Showing posts with label mom. Show all posts
Showing posts with label mom. Show all posts

Friday, June 26, 2015

Spring (Break) has Sprung

#SB2015
(That means Spring Break 2015)

Chronologically previous post:  Focusing on Faith

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Spring just ended a couple days ago, so summer is in full swing.  Good time to talk about the best part of spring:  the part where we have no school.
 
I wasn't exactly wishing for Spring Break to come so quickly, but at the same time, I was. I wanted a week away from school so bad!  Just as I knew it would, though, it came fast enough. I really needed a break from school!
Good thing:  Frisco got a bath.
Bad thing:  It was in my bathtub.
Speaking of dogs...
Spring is a time when hopeful feeling well up!  Grass get greener, the sun brighter, weather warmer, flowers bloom, birds and squirrels come out of hiding, new flowers bloom, etc.  It's a great time to get out and try new things!
"For behold, the winter is past; the rains are over and gone.  Flowers appear on the earth; the time of singing has come, and the voice of the turtledove is heard in our land."  Song of Solomon 2:11-12

 
Mom and I took a trip to Sevierville to shop at the Tanger Outlets and Bud's Gun Shop and Shooing Range.  The sports outlets are always my favorite!  I bought some new running tights in Under Armour (not pictured), but I also wanted these tank tops!  Deciding that I would rather spend my money on the tights, I took pictures of the shirts instead.
Between Tanger and Bud's, we stopped in Dunkin Donuts, and I treated Mom to an iced coffee and muffin because she treats me way more often than I deserve.

I always see someone I know at Workout Anytime.  Q was in my spanish class last year, and we had so many laughs!  It was a great surprise to see him this morning.  It also gave me some better--living and breathing--entertainment than my phone while I biked!
Snoopy sweats.
 I saw a worker at Chick-fil-a wearing one of these, so I asked if I can have one, too.  I love Chick-fil-a and cows, so that is a good enough reason.
 
 
Another thing I love!  My mamaw!  She is so sweet, pretty, and smells good...and cooks good, but what mamaw doesn't?

I did my morning run on the road from home through town and back to Chick-fil-a to meet Mom and her parents for lunch!

I finally got around to changing my stuffed animals' clothes from their Christmas attire.  Snoopy is ready for the sun and surf, and Hal is keeping it classy.
Sophie and I are twins!  Can't you see the resemblance?
Frisco felt left out because he didn't match, but he jumped in the picture anyways.

During the spring season, my most common pancake flavor was banana chia with peanut butter banana glaze.
Spring was a stressful semester for me in school, track, home, and just everything that was happening.  There was just too much to do and not enough time!  Despite all that, I still tried to "Be Hoppy" with the days that I had.  It was good to have a break from school and regular track practices, so I could work on "throwing off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and...fixing our eyes on Jesus..."  (Heb. 12:1-2)
The song by Colton Dixon, Through All of It, really related to me going through all the ups and downs.  If you haven't heard it, you should take a look!  God is always there!  (Dueteronomy 31:6) 
One thing I reallly wanted was some freedom in my mind and soul from all the stress and worries of life.  Two verses I fould encouraging were
Galatians 5:1 "It is for freedom that Christ has set us free.  Stand firm then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by the yoke of slavery."
and 2 Corinthians 3:17 "...where the spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom." 
We can live freely, no matter where in the world we are, because Christ has given us freedom that nothing can ever take away.
 
Do I really look 5 years older?  I may not look much different on the outside, but man have things changed!  No more basketball, all running.  Not planning on studying education, but communications.  Praising God for the good times and reading His word when I was at church or when it was convienient was typical, but now I am thankful for the good and the not-so-enjoyable moments, because each and every one has been a part of these changes that have made me who I am! 
"...The old has gone, the new has come!"  2 Corinthians 5:17
 
The same morning that I took the picture on the right, our Sunday school lesson was, yet again, just what I needed.  It was about hope!  As Christians, our hope is not in the temporary, but the eternal!

Science Hill hosts a big meet every spring called the Tri Cities Track Classic.  We went last year, and it was one of my favorite meets ever, mainly because they had a steeplechase.  I had SO MUCH FUN doing that.  I won with a NBN qualifying time in my first ever steeple.  I had no practice.  Sometimes that's what you gotta do.  Just go out and try something new, and it may turn out to be one of the best decisions you make!  I also won the 2 mile that same night, so it was a good weekend.  Sadly, our team didn't go this year, and we couldn't enter as an individual, but MileSplit used my picture in their sidebar advertisement!
This brought back good memories as well as hopes that I can do it again.
A post I saw on Instagram inspired me to make this cross-shaped pancake.  The ones I saw were small circle and oval pancakes arranged to form a bunny-rabbit, with various toppings for the eyes, nose, etc.  Bunnies and eggs are fun things that go with the Easter holiday, but the best thing about Easter is the reason we celebrate it.  We don't celebrate Easter because bunnies have babies and chickens lay eggs.  We celebrate Easter because Christ was crucified and came back to life.
"He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness.  By His wounds you have been healed."  1 Peter 2:24
What a great hope we have.  He died so that we can live.

Friday, June 5, 2015

Ski Days


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It's still ski season...somewhere!  ABasin is still open, I know that.  They're still getting snow out in Colorado and places like that.
Skiing is mine and my dad's thing.  I've never been skiing with anyone accept him.  Mom used to go, but now it's just the two of us!  We have a blast and tell mom what she's missing.  Mom and I spend an extra week at the beach; Dad and I spend a week in Colorado.  I reap the benefits of both!  Even though I am so cold natured, snow skiing is a different story.
There is the cute little store in Maggie Valley that I've always wanted to go in, and Dad took me in a few afternoons this year!  What first drew me to Jelly Bellies was the sign for Blue Bell Ice Cream, but once I got in, there was way more than that!  It was a great place to shop!   It made me feel like I was on vacation.  I got some rocky road fudge, Heath Toffee fudge, dark chocolate sea salt caramels, and chocolate almond toffetts, all homemade.
I contemplated buying these mints just because they made me laugh.
If it did, I would be killing two birds with one stone quite often.
My ice cream and a new notepad for jotting down "utterly important" notes.
All bundled up and ready to go!
While we were out for those couple weeks of snow, Dad and I got up extra early to get in the best skiing conditions.  The Cataloochee Ranch up top made for a pretty picture.
Even driving through Morristown had some great scenery.
This ended up being my lock screen photo on my iPhone for a couple months!  It's great to get to ski in some real snow.
 

 Sitting inside at dinnertime is always fun, I'm not sure why.  I think it is just the change of scenery and opportunity to hang out in the lodge and warm up by the fire!
My mom got the opportunity to show some of the classes at her school some ski gear and tell them about this great winter sport!  This is Gretchen showing off my skis, boots, and helmet for her class!  Her mom, Julia, works at Manley with my mom and is very involved with our church, too!  I just love this precious family!



Tuesday, January 28, 2014

Busy but Blessed






I'm getting to do a blog update today because we are out of school for probably the rest of the week!  (Tomorrow is for sure, and most likely Thursday, too)  This miracle snow came from nowhere, really quickly this morning, and it has not stopped since!  It is beautiful!
 
This morning, since I woke up to a wonderful surprise, I decided to whip up a big batch of pumpkin pancakes!  A random lunch conversation at school last week inspired me to make shaped pancakes one day, so today was the day.  I used a Pampered Chef squirter of my mom's to make these snowflakes.  It worked out so much better than I had imagined!
This was last Wednesday night after church with my friends (left to right) Bella and Jenna.  We were at TCBY for over an hour eating up and laughing at all kinds of crazy stuff!  Jenna is the college leader in my Sunday School class, and she inspires me so much!  She is so real, fun, and passionate for the Lord.
Tonight I got the idea to make my own apple cobbler for dessert!
I sliced up a golden delicious apple and microwaved it with honey, sugar free syrup, nutmeg, and cinnamon
TADA!  This was a terrific and healthy dessert!

This is my wonderful mother!  She works in the office at a local elementary school, so she was even more thrilled to be out of school than I was.  I made a portion of my snapchat story for each line of let it snow because,
"It doesn't show signs of stopping
and I've got some corn for popping
since we've no place to go (that was where this picture came from)

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!"
We have had a great day today full of laughs from the minute I woke up with our cat walking across my face.
This was from before church a couple weeks ago, but I had to snap a quick pic because I had never tried these before, and they were great!  Mom finally found the Cinnamon Harvest at walmart, but I'm still looking for some Indigo Morning!  I am a cereal lover for sure.
 
Here are two beautiful pictures taken by two of my beautiful friends!  God has shown us blessings today in the fact that we are getting a break from the craziness of life (since there is not really anyway we can drive!) and in how gorgeous His creations are, and how He can change things in the blink of an eye!

Monday, January 20, 2014

Cataloochee and Creek Cafe

Happy Martin Luther King Jr. Day!
Since I didn't have school today, Dad and I took a trip to Cataloochee last night.  Except for some ice, especially when the sun went down, it was a fantastic night to ski!  After the 4:30 day pass people left, there was no lift lines to wait in at all!
"Selfies" are not my thing.  I don't like to hear the word or apply it to myself.  It's just annoying.  So this is not a selfie.  This is a picture of me at Cataloochee.
 
Today I did something else I've been wanting to do for a while!  That seems to be happening a lot lately, doesn't it?  After letting breakfast digest, Mom dropped me off at the Jefferson City Community Center so I could swim and run a little bit.  She went to Walmart while I was doin' work.  One of my new favorite places is in downtown Jefferson City, called The Creek Cafe.  The place is so cute inside, the workers are super nice, and the food and drinks are delicious! 
 
I brought my devotion book to read, too.  Today was about being fresh in desiring the Lord, not stale.  God has given us new life to desire Him and to be satisfied in Him!  When we feel stale, it is because our relationship is not focused right.  Just go to God, and He will restore your spirit! 
What I got to eat was their homemade chicken salad sandwich on fresh apple wheatberry bread.  Oh man, could I eat that every day.  That's the best chicken salad I've ever had!  They also have a lot of coffee flavors, and I got vanilla.  The flavors are so good, I didn't even have to add any creamer!  Refills on flavors are only 50 cents, too.  The ice cream they serve in their store is delivered each week from Sevierville's Apple Barn!  That is one of my other favorite places!  You just can't go wrong with a place like this.  The 4 flavors I've gotten lately are Bear Claw (which has brownies), Irish Cream Cappuccino, Caramel Turtle Fudge, and Peanut Butter Fudge.
 
Lately, I've really been trying to make the most of every opportunity I get, because life is so short.  I just love life and all that God has blessed me with, so I want to use every moment to do something good.  It was also a great day off from school getting to spend time with my mom, because since things are moving so fast now, we don't get to be together as often!  Today was a great day of bonding.