Monday, December 31, 2012

Last post of the year!

ok this is crazy short. I'm off to sledding now, so I have no time to write longer. This year has been an amazing one. Praise the Lord for His bounty and mercy! Hope your new years eve is fun and your new year is full of blessing!
Love,
Maddie  OH NO..no picture, I realize that. You know how I hate that. Oh well. Pretend there is one up here anyway.

Tuesday, December 25, 2012

Happy Christmas to You!!!

   Well due to lack of hours in the day, I haven't posted for a long while.  The days this month were placed in a tornado...then I was tossed in it.  Now it is Christmas EVE! Where has the time gone? I'm sure I don't know.

  ALRIGHT. Now it is Christmas day. Merry Christmas! The reason I didn't finish this yesterday was because a dark blustery snow storm hit.  So I grabbed my notebook, iPod, and A Christmas Carol.  I announced to however was listening in the house that I was "off to go adventuring and I may come back, but in case not Sophie knows what of my belongings are willed to who". I tramped out into the wind and happily set our for my thinking place that I shall not tell you about...it is my own.  I got in the very first set of footprints in the new snow...even though it was still falling. I was freezing(especially my HANDS!!Ah!;)) and full of Christmas cheer.  My book and I got very wet. Then I decided that we were getting a little too wet so I walked around our neighborhood circle. Then Sophie called to tell me that we were off to the Dingman's. I had forgotten about this..so I ran the rest of the way in my giant heavy boots, books stuffed in my jacket.  So I hopped into the car and we were off. We had a lovely evening. Many thanks to Mrs. Dingman who let me have some of her Christmas beans that I adore. ;) We got home and watched the Nativity Story..which is a must. My favorite tradition. Alright, that is my account of Christmas Eve. Except I also made baklava earlier yesterday.  It turned out better than I thought, though it wasn't perfect and it was time consuming. I brought some down to the Shute home..and that is when the snow/hail/whatever that white stuff was that hurt my face started to fall. I got to drive up the hill back to our house for the first time in snow! It was terrible! I slid everywhere and I had no idea how to drive on extremely slippery roads...the car did not want to move up the hill...so I sang my "Lord, help me to make it home without having to call my dad" prayer merrily to the tune of whatever was on the radio. I made it home. Ok now I am really done with talking about Christmas Eve.  This is my cheater picture...I didn't take it, but it is pretty accurate of the woods here in the snow.

Today is Christmas. I am wishing you a Merry Christmas, not "Happy Holidays".  I hope we all remember Jesus' birthday.  He was born into this world. God made into flesh. "Eternity kissed time", as Dad said in his Sermon on Sunday. Jesus was born to die and then rise again. I am so thankful for this...what better reason to celebrate???!!!!  There is no better or important occasion to honor than this one. Merry CHRISTmas!!!!!!!!!! 

Have a glorious and happy day filled with fun, family, and remembrance. I will write about my day today later on this week...pictures included. For real.  Here is one of my new favorite Christmas songs...I have too many favorites, but hey I now have NEW favorites..so I'm branching out, right? It is Silent Night/Lord of my Life by Lady Antebellum. Enjoy!



Love,
Madeleine  

Wednesday, December 12, 2012

Twelve


Well. I guess I am going to hop on the bandwagon and make a "12-12-12" post to join yours.  Today to celebrate I am holding a 12 party here after Bible study...which means this is a LATE party, but I will take what I can get considering this is the last triple date thingy for a while...a long while. I had an Eleven party last year too for triple date day:)  I have nothing unique to say about this occasion...no twelve poem or anything.    

Here are some friends from Oakhurst. There are 13 of them..is that not fitting...oh well. Actually to make y'all(or me) feel better...I only know 12 of them.  Pitiful little 12 post, how I loath thee.

Tuesday, December 11, 2012

Massive Buildings of Terror and Awe and Wonder and Beauty

 I am totally not obsessed..not at all. Nope.  Cathedrals are just amazing and they have been on my mind. I have been singing in this frightening Catholic church..it is haunting and magnificent...but not as much as these in the pictures must be.  It is nice to sit in the big pews and feel awed and small and shivery. I am not catholic, just a reminder. I just like beautiful buildings with history built into the walls. Yeahhhhh..so anyway. I will try to do some Christmas posts soon. After I am finished with my obnoxious cathedrals in Europe phase.  Sorry had to share. Ok fine and while I'm on here I might as well mention that the Hobbit is coming out  on Friday and I am not freakishly obsessed with that but I am looking forward to it very much....maybe we should set up a projector in the cathedrals once it is out and watch it...and listen to it echo. With me anyone? Anyone at all? Oh...ok I understand ;)

Monday, December 10, 2012

Happy Christmas!


    Hello All! So I cringe when I think of how I am due for a blog post writing...and how I am putting it off.  Well guess what!!! I still a, putting the post off because I am busy writing our family's Christmas letter. Having a new "post" makes me feel better about myself, though. So this post is for me, not you so much.  Hmm...well I guess I should say SOMETHING.  Ok so lately I have been very happy. Also incredibly busy.  I should be really stressed about about school and other things that I need to get done, but I'm not. Such a nice feeling...knowing you aren't carefree but feeling like you are. My days have been filled with school, a ton of choir, writing, singing(this is separate from choir...it doesn't seem big enough to note yet it is), Christmas cheering, reading, and  a bunch of other things. So anyway...who even reads this blog? Please comment and say "present" or "me" or something...even if I don't know you, you can comment and let me know who you are. I like to know my audience:)   Ok so now it is the 10th! Happy birthday to Grandpa and Jared!!! So guess what! I was writing the Christmas letter for our family(I volunteered to write a bout all the Gindy kids) and it was going well. A lot easier than I thought it would be. Then this morning a certain member of our family was clicking around and deleted the WHOLE darn thing. Then this certain member of our family * saved * it...oh joy. So yes, Mum and I have to re-write the whole entire thing.  It is really funny how I find myself more amused than disappointed...I'm not even mad in the slightest. It just seemed that something should go wrong today to ruin my good mood...but it didn't so HA! I feel like sing "I've Got Rhythm" as done by Ella Fitzgerald. (Y'all should look that up...I love that song. It is so fun to sing like a black lady..and I'm an alto so it's like..perfect(NOT):) I have a lot of homework to do, letters to write, and a 5 hour rehearsal at the dramatic Catholic church to go to...so I had better go.

P.S

 
This is such a lovely picture...I realize that. SO nice. This is me and the guy who deleted our letter...I love him anyway. <3  I really promise that someday I will post a decent picture. Happy Christmas to y'all!

P.P.S  Here is that song...I couldn't get one without the video..so just disregard the video...it's a fun song. Ok, so maybe I just like it because it brings back really good memories:)  I will totally be singing this all day long...that and Vanilla Twilight. Interesting mix of songs, I know...that's just what is in my head right now. <3;)

-Madeleine

Tuesday, November 27, 2012

P.S

 Ok, So I went and added a picture to my original "Happy thoughts" post...just so ya know...I don't like not having a picture along with a post, that's just me.  That also means that I have to add one along with this post even though it is simply a note. So this is one of the glorious skies I get to see. I went and took this off of our deck. I'm not a photographer, so...you know, it isn't nice. But I assure you the sky was lovely(Don't worry. I will get you that big picture post soon, you know who you are ;) )

-Madeleine

Monday, November 26, 2012

I haven't the slightest idea what to name this post.

  
Well, I hope you liked my last post and it's length, because I have another long post coming soon...not today, though. When I have time to finish writing it. Until then, I will add a few more happy thoughts at random just because:)

Happy Thought #34- Cathedrals *chills*...they are so big and beautiful and I have this stereotype in my head that is very gray and foggy and mysterious and cold and thrilling and scary...I have never been to a cathedral,of course, but that is what I think cathedrals should be when it is dark and empty...I am the type to scare the wits out of myself, anyway...so. I am not Catholic, obviously, but I still love the thought of cathedrals. There are other things attached to my cathedral thought, but it would be really hard to explain..it has to do with books and big iron gates and adventure.

Happy thought #35- Different smells. They remind me of different things, some of which I can't even grasp onto but I know it's there.  Like the blue original chap stick. Then there are other things like perfume(I love perfume...) and cologne(love cologne too) and candles and the Lloyd's little spiral cloth trivet thing on their microwave and the soup at that Thai restaurant in Monterrey...I just like things that smell good, I suppose. I'm the one inBath and body works smelling ever single thing they have there...that's me.  There are a million more, but those are the smellable things that come to mind at the moment:)

P. S-This picture is new because of our NEW camera!! Now maybe we will learn to take GOOD pictures:) More later.

Ok, well that is it for now.  -Madeleine

Saturday, November 24, 2012

Happy Thoughts.



     So! My friend Tia and I have been planning on doing a “Happy Thoughts” post for a while…and today is our day! Check her blog out to read about her happy thoughtsJ.  She has a great blog. So real, humorous, honest, fun and God-honoring. Here is the link:   http://tiallarising.wordpress.com/   (ok, so I don't think I know how to do links,hopefully it shows up)      
   Ok, so I have many happy thoughts, but to tell you the truth, today I am not in that mode of writing, so this might be a little wobbly.  (ok this was all written a while ago now…today is Saturday the 24th. I have been soooo  busy and haven’t been able to finish this post...I’m sorry!)

Happy thought #1- Thanksgiving. Really I think about thanksgiving not only when the time for it to come draws near…(we are big holiday people and look forward to all thanksgiving and Christmas all year round).Many things are entailed in that one thought…it is more of a feeling that I thought, I suppose. Reminders of God’s abundant blessing, family, food, warmth, socks, fall décor, etc. Lovely…I just adore thanksgiving.

Happy thought #2- Thunderstorms…wonderful thought…soaking hair, barefoot, ear to ear smile, dancing, running, fog, trees, singing, not caring  whether or not your neighbors are watching you, black clouds, being alone, thrilling thunder, purple, black, gray, adventures in the misty mountains, books, shivering...it’s perfect.

Happy thought #3- Bright red lipsticks…don’t ask me why. It just makes me smile. ..It reminds me of the 40’s and 50’s, instagram pictures, willow trees, my grandma, and a few other things…I don’t wear lipstick, but it is a happy thought, for sure.

Happy thought #4- 70’s and 80’s music. ..Mostly 70’s. So corny, so catchy, so weird. I don’t know why, but I love it.

Happy thought #5-(on the lipstick note), Burt’s bees pomegranate chap sick…it is my go-to.

Happy thought #6- Finger style guitar…it is just so calming and beautiful and articulate…I could listen to my talented dad play all day…He is teaching me!!!

Happy thought #7- Griffin’s October. (I have mentioned this before)…so lovely…so apple pie, rainy, candle, Fernando Ortega, barefoot, Saturday soccer game, hot giant soft pretzels, Oahurst’s Gift works shop, Downhere’s Wide Eyed and Mystified album, fireplace, fellowship, peace, Sara Grove’s Add to the Beauty album, canopy of colorful trees type of feeling…memories, memories.

Happy thought #8- Past orchestra performances I have been to. ..oh my goodness…I am so drawn to it…seriously I look pathetic I am sure.  I am on the edge of my seat tightly gripping the arm rests, powerful, eyes wide, heart pounding, just. Full…surrounded…the big high ceiling and shadows cast. It is just so magical. Classical music had to have been God-inspired. I get to go TONIGHT!! (thrillllllllled!!!!!!!!)

Happy thought #9- Musicals…heeeheeee!!!!! I love them! Fiddler on the Roof, Music Man, Hello Dolly (even though Dolly is so obnoxious and you feel like slapping her. Cornelius and Barnaby are awesome), Sound of Music, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, etc…all of them really…
***(Ok interrupting myself…I am not sure that all of these really count as “thoughts”…but to me…if I think about any of these/thinking of doing any of these things I do smile. They make me happy…anyway, this is my post, and I make the rules.)*** continue on, self!
Fine, 

Happy thought #10- Christmas…oh yes…Christmas. I (my entire family, actually, especially my dad) love Christmas…the whole month of December is Christmas…we decorate the whole house and  eat and sing and dance and fill the atmosphere with holiday cheer…we LOVE Christmas…who wouldn’t love celebrating Jesus’ birthday????????? I will write more on that closer to the actual Christmas day, thoughJ , seeing as it isn’t even Thanksgiving yet.

Happy thought #11- Cooking…yes, I think about cooking and all the things I want to try and all the meals I want to cook for my husband someday and I will have learned a lot by then so he will have delicious meals provided for him and he will hug me and tell me that that was the best thing he ever ate(that's not why I cook in particular, but I still like to think of it)…yeah…I love cooking a lot. My parents, especially my dad, are wonderful cooks and I learn a lot from them about technical terms and tricks.  I am a relatively good cook, I must say;) I can’t do math, chemistry, run 5 miles, hang my clothes up (seemingly),snowboard, read music, play any song without messing up, but I can cook! Haha…I’m not perfect at it, but it is something I especially enjoy, so I work hard at it...there, I am done bragging…boy that sounded conceited. Sorry, it is my one skill!

Happy thought #12- singing. I love to sing…my whole family loves to sing. We are really weird, actually (no...Really??(Sarcasm)).  We leave all our windows open at home and frequently burst into song complete with 4 part harmony everyday…scary for neighbors Yes. Fun? Oh, yes.  My sisters and I sing in a choir here in Calzonia…we sometimes sing with the orchestra as well for the holiday concert with Master Chorale…it is tiring, but very rewarding. I spend my days at home singing and dancing in all different styles…I am dubbed “the strange lady” by my sisters. I don’t care, what fu is walking around normally, pray tell?

Happy thought #13- My Nana. She is in heaven as of October 7th of last year. She was the best sort of person that has ever lived.  She was spunky, sooo loving, she loved to read (sometimes staying up till the wee hours of the morning doing so) and sing (without her our family would not be so prone to random singing in parts). She cooked odd and adventurous food that was sometimes a success and sometimes not.  She loved to shop in thrift stores. She believed in making the most of everything.  She was quirky…like really quirky.  For one of my birthdays she gave me these odd little lemon shaped soaps, underwear, five dollars, and hippie daisy earrings.  Very eclectic…haha!  Once there was a boy at the airport whose pants were almost at his knees. So naturally she went and pulled them up (she was never shy for a moment of her life), truly believing she was only being a help to this poor unaware young man.   She lived on a dairy farm with 100 cows when she was little, until her dad died when she was 10.  She was a nurse. She died gracefully.  If I ever die, I know exactly what to do now.  I could write a whole post on that…A book, rather.  I have a ton of stuff to say about her, but I can talk about it later in another post. 

Happy thought #14- It’s a Wonderful Life…the movie. Perfect. Any Christmas movie, actually…like Elf and A Christmas Carol(with Kelsey Grammar)…

Happy thought #15- food. Chinese, Thai, Indian, good Italian(I have to define it because it is stereotyped as spaghetti), chocolate, black licorice, coffee, ice cream, dates(the dried kind), fruit in general, brussel sprouts(don’t you be grimacing at the computer screen! When you cut them in halves and quarters and toss them in olive oil and season them with salt and pepper…then roast them in an oven at 400 degrees until they are all crispy and perfect, that is the way to have them! Not those nasty boiled ones, bleh!), stews and soups, reallllly good bread, etc…(I have a bazillion favorite foods)

Happy thought #16- Going to see plays/acting in them...or acting in general.  Yeah, yeah…I know..I hate being in front of a huge crowd, however, if I don’t know a majority of the crowd, I’m ok. Plus I am not doing anything planned by myself, it’s a scripted part. Confessions, I know.

Happy thought #17- A clean room with a lit candle, music, solitude, and a book.

Happy thought #18- BOOKS. Need I say more?

Happy thought#19- Writing, I think about writing, yes…well I think about the things that I am going to write…but I don’t think I will share those. Some of you know, and some of you…just let it remain a mysterious thing. I assume everyone likes to write…dumbest thing ever…I totally do, though! I just talk about it with people like it’s just part of everything…I need to stop doing that, for sure.  Just know that writing is my most favorite hobby.

Happy though #20- Camping…I love smelling like smoke and eating junk, ok? Then at church camp, I get to do that with a bunch of friends…what could be better? Fellowship, singing, Bible reading, card playing, etc…it’s all great.

Happy thought #21- Friends…my friends make me incredibly happy. They cheer me up; give smiles, advice, honesty, correction, encouragement, and prayers freely. God has blessed me.

Happy thought #22-warm puppies…

Happy thought# 23- Cows…totally cows. I love jersey cows. Their eyes just MELT you…don’t laugh, you people… ;) This leads me to me next happy thought:

Happy thought #24- My dream. My dream is to live on a piece of land without neighbors to hear you blasting “Put on Your Sunday Clothes” in your loudest opera voice. Land with my husband and four kids, a jersey cow for milking, apple trees, willow trees, maple trees for color(just a ton of trees in general), a garden, and a place that isn’t too hot.  I will homeschool my kids and we will go on long walks in the rain to clear our minds and dance. None of us will know how to dance properly, but will dance anyway. We will all sing hymns daily and talk to God out loud as if He were right next to us.

Happy thought #25- Talking to older women at church and elsewhere.  They have so much advice and wisdom that I hope to gain in order to become a godly wife, wise and resourceful homemaker, and a good mother someday…for now, I pray and train for this.

Happy thought #26- perfect hair. I don’t have perfect hair. It is blond, super straight, and doesn’t do anything I want it to you…petty thought, I know…I like to think about hair that is perfect, though. Lame.

Happy thought #27- Night time.  In the summer, every night I would go sit on my porch and watch the stars…everyone else was asleep, but I was determined NOT to miss the beauty that night holds.

Happy thought #28- (ok so now it is Monday)..Monday isn’t a happy thought but THE NEW COX BABY IS!!!!!!!!! IT’S A GIRL and….I am freaking out. They have 2 oldest girls and then 5 boys after them…soooo…..a girl wasn’t expected.  Praised the Lord, though!! It is such exciting news. No name yet…maybe this baby could be named “coma,coma,coma”….ok never mind, inside joke.  Her name is Elianna Faith and I am thankful that she and Mrs. Cox are safe.

Happy thought #29- My Grandparents…always make me happy. They love God, each other and their family so much.  I have and continue to learn so much from them…I hope I have the faith and trust in God like they do someday. They both are hard workers and my grandpa is one of the best men I know. My grandma is everything I want to be. She is so respectful and submissive. She is extremely good humored, devoted, and beautiful. I could talk about her for a long time…she and grandpa are some of the best people to grace this earth, in my opinion. They are so wise and are willing to share some of that wisdom with a needy soul. J

Happy thought #30- My cousins…I have some amazing cousins. Really, I do. Some of them are my best friends ever. It’s like sibling but minus daily disagreements…I can tell my cousins everything and we pray for each other all the time and I know that that is exactly what Nana wanted. I’m sure Papa and Helen want it too.

Happy thought #31- My siblings- Yes, they are a happy thought.  Underneath all the arguing that comes along with having 6 people in such close proximity 24/7, when it comes down to it, we are truly best friends.  They mostly put up with my weirdness and days when I feel like biting their heads off.   Like for example, I was having a really hard day and the kitchen was a wreck…and it was my dish day.  So Tommy and Ian helped me clean it and offered to take over the entire thing so I could go sleep…even though I had been snappy and bossy all day and a terrible example.  I was humbled and ashamed and touched that they still loved me and cared to help me bear a burden after all that. 

Happy thought #32- My parents. They are the best people I know. My Mum is funny and is so good natured.  She is an excellent manager of the home and she loves dad and her family more than herself. She sacrifices everything.   She doesn’t force me to be the best and the prettiest and the most athletic, graceful, and successful. She wants me to love God and my family and work my hardest to honor God in my every endeavor and seek what He has planned for my life.  My dad is incredible. He never ceases to amaze me.  His zeal for God and his family is so astounding.  He is so wise and is able to help us out of any “complicated” little problem in life you may have.  I don’t know how he knows as much as he knows. Humans use a supposed 2% of their brain capacity, but I think dad uses far more than that.  Smartest person ever and a great pastor... also he is very funny.

Happy though #33- God. God is the ultimate happy thought. He is the REASON anyone is able to have happy thoughts.  He gives them to us because He loves His children. Anything I enjoy in life is only because of God’s love. If He didn’t love me, life would be miserable. When I am mad, sad, confused, overwhelmed, etc…I think on Him and how He will work everything out for my good and His honor. I owe my whole being and life to Him. I am thankful that He chose me when I hated Him and made my great sin known to me so that I was able to repent and seek Him.

I have decided to make a “happy thoughts 2” post someday because this is very long already. Thanks for reading! What are your happy thoughts? I love long commentsJ
-Madeleine 

P.S- Iknow this is totally after the fact. It is the 27th, but this post doesn't have a picture and y'all know how that irks me! Ok hold on.  Here:

Not the best ever picture, but Mum wanted to try her new camera out, so... :)  If any of you know me, you will know I was far from thrilled to have my picture being taken. Oh well, Mum was happy so that is what counted.:) This was the day before Thanksgiving at Buffalo Park(where I run most days).
 

Saturday, November 17, 2012

Post to Come!

Ok so for the past week I have been working on some extensive posts. I was supposed to write one today on my "happy thoughts". Tia, my friend over at Holding the Future Hostage, did one as well. Turns out I am not finished with mine yet(it is rather long) and I am off to the orchestra!! Yippee! So, you will see that tomorrow most likely, just to let you know. :) Hope you all have a wonderful fantastical evening filled with pumpkin bread, coffee, music, rain, and singing!

-Madeleine<3

Wednesday, November 14, 2012

Old pictures(great title)





So I haven't posted anything in a while..so I am posting really old and random pictures...plus I had a request(but for new ones, which I don't have) ;)
1.A game of "King Loser"..old
2.Skiing..old
3.me and goggles...old
4.A pic of a photo shoot of mine and emma's...old
5.My buddies at a mother daughter camp...old.

Maybe some recent ones will be posted...soonish:)

Friday, October 12, 2012

Look!


 Before the throne of God above
I have a strong and perfect plea
A great high Priest who’s name is Love
Who ever lives and pleads for me
My name is graven on His hand
My name is written on His heart
I know that while in heaven He stands
No tongue can bid me thence depart
When satan tempts me to despair
and tells me of the guilt within
upward I look and see Him there
Who made an end of all my sin
Because a sinless Savior died
my sinful soul is counted free
For God the just is satisfied
to look on Him and pardon me
Hallelujah
Praise the One Risen Son of God.
Behold Him there, the risen Lamb
My perfect spotless righteousness
The great unchangeable I AM
The King of Glory and of grace
One in Himself, I cannot die
My soul is purchased by His blood
My life is hid with Christ on high
With Christ my Savior and my God



One of the best songs ever! [Added note: I have always said I would never ever post lyrics to a song...but this particular song is just too powerful and is among my favorites. Never say you are never going to do something...you end up doing it.]   Also, i didn't add a picture, like I said I always wanted to. So, here is one:

This is the best dad in the entire world...and he is MINE. The end. 




P.S -So the other day we were up at Locket Meadow playing football. I was extremely distracted because of the view.  The Pines and the Aspens seemed to be in a battle for dominance...it was a tie.  Well, I mentioned to Kayla how amazing it was and I said, (beware this is weird), "If that sight..those mountains, were a food...i wonder what it would be...I don't think I can think of anything that would be accurate." I was expecting Kayla to give me a list of mystical food from movies and books...but no.  She says, "It would be chow mien!!"  Now those mountains in their romance and fog and yellow are ruined...because they were called chow mien. Just kidding...they are still beautiful. The moral of that story is to never try to alike something so beautiful to food.The end.

Saturday, October 6, 2012

October and Mutterings...

     I don't have anything in particular to say actually.  I just like the word "October"...it sounds so warm and full. It's a very satisfying word to say. You get excited about these things when it is the month you are in! Everything is turning color and is perfectly comfortable. Yep, I love October...October in Oakhurst..or as I call it, "Griffin's October"(Griffin was the street we lived on), was just as vivid. Hmm..so what happens this month....?  On the third was Emma's 16th birthday!! The next day she got her braces off...so now she is set.  I have a ton of friends who have birthdays in this month. You know who you are...:)  The top picture is of Emma and Hannah Dingman at their birthday party 2 years ago. The second is the mountains in the Fall dressed in Fog and Yellow...isn't it just shocking!? The third picture has to be one of my all time favorites..it is us with the Dingmans a couple years ago..All these pictures were taken in the same season. The last on is my family...it's kinda fuzzy.



    So...do any of you read this blog? I'm just wondering. I know who follows it, but I would like to know my audience in full...if I have one, that is:)

Saturday, September 29, 2012

Oh Dear

  So I realize this is my third post in the last few days, but i do actually have another P.S....I suppose that should be called a "P.P.S"...if I am correct.  Well in my post about THE trip. I forgot to put in anything at all...at alllllllll about Oakhurst. It seemed so seperate from the rest of the trip excepting that I still wanted to get home.  Don't get me wrong, I had a very good time. But I was READY to be home...like HOME not my old home but my current one.  The Cox family was gracious enough to house our family.  We carried on our tradition with Emilie and Hannah by making some weird creation. This time we decorated cupcakes by directions and put them out in the formation of a crocodile.  Read Emilie's blog for more on that. WE played Scrabble and listened to music and had a grand time catching up:) We stayed up very very very late talking as usual:) One thing I very badly miss about Oakhurst-conversations with people who have known you since you were 7.  Really those are the types of friends who know all of your bad and all of your good. Well I was in a bit of a cranky mood...well I felt kinda cranky because it was so hot. I do not like the heat at all, as most of you are well aware. Sooo it was a big relief to go to our favorite swimming hole in Wawona with the big jumping rock. The Beyers, Mayers, Varners, Rileys, and Huckabones came and we had a grand time.  That night i went to The Golden Chain Theater for the first time in 8 or 9 years.  My dear friend Karah was doing a play there and I got to sit through a nice long rehearsal...it was a blast. Karah happens to be a very good actress and she had the main female role. Several of my old friends were in the play as well. Namely Jesse...so it was awesome to see him again after forever.  After play practice was over Karah, Mrs.V, and I terrorized the mostly empty Raley's market by dancing and singing. It was the best part of the trip maybe because I wasn't hot, there were no lack of words, and we were free to come across however we wanted without judgment(except for perhaps the cashier who seemed a little....I don't know, but pft..who cares I don't live there anymore). Karah and I listened to music and talked and talked and talked...it was great. Then in the morning, we rolled straight out of bed and went to meet the Cox fam and my fam at Jamba juice. Yes, I realized I was wearing my running shorts and a dirty shirt, but that's just life..sometimes we don't have time NOT to wear Pajamas out in public. I will try harder next time. :)  Then I have no idea what happened...I can't remember at all.  HEY!! So guess what!??!!!???? the Cox family is coming again to visit us!!!! Yipeeeeeeeeeeee! I'm trying to think of something creative for us all to make...we did doughnuts last time. We actually did it the time...but we had to borrow shortening from the neighbors which ended up being reallllllly foul...so naturally Sophie and Sean threw them over the fence...literally. I don't know what possessed them to do that but, they did. I could go on and on about memories with the Coxs but I don;t have time for that:) Ok The end.  AGH I tried to find a picture of their family, but they are alllll on the other computer. Oh well. You know I rally don't like not having at least one picture on each post. 

Tuesday, September 25, 2012

Oh! And P.S...

    Happy Fall! Isn't it so exciting! Lovely colors and crunchy skies and contented smells of apple pie, pumpkin, stew, and every other good thing that comes with the season! Welcome yellow misty Aspen hikes and cold noses and finger tips! I am excited can you tell!!!!???  Even school doesn't sound like a drag when you toss in the exultant feeling that Autumn gives. Huzzah!  Now I am looking forward to Thanksgiving and Christmas in a legit way.  Amelia. She must be feeling it too. She is an interesting being.  Today she walked around the house with a handful of salt "sprinkling magic in the air" as to enable us all to do whatever we were doing. In a British accent, though. The threw salt all over my Literature book as I was figuring out what to do my essay on:"Sprinkle some magic in the air so your paper gets decided on"! My school is salted. Sophie was eating something:"Sprinkle some magic in the air so you can swallow that"!Sophie's whatever it was is salted. Emma is having a hard time with a class she is talking because of homework assignment confusion:"sprinkle some magic in the air so the email gets sent to the right place next time"! The computer and Mum are salted.  She kept doing this until we told her that enough salt had been had.  Hey at least she was cheerful! :) We all do spontaneously weird things when Fall comes around, I suppose. It just hit Amelia and i first. I with my babbling and Amelia wih her salt.
This is Fall in Oakhurst.
 
I will post a Flag Fall picture when I find one.

THE Trip and Other Things.

 


I said I would eventually say a few things about our trip this summer. So that is what I am doing. But first, about lists. I am a list maker. I have a few list making buddies (just in case you thought I was alone), the main one being Haley:). I could make lists alllll day. Lists about the top 5 most amazing songs in the world, lists about my favorite ice cream and where to find it, etc. So, that being said. I am now going to make a list about my thoughts on trips. It isn't going to be a very organized list.

1. I do not love trips. Particularly ones that mean leaving the monsoons.

2. Every time I go on a trip I try to micro-pack. Some times are more successful than others.

2. Always bring Good&Plenty

3. Always have good music to listen to and good books.

4. Visit a chiropractor after all the driving is finish and you are finally home. Having good posture in the car is not possible especially if you have a book or are trying to sleep. It is painful to move afterwards.

5. On our trip I found that Utah's country is lovely. Lots of cows and trees.

6. I do not like anything else in Utah besides the country. The cities are not pleasant in any way.

7. There are a stinking lot of Mormon temples in Utah (duh)...it's really sad. Salt Lake City was a less than desirable place. Full of LDS this and that...all the people looked the same and it was terribly sad how misled they all are and how much they desperately need Christ.

8. I had never been in Utah before

9. I have never been to Idaho either.

10. There are also a lot of Mormons in Idaho.

11. Our good friends the Roughtons live there and we had a great visit with them.

12. I have yet to see a pretty place in Idaho, since we didn't do any tourist wandering.

13. Oregon is so beautiful.

14. I have the best cousins in the whole world. I only got to see 2 of them though...the other two were not present nor was my uncle. I did get to see my Great Papa, though. Which was an immense pleasure. He is full of history and stories of his life.  He is so cool.

15. Don't ever tell your cousin about your bucket list, because he will help you check some stuff off of it. This is good in a way, but...well you will see. We got desperate in Eddie Bauer.

16. We went to my Papa and Helen's wedding. Now I have a ton of new cousins and aunts and uncles.

17. I really don't like trips. Do you know how hard it is to get to sleep in hotel rooms night after night? We stayed at this terrible place called "Roadway Inn"...it was just that bad. I will say no more.

18. Always put sunscreen on at the beach especially if you plan on gluing your eyes to "The Book Thief" for 4 hours. The sun is so brutal. My back and legs got burnt like never before. I will never be that stupid again.

19. Elsie, Oregon is my new favorite destination. The forests are so thick and the little romantic paths wind in and out of them and the cows look so pleased with life.

20. Santa Clarita is....I seriously can't think of one particularly good word for it. Heat has to do a lot with it. Let’s just say I was in tears of anticipation at the thought of being back under a purple cloud in Flag. I did have some good conversations with my cousin though....till 4 am, but who cares!

30. I'm surprised they sell clothes at all in SoCal, as it is way too hot for the wearing of them.

31. Paul Washer has some darn good sermons. I recommend them. I also recommend not listening to Celtic Rock (I’m really not at all sure that this is the genre) music all the time in the car...it makes you insane.

32. I am never leaving Flagstaff. Just kidding, but really I guess it depends on where you go and what the purpose of your trip is. I had some good times on our trip, but overall, I was so relieved to be home. In my corner reading, eating chocolate, running down the street soaked in rain and barefooted and NOT hot and not as sunburned.

 
This video is of my cousin, Jared, and I in Eddie Bauer. On my bucket list was "do a flash mob"...this hardly counts as anything at all besides foolishness , but it is the best we could come up with in 20 seconds.  Why am I sharing this...? This is something cousins do to make memories when they haven't seen eachother in a long time. 
 

This is a typical minute of car riding with the Gindys.  We were on our way back from the beach in Oregon. We are all singing some Celtic Rock type song...loudly...can you hear it?

Saturday, September 15, 2012

Scary Things...

So I'm scared of a few things....some of them are just plain weird...Here they are(by no means, in order):

-The Ocean. I am so scared of it. I really enjoy being scared of the ocean is what's weird, though. It's just so....vast..so powerful and it makes me feel tiny and helpless. I can stare it and sob while I'm smiling and I'm shaking for fear of it with my eyes wide.(I pray I will be like this more in terms to God) Also tsunamis have something to do with my fear of the ocean. Every time I am at the beach I think of that song by Leeann Womack, "I Hope You Dance". It is one of my favorite songs ever.

-Space...see above..it's kinda the same.

Storms...see space it's kinda the same, but way less dramatic.

-Not being able to smile. Yep...for real. Like when I'm crying over something the idea will strike me that perhaps I am so sad and upset that my mind will not permit my mouth to smile...so I run to the bathroom and smile amid my tears...I even try laughing just to be on the safe side.

-heights


-Brown eyes. It depends on the brown eye, actually(to you Shaws and Beyers and Coxs they are defined as "Selkie"). Not all brown eyes make me scared. The dark, melt-y ,bore-holes-in your-soul kinda unapproachable, eyes. The ones that stare. Now the weird thing is that brown eyes are also my favorite, but nonetheless...they are scary...I guess in a good way, but really it's sorta odd.

-The end of the world. My dad likes to talk about prophesies being fulfilled from the Bible and wars and us escaping and having to survive. Well, I don't. Not in the slightest. Of course I know that we who are Christians are not destined for wrath and that God is sovereign. I know I should be sooo excited to see this stuff happen in our world, but really it just kinda creeps me out. It does excite me yes, but I get really scared.  Then I start thinking about Ian and Amelia who have not been saved by God yet...or at least no profession has been made.  If we get raptured they are going to be here on Earth alone...Again, God will do what he wants with them, but I love them and want our family to always be together.

-People...a combination of sooooo many things..I won't even explain it. I do love to be alone, but on the other hand...another fear is:

-Being lonely. I need people...it's all a circle. It's better to be alone, but know that there are people to talk to if you need it. 

-God. This of course is a a good type of fear. I know He loves me and I trust Him to do whatever He wants with me and my life..but of course...HE IS GOD....I don't even know what that phrase means is so big. It scares me. It scares me that I won't ever completely get that phrase. It scares me that I dare utter the phrase without comprehending it. It scares me how flippant I am with it. It scares me that my brain is so limited.  Everything about God scares me...but just because I am in the flesh and I can't be what I should be. It also scares me that I do not feel scared writing any of this.  But with being scared or rather, having a fear of God comes a great comfort and overwhelming thankfulness that I do not have to be scared! I can approach God boldly and offer up my heart daily.

The picture is of our family about 4 years ago...I think we were at San Louis something or other...not really sure actually.  So, these are only a few things that scare me.  The others will come with a different post. What scares you?

Friday, September 7, 2012

I Have a Follower.

   Amelia seems to be the main character in my posts these days.  I mean she's a pretty good main character if you ask me.  So recently the entire world is getting engaged...well not the entire world, but about 4 different couple that I know in the past 2 weeks.  So marriage has been on our minds...or at least Amelia's mind.  So here is our conversation yesterday:

Amelia:(comes up and holds my hand) Maddie, I wish you were younger...I really wish you weren't so old.

Me: Well, why is that? It's a good thing. There is a lot of stuff I can do with you since I am older.

Amelia: Well you are going to college and you won't be with me!

Me: I'm not going to college.

Amelia: Really? Cool...that's good. Uh, so how long exactly are you going to live here(our home) for?

Me: Until I get married.

Amelia: When is that?

Me: I really don't know. You will be older then, though. Maybe 12.

Amelia: Well, you and I are living together when you are married even. I will follow you forever.

Me: You can't do that, silly...you will be older, like I said, and you won't want to do that by the time that day rolls around.

Amelia: Too bad, I'm coming anyway. How old will I be? 11?

Me:Perhaps.

Amelia: 12?

Me: Could be.

Amelia: 13?

Me: I'm not certain.

Amelia:14?

Me: It is possible.

Amelia: 15?

Me: We'll find out eventually.

Amelia: 16?

Me: Amelia Jane, I just do not know.

Amelia: 17? Wait...that couldn't be right...you are 17...I mean isn't there an age limit?  Like if you get too old?

Me: No, just one on how young you can be..which is 18 I think.

Amelia: Well that's not happening...

Me: No, most likely not because I'll be 18 next year.

Amelia: Well I'm still going to follow you however old we are. WAIT! What about our big journey and vacation we are going to go on when we turn 10 and 20? We really should be thinking about that and where we are going to go...I can follow you then.

Me: Yeah we will have to think about that for sure. Will you empty the silverware please?

Amelia: That is Ian's job.

Me: If you are going to follow me around forever you have to always empty my silverware.

Amelia: Oh..well fine.(she does it)....

SO now that the silverware is emptied and Ophelia's(her nickname) expectations are up...I am going to have to find a way to tell her that she can't be with me forever...noooooo....:) I know she'll grow out of it, but you would be suprised by the things she remembers and holds me to now...like she used to think she gets to pick my husband and make all the arrangements...that was a mess. She insisted on "working it out" with the certain young man and I freaked out...she ended up being very hurt that I had made her think that he decision was hers and she cried for 30 minutes.  For now, though it is nice to have a loving little sister who wants to follow you and never leave you forever and ever:) This post was for sure more interesting to me than to you...but I am flattered by Amelia's devotion and had to share. :)

Saturday, August 25, 2012

Dancing with Amelia

   So, Amelia and I dance.  Correction: We do not dance in any correct way, but we pretend that we can. Only, we really just waltz and sing "I could have danced all night" from "My Fair Lady"..nothing too crazy:)  We really enjoy not being able to dance.  Not being able to dance, but dancing anyway is really so much more fun than knowing all the rules of it.  So Amelia and I have set out on a mission to dance free and unskillfully in as many diverse places as possible. I will give you a list of our accomplishments.

 -Utah
-Idaho
-Oregon
-California
-on the beach
-in the ocean
-in the street
-in a thunderstorm(this is the best yet, we have found)
-at the train station
-at Sam's Club
-at Safeway
-at Walmart

   We are still working on it... too bad we haven't taken any videos of the interesting ones.:) Amelia is a lovely dance partner.<3


   This is a pitiful post, I realize, but I am still brewing a post idea in my head. I have decided not to post about our trip. Perhaps a few things from it, I will share.   TTFN!
This is Amelia bravely jumping off the Wawona rock...:)

 

Saturday, August 4, 2012

aannnd today. (creative title, I know)

   Today was long.  Very long.  Some of it was interesting and nice and some of it was interesting and not ideal.  My Papa got married to Helen...my cousins and I hung around a lot. I got a lot of new cousins and they are pretty cute. I love my new aunts and uncles as well. Aren't I so descriptive and wordy today? Man. this post is just a literary jewl! Just kidding. I don't feel like detail tonight. I will wait until I am typing on my customary computer so I can post videos. Oh and Tilamook ice cream is lovely and i am tired of sandwiches. tatafornow.

Friday, August 3, 2012

This week




Hello, all of you! I am in Oregon right now and have been very busy.  Meeting a lot of new family also. Oh and I have a couple new favorite places that are green and cow-full. More on that later. I am writing this on my dads ipad and it is hard, so I will embelish on this trip later on. having an interesting(does not always mean exciting, but it will mean that later after Sunday I hope. That is when the vacation starts for real) time, but wishing I was under a rainy black sky at home. The best thing so far has been the reuniting of my favorite cousins and us Gindys. I love them sososo much. Wishing the other two were here though. Man I do hope this trip gets better from here on...probably from Sunday on is more likely at this rate. Oh well. Oh and it has been two years now since we moved from Cali. Excuse my grammar and possible spelling errors. I don't love ipads. Ttfn.