE my church and the friends I have there.
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God is good. This year has flown by, so I'm hoping that this summer will just take it's time for me!
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See you in August school!<br>
lisalisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12440006704491788297noreply@blogger.com1