Pumpkin carving

Would you believe me if I told you that Matt and Jacqueline never carved pumpkins up until this year? Even I have done it...once. At a friends house. We never did get into halloween or anything like that at our house.Carving pumpkins is fun though. Fun and messy!

From left to right, we have Groucho Marx (designed by Matt, Jacqueline and Holly), the happy and cute pumpkin (designed by me...I like happy stuff), and the traditional pumpkin (done by Matt and Jacqueline).
And all lit up. I have the worst time taking pictures in the dark.

Now wait till you see the picture I took of our lovely baristas while I was at the coffee shop today! Talk about scary! Just kidding. It looked like fun! They looked great. :)

Scenes from Autumn 2008

Most of the leaves have changed their colors already and a lot of the leaves have fallen. There are still some gorgeous shades of red, orange and yellow to be seen, but I think our peak season is over.


On Wednesday I saw snow flurries! It's only October! I am not ready for snow and really cold weather yet. Actually, there is never really a time where I am ready for snow and really cold weather. :) Just being honest here.

There are just some days

When I want to be here instead of at work or school, or even home occasionally. I want to be in some other place sitting quietly reading a book or knitting or writing something. Or just daydreaming or napping. Actually, it doesn't have to be in this picture, it could be any quiet and calm place. Sometimes, it's just nice to escape from the hustle and bustle of life and be quiet for a little while. I think it's good for us actually.

This is a picture that I took at Shaharazades...one of my favorite restaurants...and one of the things I like about it so much is that sometimes when I'm there, I feel like I'm in another place altogether. Maybe another country even. I love my home and my family, but it is always fun to feel like you're someplace new. Or at least I think so.

Phil Keaggy and Fernando Ortega concert

Those guys came to the Weinberg Center in Fredrick, Maryland a few weeks ago and we got to go see them. They were so good! I didn't really know anything about Fernando Ortega before this concert, but he is very talented. I have been listening to the few songs of his that I am able to get my hands on, and I am really enjoying them.This is the lobby area. You could buy drinks and candy down there. Adam bought 4 packs of skittles and ate them all during the concert.
I got a (lousy) picture of the stage before they turned the lights out and brought out Phil Keaggy (who did a fabulous, amazing, terrific, beautiful and outstanding job, if I do say so myself. I'm so excited that I got to see him in person! I've been listening to him since I was 6 or 7 years old!) who went first during the concert. I would have taken his picture, but Kim *the lady usher* said we weren't allowed to take any pictures during the concert. I wanted to sneak a couple of pictures without my flash, but decided to stick to the rules. I wonder if they would have kicked me out if I had tried to take a picture....hmm...

It was an excellent concert. The best one I've been to. Both Phil and Fernando were talented and connected with the audience really well. And they're funny too! I was teasing Dad saying that now I've finally been to a concert that wasn't a Petra concert. He said, "oh, is this the second concert you've been to?" No, Dad, but the other 3 were all Petra concerts. It's funny that he should have asked that because he was at all 3 with me. :)

Downtown Fredrick is cute. I love visiting downtowns of new places. We walked around a little bit before the concert and stopped at Starbucks. I'd like to go back sometime.

One long post...

Oh wow, where to begin? It's been a long time since I updated this lil' ole' blog of mine. Not having internet connection + being really busy = no blogging. :(

But today I am caught up on homework (for the present moment) and am sitting in a coffee shop with wireless internet and am going to catch up on what's been going on with me lately. I voted today. It was the last day for early voting and I went ahead and 'did my duty as an American' and cast my vote. That way I don't have to fool with it on Tuesday, which is going to be a very busy day! But I'll say more about that later. Back to voting. Voting is a personal decision, I am told, but I'll give you a hint as to who I voted for: they say he's a maverick. That's all I'm going to say. Ha ha. :)

I worked full-time last week while Pam was away at the Outer Banks. The week went alright. I agreed to work a Friday last week too so I was there pretty much every day. A lot of days I was getting there at 7:30 and not leaving till 6 pm. I also worked 3 days this week and am glad to have the rest of the weekend off. I had a little conflict come up at work on Wednesday. I didn't argue with anyone, but I felt like crying as I left. I'm feeling much better now. I'm hoping next week will be a better week.

We seem to have hit a little wall with Cru. Our Focus Groups haven't been any success (no one has come to either of them) and that is kind of disappointing to me. I had a good talk with Leisa yesterday and she told me not to be discouraged because no one has come. She said to just keep building relationships with the students there. And I have been. I've been making friends with more students and am kind of excited about it. :) I keep trying to tell myself that this is God's ministry and that He will do what he wants to do with it. It has been my prayer too as far as our Cru group goes. I think my biggest worry about it now is that within our group there exists some bad feelings towards members and I don't want to see that become a problem. I think we might try to call another meeting outside of our regular meetings to try and open communications again. I guess we will just see what is going to happen.

I got my mid-terms back. 4 A's and 1 C. I don't know if I mentioned that here or not, but I thought I'd go ahead and write it anyway. Classes are going a little better, but I'll admit that I feel really apathetic about doing my homework. Honestly, I just don't want to do it. But I do turn in all my assignments anyway and am going to keep doing it until I'm finished with school. I called WVU yesterday to ask what their requirements were for getting into their dental hygiene program and they're way different from what I thought they were. I have to change around my schedule for next semester now (which may be a good thing because I have 3 science courses next semester and I don't need them all). I'm going to go ahead and apply soon because they only take 20 students and they will be selecting them until March so I need to start figuring out what to take. I need one more foreign language credit and I'm going to see if they offer one in the summer or if I need to go to another school to take it. Wish me luck! I would really prefer not to wait another year before finishing everything up.

I've tried to do some sewing, but haven't had a lot of the inspiration or time or motivation to do anything. So I have nothing new to show. Bummer. LoL.

I'm turning 20 tomorrow. Every year around my birthday I get reflective and look back on what I've done in a years time. I usually get depressed. I feel like I've wasted a lot of time or didn't do a lot of the things I should have done. I'm trying not to slip into that. I've been blessed immensely with another year of life and I'm grateful for it. And it's been a good year. Crazy, wild, but good nonetheless. And I have learned a lot from it. So tomorrow I am going to just relax and enjoy my family. I was given a special gift this year. One I didn't expect to get, and I haven't really gotten it yet. I'll get it on Tuesday. See, one of the reasons I voted early is because I am going to the doctor with my sister for her ultrasound! She and Matt are going to hopefully find out the baby's sex this week and I get to go and see my little niece or nephew and I'm so excited about it. I can't wait to be an aunt. It is really giving me a lot to look forward to!

Well, that's enough for this post. I have a few more to write anyway so I'll stop here for now.

By the way, happy end of October!

What a day...what a week~

It has been a long week. That is the quickest way to sum it up. I have been getting quite a few headaches lately and I don't know if it's because I need an adjustment or if it's because I'm getting stressed out over school and stuff. I think I woke up on the wrong side of the bed for a good part of the week because I've been so grumpy. I don't like feeling this way. I'm ready for a break. I'm glad it's the weekend!

We went to Winchester today so Adam could stop by a guitar store and so I could go to the library. I got a membership to the Winchester public library last week and I was glad I could go check out some books. I actually took out quite a few. I doubt I'll be able to read them all, but it's nice to know they're there when I do have some time to read. We stopped at Old Navy, Borders, Michael's and Circuit City on the way home. They're all in the same shopping complex so we everyone just went into the store they wanted to go to. I went to Michael's and got some ink and a calligraphy pen and some watercolors and a watercolor pad. I have an idea for a drawing that I want to try. I can't draw worth anything, but my art appreciation class is inspiring me to try new things so you may be seeing pictures of my attempts at sketching and painting up here sometime soon. I also stopped at Borders to see if Anna Maria Horner's new book: Seams to Me is out yet, but I couldn't find it. I really want to look in there. I really want to start making stuff to put into my Etsy shop. I miss crafting. Becca and I might try to get together to do some more sewing. We're thinking of trying to re-fashion some clothes. It should be fun!

Our Campus Crusade for Christ meeting had a rather large turnout this past week! Instead of the usual 3 of us, we had 7 people come to the meeting. At the end another guy came in for a few minutes. It was pretty cool. I think God is moving on our campus and it is really exciting. I wish I was more involved in talking to other students. I feel like Adam and Richard are having more conversations about religion and Jesus with students than I am, but I am building relationships with students and I have had some opportunities to talk about Jesus and Christianity with the people I've talked to. I seem to have so little time lately. I've been working a lot and with no internet connection at home I have been having to do all my homework at school so when I'm on campus I am really busy. I guess I'll just have to trust God to bring people my way and let me know when to strike up a conversation with them. I have been praying for the campus and for the students I'm meeting. I really want to be loving towards them.

All in all, this has been a challenging week. I worked 4 days this week, I feel like I haven't been seeing my family at all and I've been stressing out over one of my internet classes which I am afraid I am failing. I'm not so worried about failing it anymore, I think (hope...pray) that I will be okay in it. It's just been really rough so far! I've been feeling kind of low and am trying not to give into feelings of uselessness and despair and bitterness. I think that after trying to do all I can to put my best foot forward and be cheerful at work and school I'm not really doing the same for my family which really isn't fair to them. I'm trying to have a better attitude and I want to be thankful. It really comes down to the fact that I'm not very grateful for all the blessings I've been given. If I could fully comprehend the amazing blessings that I've been given then I don't think I could help but be overjoyed. I am trying to focus on those blessings and give praise to God. My spirit is willing, but my flesh is weak. I'm not sure where that verse came from (if it is a verse...I'm pretty sure it's a verse...someone correct me if I'm wrong), but it certainly sums up my attitude this week. It's so wonderful to have a God who is loving and forgiving. I haven't done my "counting my blessings" posts in awhile, so I'm going to do one today.

I am thankful for:

• gorgeous fall weather
• changing leaves
• safety while on the road
• the work that is being done on our campus
• the relationships I've made at school
• Dr. Hartman, Pam, Aimee and Maria...I am truly blessed by my boss and co-workers.
• friends like Janice and Becca...friends are such a gift from God. They are such a blessing.
• My family
• Campus Crusade for Christ. Honestly, I would have probably dropped out of school again by now if it weren't for Cru.

We haven't had internet for the past few days so posting has been rather scarce. Hopefully we will have another connection soon and I will be able to be on here some more.

Until then, be blessed!

I went for a walk in downtown Winchester.

I have to say, I love my camera. It's not very fancy, it's not a Nikon or a Cannon, but it's mine and it's served me well. I love going places where there is a lot to photograph too. Winchester's walking mall is a fun place to go. We went there last Sunday afternoon and it was pretty dead, but when we passed it today on our way to the library it was a lot busier. However, we didn't stop and I didn't have my camera anyway. I wish I had brought it so I could take pictures of the library. Libraries don't sound particularly exciting, but I think our library is beautiful. When we first moved here it was being restored. It is a big old building and it's beautiful inside. I have to go back in 3 weeks to return my books so maybe I'll take some pictures then.An old church.

Autumn leaves!

There are lots of little restaurants and shops you can stop at.

I just love the old-timey feel of places like this. It makes me wonder what it would have been like to live in these towns when they were first founded. Does that make me really weird? :)

I just love autumn. It's definitely my favorite season!

Ridgefield Farms Fall Fest!

Pictures from our visit to Ridgefield Farm and Orchard. Cheryl came down (or up actually. :P) from Texas to visit us for the weekend and she, Holly and I went here for some autumn fun. :) It's a beautiful farm. Whoever owns it does a great job of taking care of it. They had a corn maze, hay ride, pumpkin patch, apple orchards, and a house of panic (which we didn't go to.). There were baby alpacas there also. Someone who owns an alpaca farm brought them to the farm for people to look at. They were adorable. There was also a store set up on the farm where you could buy pumpkins and apples and gourds and flowers and cider and other items. It was a beautiful day to go.






The one on the right was named Cleave and the other was named Sterling.

Reconnecting

This is Towns. He is one of Jumper and Dancer's many children. I think he was from their 3 litter. He's a beautiful boy, even though he carries a little extra weight. What a sweet, laid back and well trained dog! I was very impressed!He belongs to Josh and Denise and they were going away for a couple of nights so we brought him down to our house and watched him while they were out of town. He looks so much like both Jumper and Dancer and his face is almost identical to Hank's. Probably because they are brothers. It makes me miss those dogs so much. Someday, I will own another Weimaraner (I hope). Even though I am told every day that Newfoundlands are the best dogs in the world, there is still a very special place in my heart for Weimaraners. It was fun reconnecting with Towns while he was here.

Time off...

Well, our internet is down for awhile. I've been really busy with school and work so between being busy and not having an internet connection, I probably won't be on here too much for awhile.
Cheryl is here for the weekend! Matt, Jacqueline and Adam are all out of town this weekend. Matt and Jacqueline are in Ohio and Adam is in the western part of the state for a Campus Crusade for Christ retreat. That means Mom, Dad, Holly and I have Cheryl all to ourselves. :) We are also watching Towns for the weekend while Josh and Denise are away. Towns is one of Jumper and Dancer's puppies from their 3rd (?) litter. He's a beautiful dog. It makes me miss our Weimaraners so much. Lately I've really missed them.
On a lighter note, I finished all my homework early and have gotten a head start on next week's work and was able to download a lot of my work so I can do it without being online. So now I am looking forward to a weekend of fun and company. It's supposed to be a beautiful weekend, maybe I'll get some good pictures!

I hope you all have a good weekend too. I'll check back in later~

:)