He's Graduated!!

 My dad is officially a college graduate! He has been so dedicated and has worked for so long to finish his degree. He received his diploma today! We are so proud of him. He really deserves it.
It represents many, many years of hard work.

His degree  now complete!

Learning is not attained by chance, it must be sought for with ardor and diligence.
Abigail Adams

He has really done hard things!
We're proud of you!

have yourself a merry christmas

Yesterday I baked lots of cookies for us and our neighbors. Chocolate Chip Oatmeal, Fudge, and M&M Pretzel Candy. The boys helped a little but they really just liked stealing m&m's. 

To me this seems like the only time of year where you can absolutely bake way, way to much sweet stuff and its okay! Fudge, oh the fudge is a.w.e.s.o.m.e.

 A few weeks ago we had snow. It was really beautiful but baby, its cold outside!

 It wasn't very deep when I took this picture. We got more during the night. I love how fresh and crisp, and perfectly white it is.

 I really adore the weather up here. After living in the deep south for almost a year and a half this weather is awesome!

 I finished Christmas shopping last night. I'm completely finished!

 I hope everyone has a wonderful, wonderful Christmas! Don't expect to hear much from me until next year since we will be busy, busy, busy!

 The snow is all melted now but we're expecting more on Christmas day. It will be the first time we've ever had a white Christmas!

 I finally got my iPod a couple of days ago! I've been saving up for a while so I could get what I wanted but I like to save my money. But I finally got it! I LoVe it! Its going to be so great for running.

Silent night, holy night, all is calm all is bright......

mErRy, MeRrY ChRiStMaS!!!!!!!!

the boys

We're Elves!

its beginning to look a lot like Christmas

 All of us girls went Christmas shopping last Saturday. We had a really great time. The weather, although rainy, was only in the 40's. We went all over the mall and several other stores. William-Sonoma was awesome. I love that store.

 We got Starbuck's and I burned my tongue on my white chocolate mocha espresso.

At J. Crew they were giving away candy canes. Its a really great store but the prices seem steep.

 I got this great pair of shoes at another store, I was really excited about them! I really like pretty shoes.

 Eh....

Ahhh..........

So to get to the point of my post.

After the mall we headed for another store. Its my favorite grocery store, Whole Foods.  I was taking more pictures to go along with this post when one of the employees came up to me.

"Could I ask what your taking pictures for?"

Oh. no. please don't say.. 

"oh, I was just taking pictures for my blog."

"Oh really? I'm sorry but you can't really do that. You see, everything here is trademarked. I'm sorry about that..."

oh swell. I really want to crawl under my bed right now.

"Oh, I understand. I'm sorry. :)"

I don't recall what else I said but I do remember letting her know I was profusely sorry. I'm a rule follower so I felt really out of line.

Lydia was standing beside me wiping her forehead thinking how great it was that I happened to be taking the pictures for once and not her.

huff..

The lady was nice though. She later came back over to me and asked me what kind of blog I had.

"Do you write a food blog?"

"Well not really, its really just whatever is going on."

"Do you write about food? I could talk to my marketing manager and we could set up some shots."

"Oh thanks but that's really okay. :)" *smile*

I thought is was really nice of her to ask. If she only knew I was just a sixteen year old who had this little blog among the millions of others in cyber space. I'm not exactly Pioneer Woman you know!:)

maybe I ought to have said,

I write a column in Gourmet magazine. I was just taking a few shots to go along with the article I'm writing about your amazing store.

or..

yeah, I'm from Food Network and we were wanting to feature the store in a special about organic and all natural food.

But then again she might not have believed me. :P

You might remember me saying that one of my favorite quotes is "A person with inner dignity is never embarrassed."

oh yeah. whatever.

I just need to get some more inner dignity I guess.

humbug

Every Christmas I look forward to shopping for gifts. I love to find something for my family that I know that they will love. This year I've discovered the wonderful world of Etsy. I could spend so much time on there. :)

I'm just having a really difficult time deciding! I don't like to settle, my philosophy in shopping is that if it doesn't knock me over its not right. I always "know" when its the right gift.

Bah, humbug.

“The man who never reads will never be read; he who never quotes will never be quoted. He who will not use the thoughts of other men’s brains proves he has no brains of his own.”

Here’s something that I’ve always wanted.

I’ve always thought that it would be so neat to be quoted.

I’ve always wanted to write or say something that people would think about, that would inspire or encourage them. A quote that would be put on a T-shirt or put on a wall plaque. Something very witty, something very Benjamin Franklin-esque.

I've always thought that it would be neat. You may think its odd but I think that would be really something. Not that I’ve ever said anything so noteworthy that it would live on for generations its just something I’ve always wanted.

I found out that I have been quoted once. McKenzie took a video of me several years ago and when she asked if I liked ballet I said, “I love it, love it, adore it.”

My aunt got a kick out of it and so started saying it too.

So even though no words of mine have made it onto a wall plaque I guess I can be satisfied. HAHA.