Christmas Weekend Highlight Reel

Well, I am about to head back to work after having four days off. It was a great time with family full of cards and food and lots of laughs. Here are some highlights from the weekend:

• getting to see almost everyone a day or two early because of the weather :)
• and...because of the weather, having a very white Christmas
• having 3 dogs in the house at one time and listening to several barking competitions as people came and went....or whenever the dogs decided they needed to bark
• AMAZING food all weekend long....from pulled pork sandwiches to ham to homemade chicken pot pie to homemade chicken noodle soup and chili to lots and lots of cookies!
• being so tired and in such a good mood, that, while playing cards, you suddenly burst out laughing and can't even breath anymore and you start crying....and can't stop because everyone else is laughing that hard, too....all over a really, really bad round of cards :)
• receiving two kisses and a hug before every nap and bedtime from a precious little girl
• bundling up an almost 2 year old girl with 2 pounds of extra clothing, just to go out and play in the snow....she looked almost twice her size in her winter clothes! But, as cute as ever!
• going sledding with said precious little girl and hearing her loudly exclaim at the bottom of the hill: "Iowa!!!" and "more!"
• Hearing her begin to string two words together....I tried desparately to get her to say "Ainsley, play, snow" because she can say all those words....instead she insisted on saying "Ainsley, snow" or "Play, snow". It was cute, nonetheless.
• watching the longest game of copycat ever between an almost 2 year old and a 23 year old...neither one was about to give up!
• being with family, at home, with nothing to do but be around each other.... :)
• arguing over who used to sleep in the "yellow room"....
• and much, much more!

Even though it was a short few days, they were a blast!! Hope everyone had an awesome Christmas as well!

Home Sweet Home

Soo....I forgot to mention I was home now!! I have been home since Thursday, actually. I hung out with my family that night (family game night...woohoo!!). Friday night I babysat, and yesterday and today I worked my usual shift of 3 to close. Last night we got done around 11:30pm...tonight we got done before 11pm...yay!

Well, that's it, just wanted to let you all know!

I don't know exactly who all reads my blog, but I will be seeing some of you very shortly!! I am excited!! :) Safe travels everyone!

Pictures

Hey all...I decided it might help your guesses if I gave you some pictures. So, here are a couple of pictures of the final number of boxes...all 72 of them! Feel free to revise your guess if need be!

Update

OK....Angie and I spent ALL day today picking up the last of the books, sorting them, counting them, and packing them up! It was a long day!!

We still have a few books coming in, but I think we are pretty much at the final count. I am going to let you guess again as to the number of books we have collected! Here's your hint: we have packed up 72 boxes of books.

Good luck with your guess! :)

Sigma Kappa Book Drive

I don't know if I told you all this or not, but this semester, Sigma Kappa (my sorority) has been holding a book drive on campus. It has been a HUGE success thus far. Tomorrow is the final day, and Angie and I will collect the final books that were dropped off. Tonight, we spent a good 4 hours gathering, counting, and packing books. I am not going to tell you how many books we counted yet, because only Angie and I know...and it's not the final number yet. However, let's play a little guessing game. So far, we have packed up 49 boxes of various sizes, all full of books. How many books do YOU think we have collected so far?? :) Leave a comment with your guess.

Sing For Joy ~Robert Pierre

When I walk in darkness, and I can't see my hand before me
When my heart is aching, and it's all I can do to just breathe

I will sing for joy, the joy of the LORD, in the middle of it all
I will sing for joy, the joy of the LORD, in the middle of it all
I will sing for joy.

When the dawn is breaking, shining down on this valley
Blinded eyes can now see, You have always been with me

I will sing for joy, the joy of the LORD, in the middle of it all
I will sing for joy, the joy of the LORD, in the middle of it all
I will sing for joy

When I'm home in glory, with all the saints around me
The choir singing "holy", and heaven's walls are shaking

I will sing for joy, the joy of the LORD, in the middle of it all
I will sing for joy, the joy of the LORD, in the middle of it all
I will sing for joy

Why?

Why is it so hard to express how you feel about something to someone else? Why is it so difficult to pass on your beliefs and views on the most important things in life? Why is it so easy to focus on the small things? Why is it so easy to simply quit rather than fight? Why is it so hard for people to see the damage they cause and change their ways?

New Layout!

So I have decided I need to change my layout again....this time for Christmas!! I can't believe how fast Christmas is coming up! I am super excited for it....like I am every year, but I feel like I am missing out on the Christmas spirit excitement somewhat. Last night, I came back from work, and our house was all decked out for Christmas. I enjoyed it very much, but it surprised me a bit. I mean, I know that Christmas is coming, but I guess I wasn't quite prepared for Christmas decorations?? I honestly don't know. :)

But, it makes me very happy every time I see the decorations....and since I for some reason seemed out of the loop, I decided my blog needed to be more Christmas-y. :) So...there ya go.

It took me awhile to find a layout that I liked....one that I felt portrayed the true meaning of Christmas and not just snowflakes, or santa, or presents, or christmas trees, or....well, you get the idea. As the old saying goes, "Jesus is the reason for the season." We celebrate because God sent Jesus to become human....to become one of us.....to live here, in this world....and live a perfect life....and die....and live again....because he loves us. Notice I didn't say because he "loved" us......he LOVES us.....then, now, later, always. Yesterday, today, tomorrow, forever. He sent Jesus then, because he loves us now. It can be a difficult concept to wrap one's mind around. Mainly because it is such an un-human thing to do--to give up one's son/life for all humanity, when said humanity absolutely does NOT deserve it.

How awesome is our God?!?!?!!!!

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