Summer Review

Hello everyone!  I know I have been rather hit and miss this summer, but I am going to post at least one more time before school starts on tomorrow.  :-)

At the beginning of summer, I wrote a list of goals for this summer; and in order that I would not get too overwhelmed or discouraged, I wrote another list of  things I did accomplish.  My "Summer Goals" list contains sixteen items and, as of now, my "Things I've Done This Summer" list contains 63 items (including a couple repeats, social events, personal achievements, and random "goings on").  The following are highlights from the latter list.  This post is not meant to brag about all the things I've done this summer but to give you a taste of what I've been doing and to remind myself of what a blessed three months I've had and that I've not entirely wasted the summer.  :-) (The list is roughly in chronological order. :-) )

• Went to a game night with the Ellen's speech and debate group
• Helped with the VBS (Vacation Bible School) at our church
• Took the ACT
• Went to volleyball get-togethers with friends
• Spent the night and watching movies with Grandma
• Swam in our cousins' lake and spent a lot of time with family
• Went to the College World Series
• Had a Strength Finders consultation
• Blogged more (hehehe at least for a while)
• Drank my first chai tea latte :-)
• Shopped with Mom and Grandma (several times)
• Visited Red Mango several times :-)
• Took pictures
• Babysat two kids from church with Ellen
• Read and listened to fun and interesting books--I would highly recommend: Jesus Among Other Gods Youth Edition by Ravi Zaccharias and Kevin Johnson (recommended for 13 and up) and Knight's Fee by Rosemary Sutcliff 
• Went to a church cookout
• Crocheted and knitted several blankets and mason jar cozies
• Took Driver's Ed and earned my driver's license! 
• Caught up with friends in my Bible Study group
• Started kitchen remodel
• Went to Two Rivers in August with friends
• Assisted in Ellen's piano recital
• Taught piano for some of the summer
• Practiced more violin (one of my sixteen goals)
• Went to our family reunion in August with Grandma where we spent time with family and also did some paddle boating :-)
• Went to Campy Rivercrest!!!
• Listened to new Christian contemporary songs
• Went to see Finding Dory :-)
• Played games with Ellen and had fun together (several times)
• Baked breakfast snacks with Grandma (for when school starts)
• Went to a Labor Day weekend game night with families from church

So I hope that gives you bit of a glimpse of what I've been doing (in between blogging).  It was a very fun summer, but now I am ready to start school and get back into routine.  Time for fall! :-)

"There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven".

Ecclesiastes 3:1 

Summer Selfies

Since Ellen and I have had a friend move out of Omaha recently, we have been texting her random selfies of what we've been doing.  To record those fun memories and give you guys a small glimpse into what we've been doing, I decided to post them!

Tracing stencils to make hieroglyphics to decorate for our church's VBS whose theme this year was Egypt

Praise the Lord for stencils!  I could not have done it without them!

Red Mango!  Ellen absolutely loves this place.  So ever since Grandma gave us gift cards, we have made several stops there.  Yum!! (This is not officially a selfie as I took I, but I'll include it anyway.)

Random good night selfie to our friend!

Playing Five Crowns last Friday

 It is one of our new favorite card games that friends from church introduced us to.  (Grandma played too, but unfortunately she didn't quite make it into the picture!)

Playing Dutch Blitz, another favorite game, on the back porch after I took the ACT

  It was such a blessing to relax and have fun after that ordeal.  :-)

     At the beginning of summer, I always seem to stress over how I spend my time.  I want to make my summer productive by doing things I am less able to do during the school year (such as fun reading, doing some school, practicing more piano and violin, and the like) but also I want to leave plenty of time to do fun things with family and friends.  I need to continue to be thankful for the things I have been doing (shown by the pictures above which are only a small glimpse) and know that the most important things that God wants me to accomplish I will accomplish.

One of my goals is to blog a little bit more.  Blogging is a wonderful way to record events and to practice my writing skills. :-)  I hope also to be able to make it a blessing to others and honoring to the Lord.  

"And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him." 

Colossians 3:17 

 

Pens!

This is kind of random; but, for some strange reason, I really like pens.  There is just something about pens when they write so easily and beautifully!  Last night Dad bought a whole pack of colored pens of my favorite kind.  I just couldn't help arranging and taking pictures of them! :-)  I just love different color combinations "smile".

(Last five pictures are a compliment to Ellen.) 

 I also might add that there was an orange pen and a brown pen that were kidnapped from the group and were unable to be in the picture "smile".

Spring is Here!!!

Look what Dad took a picture of in the backyard last week!
I am so thankful for the beautiful, sunny days we have had this month!  It is so nice when I can go out and enjoy it either by lying in the sun in the backyard, running errands, or going out driving.

I can't believe Easter is next week!  We have a busy month of April, but I'll try to post some of the things we do!