*Snow*

Last night we got 16 inches of snow, with drifts much higher than that. Outside town there were drifts about 15 feet deep (someone told me). School of course is closed, along with most of the roads, so I have a couple sweet kids staying with me last night and today. Here are some pictures of our blizzard.

This is an alley with 2 story buildings.

In the alley again on the left is a tall door.

Absolute CRAZINESS!!!!, but very beautiful when you can stay home and admire it.

Hockey Night

Last night was...fantastic!!! I had the most wonderful time with everyone!

The Amarillo Bulls played the Odessa Jackalopes and won 3 to 1. The last period the jackalopes finally made a goal. I had never been to a hockey game, and I really don't even know how to play, other than on a playstation game when I was little(that doesn't count), but I was figuring it out. It was definitely something I would love to do again!!!

The bulls box

After the game we were able to go ice skating on the rink. I have been ice skating many times and really love it. It was cool to skate there though, it seemed really big, maybe it's just me though. I didn't get pictures from ice skating because we had to walk down below where the crowd sits (where the team goes), so we had to leave all our stuff up where we were sitting.

We were sitting in the 3rd row so it was cool to see all the action up close. The frist thing my dad asked me is if there was a fight. Are you kidding, its hockey, yes, of course there was, and I feel bad saying this, but it was funny we were all sitting there laughing. Then one guy got hit during the game and split his lip open really good. We saw all the team after the game, and his lip was super swollen, like I could see stitches in his near future.

Coming out again after the first half.

I was invited to go to a Hockey game, then ice skating afterwards on Friday. I love ice skating, but I have never been to a hockey game before. It is the NAHL team in Amarillo, the Bulls playing the Odessa Jackalopes (*funny*). I am super excited about it!!!
So...... Saturday, hopefully, I will be posting some pictures and details from it.

Christmas Music

I know I have said this before but, I have such amazing friends, and family. God has really blessed be so much, you all are the best. For those of you who don't know, yesterday was my birthday, and so many of my wonderful friends called me, sang to me, skyped me, it really made my day!!! There is nothing like a good friend and I have a lot!!! Thank you guys so so much, you are such a huge blessing!!!!!!!



I am so into Christmas music this year, Grooveshark.com is great for that. Here are some I have found and love!!!
(Sorry they are just links I don't have the time to play with it and figure it out).

http://grooveshark.com/#/s/I+ll+Be+Home+For+Christmas/1Wlr97?src=5

http://grooveshark.com/#/s/What+Child+Is+This+/1ZXylT?src=5

http://grooveshark.com/#/s/Silent+Night/4f7mDg?src=5

http://grooveshark.com/#/s/O+Come+All+Ye+Faithful+feat+The+Mormon+Tabernacle+Choir+/3u94wc?src=5

http://grooveshark.com/#/s/The+Christmas+Song/4iTHmo?src=5

http://grooveshark.com/#/s/It+s+Beginning+To+Look+A+Lot+Like+Christmas/4h2jVB?src=5

There are so many more but, hope you enjoy listening to these!!!

It's Starting to Look a Lot Like Christmas!

It is starting to look like Christmas around here!!!

Christmas is my favorite holiday. This week I decorated our church, and the city put wreaths and lights on all the lamp posts, it looks so pretty!!! Last night it even snowed here a few inches and it hasn't melted off yet. I really dislike cold a lot, my ideal is like 90', wearing flip flops, sandals, short sleeve shirts, etc., but I love Christmas time. How it brings families together, all the yummy baked things, the smells: cinnamon, pine trees, candy canes, and of course the music. I seems people are in a better mood also, maybe that part is all in my mind though. Christmas is so picture perfect!!! Yet so often we get so focused on all these things and forget about Jesus' birth, born to die on the cross to save sinners, so we could have peace, hope and joy in Him. I am so thankful that He has saved me and changed my life, that I can have that.

I recently got back from a wonderful trip to Phoenix to visit all my family. I got to go with my brother, who I hadn't seen in a few months. We are super close so we had a wonderful time together again. It was great to see all my other family and spend Thanksgiving with them, my grandparents, Aunts, Uncles, cousins, almost everyone just a few were not able to be there.

I hope you also had a great Thanksgiving, and have an amazing Christmas in 21 days!

I Have Been Blessed!

Today is 11/11/11!!!

Veteran's Day

I have been looking forward to this day for years, I don't know why. Actually, I always said I was going to get married on this day, anyways that wasn't God's plan, obviously. Today is also Veteran's day, I am so thankful, as I have said many times, for all of our military!!! I am thankful for our country, for the brave men and women who have given their lives so we could be the country we are today. I never want to take that for granted.
  
    I had a very eventful week, and I have thought of the words to this song many times. It is always so true!!! I am thankful for the blessings God gives us every day, ones we take for granted. This week has made me thankful to be alive, God is so good!!!!! I first heard this song at a ladies retreat, but during that same day, my dad took some of our church kids to a youth rally. The pastor's daughter sang this song. She has been diagnosed with cancer for the third time, and is only in her 20's. Hearing that, makes this song so much more special to me. I am so blessed, even when nothing seems like it is going right, WE ARE BLESSSED!!!

When He moves among us, all that He does, all of His mercy, all of His love. If the pen of a writer could write every day even this world could never contain, how I've been blessed. Warmth in the winter, flowers in spring, laughter of summer, the changing of leaves. Food on my table, and a good place to sleep, clothes on my back, and shoes on my feet. How I've been bleesed!
   I have been blessed! Gods so good to me. Precious are His thoughts of you and me. No way I can count them there's not enought time, so I'll just thank Him for being so kind. God has been good, so good. I have been blessed!
   Arms that will raise, a voice that can talk, hand that can touch, legs that can walk, ears that can listen, eyes that can see, I've got to praise Him as long as I breath. I have been bleessed! A mother and father nurtured and raised, sisters and brothers memories made. Our pastor to lead us this altar to pray, stripes that can heal the blood that still saves. I have been blessed!
   I have been blessed Gods so good to me. Precious are His thoughts of you and me. No way I can count them there's not enought time, so I'll just thank Him for being so kind. God has been good, so good. I have been blessed!
   We live in a country the greatest on earth, where the flag stands for freedom and what it is worth. She stands in our harbor Miss Liberty calls, all have given some but some gave it all, so we could be blessed.
   He's my shoulder to lean on when I am down the rock where He leads me when I'm overwhelmed. The place where He hides me under His wings He's not just a song, He's the reason I sing! I have been blessed!
   I have been blessed Gods so good to me. Precious are His thoughts of you and me. No way I can count them there's not enought time, so I'll just thank Him for being so kind. God has been good, so good I have been blessed! God has been good, so good. I have been blessed!

Photo credit: www.freemilitaryphotos.com

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I have been traveling all over lately that is why I haven't been posting, and I am going to Fritch again tonight. So, it may be a while before I post again. Anyways, have a wonderful day!!!!

After my super wonderful trip to New York, we headed to Texas the next day for a missions conference. I had never seen a missions conference done this way before and it was such a blessing.

We got there on Sunday for the evening service, after the evening service we went to a really neat local pizza buffet that had miniature golf with black lights. The food was very good and the kids had fun golfing. Monday, they had kid's day. They took all the missionaries, and some of the church staff's kids from their church to Gatti's in Amarillo (like chuck-e-cheese, only way better food!!!) We had pizza and they got all the kids a cup of tokens to play games. I know this was a blessing to the missionary families, it was fun for me to watch the kids having a blast!!! Tuesday was ladies day, woohoo!!! Again, we all went to Amarillo and the ladies were given money to buy whatever, but it had to be used on things for themselves. This day eliminated most of the men, just a few went but at the first stop they got together and went to guy stores, of course. For lunch they took us to mongolian bbq. I had never had it before, it was so delicious!!!!

Most of all I enjoyed the wonderful time spent with an amazing family God has allowed me and my family to get to know very well the past few months. I was able to stay with them, and their daughter who is around my age, while my parents stayed with their son at... the bachelor pad. Thursday morning when we left, we woke up to snow even. What a blessing to finally get some moisture, although I greatly dislike cold. God is so good. This trip was a huge blessing to me, and I am so thankful God allowed us to go!!!

Super fun chocolate fountain at Golden Corral. Chocolate covered strawaberries....... YUM!!!!!

At the mongolian bbq place.

Not a great picture, I know, sorry.

Bro. Rice

New York Pictures

Finally, what everyone has been waiting for. Pictures of beautiful New York. It was absolutely breathtaking!!! We were there for about a week and were able to take many drives. Actually, we went almost up to Canada on a little adventure.

My dream house. Absolutley gorgeous it looks like a doll house to me. And it has a fabulous view!!!

My family I got to see while we were there. 3 Of my cousins are not in the picture. They were at school.

Playing games the last night I was there. the game wasn't too exciting and everyone was really tired but we had fun anyways. It was my aunt and 2 of my cousins and me that played.

I am so thankful I had this amazing opportunity to go. I would love to be able to go again, maybe I will. My dream is a trip to Maine sometime. We were only about 3 hours away, but didn't get a chance. Everything was so busy!!! I am exhausted, but it was totally worth it all!!!!!

My sweet cousin here in New York is getting ready to become a bull rider. Here is her bucking barrel she has. She rocks at it too!!!! They were taking it easy in this video, since she wasn't wearing her helmet. By the way, New York is way better than anything I could have ever imagined. It is absolutely gorgeous there.

I am finally home again. I got home Saturday at about midnight then left at like 3 in the afternoon Sunday for Texas. I am so tired but I really love traveling and it was a blessing to spend time with some super amazing friends and my wonderful family!!! More pictures and stories coming soon!!!

Flying into New York

Autumn in the east coast is amazingly beautiful. I am currently in the Albany, New York area. Here are just a few pictures from when we were flying into New York. More amazing pictures coming soon to a blog near you!

Autumn Blessings

Westbrook Baptist Church hosted their annual ladies retreat last Friday and Saturday. It was such a blessing to go! The theme was autumn blessings, so fitting. The speaker was Pam Copes from Heartland, so they had the group 'Assurance' from Heartland Baptist Bible College there. The special music was beautiful!!!! I enjoyed being able to go this year more than last year, I think. God has so abundantly blessed all of us!!!

This song was sung there as a solo by one of the Heartland girls. It was such a beautiful song and she did an amazing job. This one posted here is sung by a group from Heartland, obviously.

* * *

Friday night was so much fun, being able to spend time with a wonderful lady from our church that came. Who doesn't love Starbucks, Cato, and doing nails!!!

Here is a picture of my nails, hers were black lace with flowers they were very cute as well.

My cute nails, they are my real nails, so many people have asked.

Parade

I am our church kid's biggest fan (not related to them) !!! Friday was the homecoming parade, which normally I wouldn't be too into, and that evening I had to leave for a ladies conference in Clovis. I knew 3 of the kids were in band and 2 are on the football team, good chances they were going to be in the parade. They were, and they waved while marching with the band. They were great!!!!

My favorite part; the flags at the begining.

CHS band

Homecoming king and queen contestants.

Teaching Jr.High

 funny picture from pioneer woman

I was a little nervous to teach Jr.High today. I have only taught elementary and you never know in a public school what jr. high kids will be like. Well, the kids were fabulous!!!! I absolutely loved all the kids I taught, they did great. In the morning I taught language arts/ english, then in the afternoon I taught reading. my favorite class was probably sixth grade but I still really enjoyed all of them!!! Tomorrow, I will teach kindergarten which is super fun as well so, I'm looking forward to it. This job has changed my whole outlook on teaching! I love it, lots!!!

Pictures

I love going back over pictures. They bring back memories of great times and sometimes remind me of things I had actually forgotten. Anyways here are just some pictures old and new that I found today and still love. Hope you enjoy looking through them.
(Yes, I know I am a little, well actually really quirky sometimes...but hey it makes life fun and intersting right!!!)

 Sweet Friends

When I graduated, my goodness I look like such a nerd, a few years ago. Those glasses had been broken numerous times playing volleyball that's why they are crooked.

Best friends, the kind that are more like sisters to you. High school volleyball

(these are from our alumni game)

* * *

My Family...the best there is or ever was.

my dad

my mom

my cousins

* * *

 Amazing church kids!

They will always make you laugh.

* * *

More sweet friends!!!

*my brother, the one shooting.

I am soooo thankful for all the people God has placed in my life; my wonderful parents and brother (who doesn't want his picture on here*), my amazing friends, my sweet sunday school class, my fabulous church kids, and my very amazing church family, they are all a huge blessing to me!!!!!!