All my Would-Have-Been Christmas-Related Posts Combined into one (complete with pictures!!!)

(Chronological Order)

My cousins came over and we ate awesome sandwiches.

Grilled cheese, with fancy cheese.

It. Was. Awesome.

Then we mad puff cars. Here's whatcha do: each person/team or whatever gets 4 straws, 3 paper clips, 4 mint life savers, tape, scissors, and a sheet of paper. You have to make a wind-powered car. As in you blow it. With your mouth.

Mine didn't win, but it was hilariously fun. You know, with cousins and all.

Christmas Eve.

The stockings were hung by the chimney with care...

And the artificial fireplace was also turned on.

And in the morning,

Christmas puked in our living room.

And on my desk.

And now I have this!

But unless you are in my family or someone very awesome, you porobably have no idea what that is. It is my unstrung bow that won't be re-strung until tomorrow when I go over to Bree's house (someone very awesome. But don't feel bad if you didn't know what that is. You're still aweosme.). She has a bowstringer. And arrows.



Truly a nerd

I didn't know I could be so extreme.

Art class today with my awesome art teacher. We're doing color theory and color schemes. We were drawing geometric solids and coloring them with color patterns (primary, monochromatic, tetradic, triadic, complementary or analogous). I made a whole bunch of spheres. And because I am nerdy and awesome, I colored them using the binary extension of the Fibonacci numbers.

And it was awesome.

And my blog now has a tetrad color scheme.

Thinking About Pseudonyms

I really should be more careful about this. And Pseudonyms really can be quite fun. Hmmmm.

But I can still be Emma.

Awesomeness

It seems like I haven't put anything on here for awhile. Gee, I guess I haven't. Sorry folks! I should be more regular. It's been busy.

Let us start where I was going to before I wrote that part. Ahem, on I-can't-remember-which-one-it-was-it-was-kinda-long-ago-and-I'm-lazy Friday I went to a Chris Tomlin concert! It was so awesome I can't hardly explain it. I won't, actually, because I will end up making it sound less awesome than it was. See other blog.

Zoom zoom all the way to, erm, Wednesday. We cooked. All. Day. Seriously. Not. Kidding.

Thursday was delicious with so much food I wish you could see our fridge.

Then on Friday we shopped and I guess you could say we dropped. First time I've ever done that and it was pretty fun.

Phew!

Mad or Something

I hate being sick. Especially when it's just a cold and you go to the doctor because you think that it's something and you have to pay money for them to tell you to gargle with salt water and take ibuprofen even though you already knew that and they try to use big words to, I don't know, impress you or something and then you know more about it than they think you do and yeah. It stinks. Especially the snot. And I'm kinda mad because I had to miss school when I wanted to go and now I have to go to school tomorrow and I don't want to at all! It's horrible.

On the other hand, I'm very excited because Thanksgiving is going to be delicious (so is Christmas. I feel bad for people who don't know my grandma. She sure does make a kick butt ham!) and the house down the sidewalk from me is for sale and I really hope someone with kids moves in! Scratch that, someone with kids MY AGE. Kids are never my age. They're always either significantly older or significantly younger or live far away and we never will see each other but I think you get it. It would be nice.

So I'm kinda mad or something close to it, like mappy. There.

Shawnee National Forest and Stuff

So my weekend was awesome. I went to Shawnee National Forest with nine girls from my girl scout troop.

Garden of the Gods was my favorite although I've no idea why it's called that. It was beautiful but the toilets were the worst I've seen yet. There were these other old-fashioned ones at camp Cedarledge, but they did not have electricity so I could not actually see them. Ha ha!

The iron furnace was creepy. And that's exactly what it is. An iron furnace. In the middle of nowhere.

So was Dickson Springs. Kinda like a creepy old weird abandoned place that maybe people used to go there and maybe it wasn't creepy then. But it did have a very good hike.

Oh yeah there was Cave in Rock. It was a cave in a rock. But it was very cool. And the Ohio River was right there. So now I've touched the Ohio River.

Bridgett's blog has pictures.

Funniest Mad Lib Ever

One apple we were below in the cat dog on our way to edamame when the friendly ghost started to hurl ice cream. When we jumped at out karate we looked right away. Maybe that, we napped often because we were potatoes from our long quest. The next raisin, we started to unwind for breakfast and Velcro whales x-ray yellow zebras anyway. Once we were bologna, we cried back to donkey and eagerly flipped goats. The next helicopter I had to immigrate to Japan. It was a knuckle licking day. My best friend mooed and then neighed over purple quacking. It was so ridiculous! I had a something Tuesday umbrella Viking wallet xylophone your Zamboni.

Perhaps the Best Saturday EVER

Really it was.

We drove to Springfield (Illinois) and met Uncle George at Olive Garden. I had alfredo but I couldn't concentrate on how durn good it was or how funny George is because I was so freaking excited!

After that we hurriedly drove to the Whatever-It-Was place and quickly found our seats as the lights lowered and 10TH AVENUE NORTH (the band) started to play! Omigod I almost peed my pants it was so fantastic! Loud, but fantastic. I never knew I could scream so loud.

Then the intermission came and uncle George bought us awesome T-Shirts and my dad bought a 10th Avenue North cd while he earned a free Third Day cd.

Now you're probably wondering what the heck Third Day is. Well, it's only the BEST BAND EVER! (Besides 10th avenue north! [They played in the concert together. {I'm such a nerd I use brackets!}]) And it was so so good. No, it was more than that.

About halfway through I was thinking to myself, is this what heaven in like? except forever? well, no! i'd know all the words and my feet won't hurt!

Notice how I don't think in capital letters.

Anyway, yeah. definitely my best saturday ever.

The song they played for their encore!!! It was amazing.

.

Oh Yeah i have a blog!

Sorry guys. I can't come up with anything good! I can feel a goog long, funny post building up in by brain and sooooooooooon it will have to be typed...

In the meanwhile I'm going to go sing in the shower

ha

Where does a general keep his armies?

































In his sleevies!

20 Seconds of Glory

(I just remembered that i hadn't posted this yet. [Or maybe i did. I don't remember. I'll just post it again anyway.] Sorry, it's been a LONG time since this happened. It was last school year in the spring I think. Totally awesome.)

Well, maybe more like 30. 

Ya know how I told you our school was going to a Cardinals game and singing Take Me Out to the Ball Game?  It was so totally fantastical!  I can't even express in words how cool it was, really.  It is kinda funny because Mr. Teacher kinda directs like he's directing an orchestra instead of preschoolers and kindergartners, and 1-3rd graders with a few 4,5, and 6th graders sprinkled in there.  Really, he does.

                                                                            



Girl Scouts

Our first meeting for this year is tomorrow. I am so excited!

AND we have a camping trip next weekend! Excitinger! Both the Bridget/tt s are coming! Yay!

Okay, I think you get it. I'm EXCITED!

Cooking

On Friday at school we cooked our own lunch! Apparently our new PE teacher is also a chef... a really healthy chef.  Healthy as in no meat and veggie everything!

I normally stick to broccoli and peas and corn and that sort of stuff. Not really a big fan of beans or squash or tomatoes, especially not all nixed together! But I tried something new and I'm glad I did even though I didn't particularly care for it.

At least it was fun.  And dessert was good!

School

I have the same teachers as last year but we moved to a new room to accommodate our now larger class.  Homework- reading and writing with the addition of Khan Academy, a math website.  Out classroom is HOT but not as hot as outside!

I'm happy because we don't have to share our bathroom with the little kids! It's so much cleaner! And it doesn't smell horrible (yet). 

We have a new PE teacher whose friend goes to my church and she is really nice (both of them).

And I LOVE MY ART TEACHER!!!

Highlights of Summer

June: I made a new blog, I left for a while, it was sad.
July: I went to vacation bible school by my grandma's house, my blog reached it's 100th post, I turned 12!, we played bananagrams.

August: it got HOTTER, it finally rained.

Now summer has 5 days remaining until school starts. So sad.

Such a dork

How many people do you know that would stare at a clock for 4 minutes untill the time was the same up-side down as it was right-side up? And then 3 minutes after that to see the time be a palindrome? Well, now you know one. Label me a dork, I don't care.

Just guess what time it was.

Finally!

It rained! Phew.

And that thunder? Didn't sound angry so much as it did a sigh of relief, like the whole world was sucking it in. Ahhh.

Going Crazy

I licked the needle instead of the thread and put my cream-cheesed bagel on top of the cream cheese container instead of the lid.

Not only that, but it's so hot (100 DEGREES without the heat index!) the hose water is warm and going to the pool isn't fun. Now I can't wait for fall.

Happy Birthday

Because it's always someone's birthday, right? God made you and you should celebrate the day that you were born and that you know God is going to use you to touch outher people's lives if you give your life to him. Just sayin'.

I guess I have some filling-in to do...

So I just turned 12! On my birthday I:

Had breakfase in bed. Crepes! With marscepone, raspberries, fresh fresh peaches, and chocolate sauce.

Opened presents, in bed! From parents, 'My Neighbor Totoro,' a new watch; from Abigail, earrings; from grandma Judy, a PHONE!; from grandma Linny, notebooks and money; from aunt Julie, fingernail polish and giftcards; from the other Hodges, a Swiss Army Knife and Swiss Army Flashlight (I almost blinded myself!); from the Mumfords, bananagrams; from aunt Pam, a bag and a book; from Paige a KLUTZ book (I love those!). 

The reason I do that is because people always ask me what I got for my birthday, and I really don't like answering that question.

THEN we went to P. F. Changs for dinner.  I had Crispy Honey Chicken, mom and Abigail shared some kind of shrimp, and my dad ate whatever nobody else did.  It was awesome!

I had a kickbutt birthday and I wanna thank you all.  :)

Bananagrams

It's a game that I got for my birthday. I love it!

Perhaps the greatest hand of bananagrams ever played. At least by me!

Can't Believe It

Tomorrow is my birthday!  I'm so excited.

I guess we've kinda had both kinds of extreme weather this year, haven't we? A c-c-c-oooooollldd winter and an, "iAy, caramba, tengo calor!" summer! (That lower-case 'i' there is the up-side down exclamation point.)

IT IS HOT OUTSIDE!!!

Church Billboard Quotes

What's missing from ch     ch?

                                      u r.     



Honk if you love Jesus.
Text and drive if you want to meet Him.

Hi

I don't have much to say.  I. Am. Excited. For. My. Birthday.

Happy 100th Post!!!

And I can't believe my birthday is in 4 days!!!

It's gonna be totally awesome!

Officially a TOTAL Dork

1. Glasses (wire-rimmed)

2. I have a scientific calculator...

3. Braces. Three words: my. Teeth. Hurt.

Hi

The fish fry was awesome.  The slide was HUGE!  IT.  WAS.  HUGE.  NOT.  KIDDING.

And we had fun even though we got sunburnt.

VBS Fish Fry

I'll give you more details later, but here's the basic, well, layout.

We do a program and sing our VBS songs.

Everyone goes out side.

There's a giant blow-up slide and stuff for kids.

There's a big tent where the grownups sit and talk.

Around noon they start frying fish from the Fish Man!

It's the best fish ever.

Here a handful of chips equals a veggie, gravy is a condiment, and Jell-O is a salad.

VBS

Perhaps my favorite thing.

It's so fun!  Even if I am only a helper this year, I still love it. 

I'm leaving again...

Going to VBS in Illinois.  I may or may not be able to blog.  We'll see.  It's going to be so much fun!

So Excited!

My birthday is coming up!  I'm so excited!  That's all that I have to say!

It's Good to be Home

Boy, did the car ride seem extra-long, but it's good to be back in the city.

And grandma came with us!  We have a dog now (kinda; her dog, Bubbles came too).

Mall

Today we went to the mall in Springfield because it was rainy (originally we had planned to go swimming).  My dad got new shoes and we ate Chinese food for lunch and had smoothies and rode the old carousel and everyone was happy.  Yay.

Papa is in heaven now

So that's why yesterday I said I was surrounded by flowers and the TV show wasn't really that annoying, I will admit. 

But I'm glad.  I think that it was his time and I'm glad that he doesn't have to be here anymore.  No more cancer and no more hurt.

Ahh, I can't wait.

(PS daddy you did a really good job on your speech.  It made me cry.)

Since I left...

I've been gone for awhile, haven't I?

So...

I went to a bible camp from Sunday the 12th to Friday the 17th.  Everyday we would:

7:00-wake up (& get dressed etc.)
8:00-quiet time(read bibles and respond)
8:45-breakfast
9:30-chapel with Aunt Sue
11:30-activities (I did boating)
12:45-lunch (really good food!)
1:30-swimming
3:00-recreation time (boating, craft, mini-golf, snack)
4:00-free time in cabins
5:45-dinner
6:30-chapel
9:00-prepare for bed
10:30-official lights out

It sure was fun, but phew was it exhausting! 

For boating you could either go in a paddle-boat, a row-boat, a canoe, or a kayak.  The kayaks were my favorite!  They were a little tippy though, and I did fall in.  But it felt good!  Except for the bottom of the lake was like up to your ankles in lake slime.  Y-U-C-K-Y spells yucky.

The food was also really good.  Not as good as like thanksgiving food, but pretty good.

For free time I mostly did boating but I also had snack and went mini-golfing.

••○••



So, right when I got home from camp I litterally ate lunch, used the bathroom, grabbed a book to read and went out the door to go to Illinois. 

Now I sit in my grandma's living room listening to this annoying TV show my cousins are watching typing on my blog surrounded by lots of flowers from the funeral.

I'm Not Dead

I'm just going to camp.  For five days. 

And don't worry, I'm taking blankie with me.

New blog!

www.jesussongoftheday.blogspot.com

Considering a New Blog

Not replacing this one, just in addition to.

Maybe something like a song of the day.

Just thinking.

Comments?

Summer

I just love summer. 

I'm so glad it's summer.

Summer is the best.

That's all I have to say.

Last Day of School!

Today was [finally] our last day of school!

We [us; our school] had a big picnic in Valley Grove Park today!  [Sorry, I always make these pseudonyms and then I try to remember them and then I get all stressed out because it's probably not the same every time.  On the flip side, you all probably know what I'm talking about anyway.]  It was very fun.

Mr. Teacher allowed us to wear our T-Shirts that we made with Mrs. W!  That was nice that we didn't have to wear uniform on the last day. 

So we played around on the playground and with balls and whatnot, then had to play silly games. 

For lunch I had carrots, quesodilla, almonds, grapes, oreos, and the end-of-the-school-year-cookie-that-you-usually-receive-from-your-teacher. 

After some kids had been dismissed, their parents were just handing around and they decided to drench all of the teachers with freezing water.  It was so funny!  After Dorothy got Mr. Teacher, Mr. Teacher mumbles:  they are in so much trouble next year.

It's been a good day so far.  I am so tired though. 

Something that makes me want a Facebook account [so I could post this on the JOY FM Facebook page] just for this:

There is this christian radio station that I always listen to, and when I go up to my room I always turn it on.  I turn it on:

Ooo, I love the way you hold me
By your side I'll always be
Ya take each and every day
Make it special in some way
I love the way you hold me
In your arms I'll always be
Oh I love the way you hold me

It just reminded me that no matter how annoying sisters are or how long the day has been, He is always holding me and He's never letting go. 

I needed that.

P.S.  The radio station is 99.1 in St. Louis.

Things to be Excited About

1) SUMMER!

2) MY BIRTHDAY!

3) Me, Dorothy, Bree, and Linda are bridging to Cadettes in Girl Scouts!

Sorry it's such a ridiculously short post.

Nature Girl

Grandma's cat had kittens!

SOOOOO CUTE!!!!!

Summer!

I can't believe that summer is almost here!  Although, it didn't really feel like it today.  Rainy, wet, cold.  Ugh.

I'm so excited for school to be out.  To not have homework.  To swim every day.  Ah.

I want summer!

To be done with all of these tornadoes and storms!  At least until next year!  I don't like it!  it's crazy!  it makes me sad! 

The storms are huge!  There was hail the size of my fist!  It is crazy!  Insane!  Ridiculous!  Terrible!  Weird!  Supercallafrajalisticexpealidocious!

I just feel excited!

About, like, everything!  I don't know why!  I feel like using exclimation pionts!  This is fun!

1)  I have a new bed.  You see, my grandparents are coming to live with us, so they get my super-comfortable queen size bed and I get a new super-comfortabe double bed.  Win, win.

2)  We have a new kitchen sink!  Well, faucet.  But it's great because now only your hands get wet instead of all of your body and not your hands.  It's great.

3)  My mom bought this new hand-soap and it smells so good!  I just love washing my hands now!

My Weekend

It was a fantastic one.

Starting on Friday:

Got home and started frantically packing because I had a sleepover birthday party.  I say frantically because my mom (incorrectly) told me that it was to be at 5 o'clock (it was really 5:30), and it was now 4:45. 

Mrs. W, I'm going to use some of your pseudonyms, if it's okay.  Too late.

It was Bree's birthday and Fiona, Genevieve, and Felicity were there.

Before dinner, we went on kind of a scavenger hunt.  We split up into two teams; on my team was Fiona and Felictity, and Bree had her brother and Genevieve.

Each team had one side of the block.  We knocked on people's doors and politely asked if they would like to donate food to Operation Food Search.  Whichever team collected the most won, but then it was more than that; my team didn't win, but when you do something to help others your heart swells up and you get this lump in your throat that says, "this is right."

For dinner we had cheese fondue with bread, vegetables, crackers and cheese to dip into the cheese.  Afterwards there was chocolate cheesecake with strawberries on top. 

After dinner, Zelda and Travis made us go up to the third floor while they hid candy on the 1st and 2nd floors.  Then, we had to find it in the dark; although the let us have flashlights.  It was so fun! 

Saturday:

Went home from the sleepover.

There is a farmer's market in Grove Valley Park every Saturday, and my uncle sells strawberries from his farm there.  So my cousins were at our house.  It was fun, but they kinda made me tired.

For Girl Scouts we had archery in Timber Park and then afterwards we dropped out cat quilts that we made at the APA.  We had a look around.  It was so sad.  I cried.

Sunday:

Went to church. 

Had people over for dinner.

Slept in my new bed.

Monday:

Kept thinking it was Tuesday.  Don't know why. 

Went to school.

Came home. 

Did homework.

Blogged quite extensively.

Heaven is For Real

It's a book I just finished (read it in like less than 2 days), and it was REALLY good.  I gobbled it up.

It's about a family-the Burpos, who have to go through a lot.  The dad is a pastor and he shatters his ankle, then survives breast cancer (the dad!).  Todd and Sonja's son, Colton, his appendix literally explodes.

The first doctor dismisses the subject as just the flu.  When Colton doesn't stop throwing up--for like a week, Todd and Sonja take Colton to several different places.  Finally,  one doctor decides to order a CT scan, revealing the need for an emergency appendectomy.

Several months after the surgeries, Colton reveals some amazing stuff.  Apparently, he 'went up out of' his body' during the surgery and saw his dad praying in a tiny room and his mom was praying and talking on the phone, things his parents had never told him.  Then, angels sang to him while he sat in Jesus' lap.

There are lots of other AMAZING things in there, but I won't give away the whole story.  You should really read it for yourself.  Read.  It. 

One more thing. 

After his experience, everybody kinda makes up a game where whenever somebody sees  a picture of Jesus, they say, "Hey, Colton, it this one right?"  "What's wrong with this one?"

So one day, Todd reads an article about a little girl named Akiane Kramarik who has also 'been to heaven.'  She paints amazing pictures.

"Hey, Colton, what's wrong with this one?"

"Daddy, it's right!"

No homework!

Because today is Wednesday and most of our school is going to the Cardinals game at Busch Stadium tonight.  We get to go down on the field during the 7th inning and sing Take Me Out to the Ball Game.  Nervous!

GO CARDS!!!

Ten on Tuesday: Things to be Thankful for

Well, things I am thankful for.

1) A warm or cold (depending) house with electricity and running water.

2) A good school with good teachers and good friends where you can go every day and know that you are in a safe environment where you don't have to work on the same thing everybody else is and it is okay if you are smart.

3) Food that will nourish your body and fill you up so that you can be productive in your work and not be all grouchy or tired.

4) Water and milk (and other things to drink) so that you can stay hydrated and so your body may properly function.

5) Clothes to wear so that even though Eve ate the apple and became ashamed, we may not have to suffer in such humility.

6) A warm, comfortable bed to sleep in so that in the morning you may be well-rested and able to carry our God's will.

7) Books to read that are entertaining and keep us busy, and sometimes teach us a lesson.

8) Friends and family who will always be there for us and provide for us, help us, teach us, care for us.

9) A Holy Book to study and learn so we can know what He requires of us and prepare us for His coming.

10) A savior who saves whoever believes and a God who forgives if we forgive and is faithful if we are.

Glad Tomorrow's Not Monday

Because I really wanna sleep in so bad.

Sorry, Mr.  Teacher, but I'm not ready for school yet.  Within good reason, because the weekend isn't over. 

And I have Girl Scouts tomorrow, at Mrs. W's house, which I love.  We are having a badge ceremony and are going to plan the bridging ceremony for the people (me!!!) who are going to be Cadettes next year. 

Now I'm going to bed.

Ten on Tuesday: Things to Bring Camping

Again, sorry I totally took your blogging idea, Mrs. W.

1) Water bottle.  And maybe a caribbeaner to clip on to your pants in case you don't have a backpack on a hike.

2)  Bandanna.  You use it to dry your hands on.  This might also come in handy for a number of other things--bandage if you sliced your arm open on something, sling if you broke your arm, and of course to tie your hair back or keep ticks off.

3)  I think baby soap is a good idea, like instead of shampoo and all of the other soaps.  You can use it for hair, body, face, AND it won't get all gross like bar-soap.

4)  A piece of rope or bungee cord.  I like to use it to tie my pillow and sleeping bag together so everything is easy to keep together and carry.

5)  Mess kit.  You put all of your non-breakable food stuff (plate, bowl, cup, cutlery...) in a mesh (dunk) bag.  After you've rinsed all your dishes off, you sometimes dunk the whole bag in water/bleach then hang it on a line to drip-dry.  Caribbeaner or clothespin to hold it to the line.  Best camping idea possibly ever.

6)  Shoes for inside tent or lodge.  Really, the floors are gross, so you want something other than your poor socks on your feet.

7)  Poncho/raincoat and rain boots.  Especially if you're going camping with our troop, it's bound to rain.  Although we've broken our bad weather streak this past weekend.  Yea.

8)  KEENS if you have them.  They're like the BEST SHOES EVER.  Waterproof, SUPER comfy, and great for hiking.  I've figured out that they don't smell if you rub them with tea-tree oil.

9)  Always jeans for the fall, winter, and in spring with a backup pair of shorts.

10) A book to read/activities to do in case it rains.

Science Fair

BLUE RIBBON, BABY!!!

GS Camping

This time I have pictures.

My daisy friend was Laney (not her real name...) .  She was so cute!

The beds.  I was next to Abigail and on the other side of me were the Bridget[t]s.

The shower house was next door.  But, if you use the shower house, you have to clean the shower house.

We stayed at Petite Chalet, which according to Genevieve means small castle in french.  I think that is hilarious for whatever reason. 

The fake Indian names are pretty funny too.  Like, we stayed next to Tanda, Ahwenasa, and Kiamecia, all permanent tents.  Heh.

The daisies came out for the day but didn't stay the night.  We climbed up a 'mountain' on Pioneer Trail, elevation like 815 feet or something.  Poor daisies.  Then after that we went on a creek walk where most girls found interesting rocks and fossils, which of course had to be shared afterwards.  Molly found a wolf spider, so of course everyone had to crowd around and get their look at something that might bite them and really hurt. Bah, who cares about safety?

So then the daisies went home and there was an all-camp campfire.  Luckily, I got to stay behind with one of the Bridgets.  Phew.  And that was fun. 

In the morning it was fantastic because nobody got up and stomped around and slammed doors or whispered so loud that you would be able to hear them with your fingers in your ears.  It was good.  Then we (the juniors, not brownies--that's against the rules) did archery.  Mrs.  Wissinger was happy with Cedarledge's equipment, I think.  They actually had a bow stringer, unlike Tuckaho who had a bucket with everything thrown in it.  Good.  Only thing was, the targets were SO easy to hit 'cause they were only like less than 15 feet (or something, I'm bad at judging distances) away.  But it was good. 

And I had fun.  That's the important part, right???

PS  My science project got a blue ribbon!!!!

Three on Thursday (totally stole that title idea from Mrs. W... sorry!)

1)  I have an awesome pun.  Well, it's knot as awesome as it wood have been yesterday, but still.  May fourth be with you.   You have to say it aloud.I'm reading this book, The Phantom Tollbooth, which is chock-full of puns. The watchdog (he keeps track of time), the mountains of ignorance, the island of conclusions (you get there by jumping)... love it!

2)  We have a field trip tomorrow.  There is a naturalization ceremony at the courthouse downtown tomorrow, and my class gets to sing God Bless America and The Star Spangled Banner!  We get to dress up fancy!

3)  Girl Scout camping this weekend!  Getting better at packing, didn't bring ANYTHING extra except for extra socks.  All in one backpack. 
The brownies and daisies are coming though, all energetic, bouncy, talkitive people.  Yay.

Jesus Freak

That would be me.  And if you don't know Him, I can definitely hook you up.

In the Bible, Jesus says that "I AM the way, the truth, and the light.  No one comes to the Father except through the Son."  Without faith it is impossible to please Him, because anyone who comes to Him must believe that He exists and He rewards those who come to Him.

I could go on all day doing this.

Is Jesus your savior???

Well...

It's a new month.

And, that's really all that I have to say.  Except for

I really want some Ted Drewes or something. Also

My mom is going organizer-weirdo crazy.  I don't blame her.  Really.  And

Actually a scone would do in place of Ted Drewes.  Oh

I am very excited to see how my science experiment will do in the science fair.  I won't tell you what it's about... yet.  Just because (very not-likely) one of you might might might might be a judge or something.   Just sayin.  Maybe after it's over I will post my logbook here or something, but

A piece of chocolate would also be fine.  Hmm, I'll let you know.  It'll most likely be a piece of chocolate.  Darn. 

Esther is Cute!

She said, "Oh, am I cute?"  Then I took a picture and she said, "Oh, can I see it?  Oh, so cute!  I'm riding a bike!"

I just can't get enough.

Easter (continued from yesterday's post)

I just love grandma's house.  In the middle of nowhere, though not far from the nearest town with a gas station.  Perfect.

It actually gets dark.  Quiet.

And it's beautiful.  I just love giong outside.  You think you're alone.  Then you take a listen.  You're not.  I hear the sound of a white-throated sparrow call resound through the timber.  I will never tire of that sound.

The trees all look like they're dead.  But they're not.  One morning you'll wake up, and it's like God just nudged them and whispered, "Okay, it's time to wake up guys."  So pretty.

It doesn't really fit into the whole nature tree-hugger theme here.  I wish it was a horse, but I just love to ride the four-wheelers.  It's so fun.  My uncle cut paths all around in the tall grass in his yard.  I just love to zip through and listen to the dog panting behind me.

Easter

On Good (why do they call it 'good?'  It's horrible!  It should be called Horrible Friday.  Although what was accomplished was very 'good.'  Anyhoot.) Friday we went to Church.

On Saturday we just mingled around and did chores etc.

On Sunday morning we got up and stumbled over ourselves down the 16 stairs to see what the Easter bunny brought.  I got chocolate (!), a puzzle, more candy, and my mom is going to take me to get a new cross necklace (my old one broke :0( ).  After that there was no time to hunt eggs.  We hurried to dress and ready and grab all our stuff (this is all happening at like 7 o'clock).  We scurry out to the car and drive drive drive (vroom vroom) to Illinois.

Once we get there, we get to Church (on time!).  We sing, then the kids go downstairs to Sunday school.  I love that Church.  It's so awesome; small (SMALL, really.), and your buisness is everybody's buisness.  I especially like how we testify and we could really go on all day.  And Tommy is always saying, "Can I get an Amen on that?"  "Sing Halleliua!"  I love it.

So after Church, we run down to grandma Judy's, then up to grandma Linny's for lunch.  And the Easter bunny apparently made a stop there too.  Stuffed, we go back down to grandma Judy's for (sigh) dinner.  At her house (this time) there isn't as much food, but still awesome food.  Ham sandwiches and hard-boiled eggs  (of course).  Farm fresh!  From Lula, who has, wait for it, chickens!

For desert-PINK STUFF!  My favorite.  I could eat that stuff all day.  Really.  And there was cherry chocolate chunk cake too!  Could it get any better?

After that we went down to uncle Joe's to play and (almost) watch Ponyo.  Of course, more junk food.  And since Lent is over, we played VIDEO GAMES!  (I gave up video games for Lent.) 

Then it's back up to grandma Judy's for bed.   Slept like a rock, and I had Bubbles the dog to keep my feet warm.

More tomorrow, it's time for me to get off now.  I had so much fun!

Such a Wierd Tradition

Not Easter itself.  The eggs.

We broke out the fingernail polish this year. 

But don't even get me started on the bunny.

Last night my momma was making jokes about the bunny.  She was telling The Story, and, just joking around, she said, "...  and on the third day...  a giant rabbit came and rolled the stone away!"  We all started laughing.  "What?  It couldn't have been a little garden bunny!"

Oh, mom.

So tomorrow, it's kinda jam-packed.  We'll get up at like 6:30 and come downstairs and do the egg thing and baskets.  Get dressed, take all our stuff out to the car.  We're going to take breakfast with us. 

So when we get to our destination, a 700-person town smack-dab in the middle of nowhere, we're going to church.  Then, we go to grandma Linny's for lunch with my dad's family.  After everybody leaves and stuff, we go to grandma Judy's for dinner with my mom's family.

She's making mustard ham (don't tell Abigail that's what she puts on it)  and pink stuff!  My family has a weird idea of 'salad.'  They think salad is marshmallows and Jell-O with a few maraschino cherries with cool-whip on top.  Really.  I don't even know what's in the pink stuff.  But it's so yummy.

Then in the morning we get up and drive back and get to school, but late.  Oh well, it's not like I have perfect attendance anyway. 

And right now I am loving all the white-throated sparrow calls I can hear right outside my window.  It is making me happy.  It's really spring!

Knots!

Because frankly, I can't get enough of them.  At school I tied a hangman's knot (useful for a hitch) and Mr.  Matt said, "What's with all of these kids tying nuaces?"  My dad taught me.  Well, he tied one and showed me and then I figured out how to tie it.  Anyhoot.

This is a half-hitch.  Heh.  You use it to begin ALMOST EVERY SINGLE KNOT.

Sorry, it's kinda blurry.

This is a clove hitch.  It's made of two opposing half-hitches.

I didn't take my own picture of that one only because I didn't really have anything good to tie it to.

This is a bowline knot.  It doesn't slip, so it is known as a 'life saving knot' because of that.

This is a climbing knot (I really don't know what it's real name is), which also doesn't slip, thus is used for rock climbing.

This is a climbing knot hitched to a handle (not that you would use a handle to go rock climbing).

Note that the knot is kinda doubled over, that's because you have to thread it through it's self (does that make sense?) for it to be complete (not slip).

This is a hangman's (really the name according to my dad; I don't know if that is the real name.  I assume so because Mr.  Matt called it a nuace and that's basically the same thing.).

It has a large loop that slips so I have found it is useful to hitch onto things.
It is VERY annoying to take apart....................................................................................

This is the hangman's hitched to a handle.

And, the all important square knot.

The granny knot is like the cousin of a square knot, but whenever I try and tie it I get confused and mess up or just end up tying  a square knot.  So here is a picture I found on the Internet.

I think it looks exactly the same.

There is also this one called the bowline on a bight, but I just don't get that one....

I Hear...

I hear

It almost storming outside and

It being very windy and

The artificial wind... air conditioner and

The blaring television, would you mind turning that down, Abigail?  Goodness you'll wake Esther up and

I also hear this song going over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over in my head and I only know one verse, and

 I also keep dreaming music, not like my own music that I made/dreamed up (although that would be AWESOME), but songs like the one in my head right now, thankfully usually more than one line long and

Speaking of dreams I had a weird one.  So for the Science Fair we have these sequence numbers.  In the dream I was reading the bible out loud to my dad and I read something like, "I'm down on my knees," but in the dream I saw the number.  Hmm.

Sure, there's another way you can do it.

I'm setting the twist on the YARN I MADE.  I can't believe I know how to do that.  But really.  Hung from the pot rack weighted down by a tin pitcher. 

If you really wanna know howta make yarn, you can look here.  (I hope Mrs.  W doesn't mind me linking!)

Bento

Now long past my tummy.

Well.

Well.  I don't know what to blog about.  I really don't.  But.  I don't know.  I think I will change the look.  We'll see.  Yes.  I think I will.  Maybe.  If it will load in less than like 15 minutes.  Well.  I've been meaning to.  But it wouldn't load.  Well.

Park

Well.... Esther would say, "parkswhinsliiiiiide," (parkswingslidealltogetherreallyfastlikeit'soneword).

Anyhoot, we went to the park (swingslide).

This is the bike rack, but really?  Two suns?

They have a lilac too!

(that red thing is a pole on a trellace ;^) )

And the tulips were so pretty!!!

I think I am going to make one of the tulips my new screensaver or something.  So pretty!

You Can Tell it's Spring When.....

You get April Showers-ed

You go on walks

We get the walking sticks out

Our neighbor puts her moth balls out to 'keep the squirrels away.'

Things turn pink

Our lilac blooms!