Horsin' round

Meet the new horse! Currently I don't think we've decided on a name, but we're working on it! He's got a little bit of spirit, and Michael has been enjoying working with him. Isn't he so beautiful?!

Learning to follow the master...this shows his submission:

The impressive mount..............(doesn't the knee hole add so much character to this pic? hehe)

awwww! Don't they go perfectly together?

Ooooh he's so smooth!

Jonathan trying him out:

Oh wow, they're already comfortable with each other!

The macho this-is-my-horse pose:

Tongues & Sleep

Mom: *shakes Dad* honey! It's 7:30 you NEED to wake up
Dad: I'm awake!! I was just...praying
Mom: Yeah....30 seconds ago you were snoring
Dad: *acts defensive* I was speaking in tongues!!!

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

My Room II

Here are the pics that were asked for: coming into the room

This one was of my favorites

You cannot see the hatrack underneat but it's two horseshoes that are nailed together:

This is my cowGIRL corner, emphasis on the girl. :D

The bed:

I made these curtains out of a long piece of denim and scraps of material that I had from other projects. I had no pattern for these so that's why they're so unusual ;) hehe

(Hosanna notice your poem in the frame) :)

The little girl praying, I LOVE that pic!!

Notice the horseshoes over the picture on the left, I did that so the walls wouldn't look so tall, you cannot really see them in this picture but our ceilings are 10 feet high, that makes it hard to decorate the walls because everything is swallowed up with an enormous amount of white.

The idea here was a horse's tracks, I don't know if it's visible really from this picture

This was suppose to be an artistic shot, it just came out looking kind of weird though... especially drawing out the white material I had to tactfully glue to the backs of the horseshoes so they wouldn't rust the walls:

The shower curtain (Dad says he feels like he's being trampled every time he uses my bathroom):

Health Kick

Hey everybooooooooooody! Well...I am on a health kick again. I think this time I'm going to rid myself of unhealthy food for good. Well, what of it I can. I dropped caffeine last health kick, now I'm *breathes deeply* now I am thinking about sugar. Also white flour, those are the two main things I need to eliminate... or cut back on to the best of my ability. Only problem is that sugar and flour are in EVERYTHING.

Due to my current obsession with hope chests I am trying to put together a healthy version of my formerly unhealthy recipe box. I'm pulling out all of Mom's healthy recipes and mine and looking for substitute recipes for the ones that just haven't worked out when I tried to substitute healthy stuff in them. I'm looking for your favorite healthy recipes, you know honey, whole wheat, flax seed, wheat germ, and olive oil ones...if anybody has any suggestions or recipes bring them on!

Specifically what I am at a loss for is a whole wheat pie crust recipe, a whole wheat pizza dough recipe, whole wheat tortilla recipe that's light like tortilla's are suppose to be (I have one but it's really heavy I don't like it) any healthy desserts, Brownies? The whole wheat brownies I've tried to make are disturbing heavy, anybody have an alternative recipe? Creative fruit ideas, a healthy ketchup recipe without all that sugar...a dressing (like Ranch), we get this organic healthy stuff from Brookshires and it's just NASTY!....umm and that's all I can think of right now.

Here's a tip for anybody who is trying this, get What to Eat When You Are Expecting by Arlene Einsburg. It has pages and pages of awesome healthy versions of food (even desserts and such) using apple juice concentrate to sweeten things... I'm sure it's at your local library, it's not a hard book to come across.

Communicating your heart

Communicating your heart, things that really matter, can be a real problem. Especially to those of us who are comfortable with distance. It’s much easier just to block people out and attempt to handle things on your own. But there is a time when openness is a necessity. (AKA: with your family, mentors, accountability partner etc…) Specifically it’s essential to be open with your leaders; your dad or husband if you are a girl. For if you are not open with them, how will they know how to lead you? Or what you need? Or what you are thinking? And how can they give you the help you need?

So I’ve put together a list of tips that I’ve found helpful about relating your heart to such people. I’m writing this from a girls point of view so I don’t know if it applies to guys or not but I’m sure some of the principles are the same:

1. Every time you think of something you need direction on or feel like you need to talk to somebody about, write it down. If your authority is as busy as mine you might get a list before you have time to sit down and share your heart with him.

2. Be direct, it’s easier then beating around the bush and leaves less room for confusion. Go on, lay your heart on the line, it’s much better then keeping it all to yourself. If you are talking to your authority it gives them an idea of how to lead you, otherwise how would he know where your heart was?

3. If you are having extra trouble opening up turn off the light or go somewhere in a dark car. Darkness definitely does the trick, it’s much easier to talk when you cannot be seen. Exposing light makes us shrink back from showing emotion, and it’s impossible to share your heart without emotion.

4. Do not be afraid to cry, this releases the emotions inside and helps you cope with life. Crying is a need every woman has, do not deny it. Do not feel weakened by it, for it allows you to be strong later.

5. If you are talking to a man, believe me he does not know what you are thinking, you have to tell him EVERYTHING. (I do not suggest this with any man except your father, husband, or brothers) Don’t just assume he knows, as you would a girl. Talking with men is a totally different ball game. He can not read your thoughts, do not expect him to just understand, be pleasantly surprised if he does.

6. Sometimes the person does not know what to say or do and you have to teach them what you want. Communication is everything, say it or they won’t know it. Confirm them when they do things right.

7. Chances are when you open up, the person will hurt you in one way or another. Not always but there is a definite probability. Do not be startled by this, go ahead and be expecting it. Assume it’s going to sting, assume it’s going to hurt. When it happens, do not shrink back like we are prone to do, or you will leave in worse shape then you came. Be open about what upsets you and remember the light trick if you feel exposed. :)

8. Ask him for advice, show him you respect him. Be sensitive to him, you are not the only one with feelings or emotions, put yourself in his shoes. It’s hard to relate to somebody and say everything just right. Give him slack.

WARNING: These techniques are not to be used on just anybody, they really do work in bonding you to the victim. (for lack of a better word) Be careful with whom you choose to bond.

Tub Shots

I cannot help it, one look and he steals my heart:

Mister McCabe Brown

check out that smile:

Utah Dec/Jan

Utah!!! Yay, we had so much fun this trip I thought I'd share some pictures with y'all. :D Here is us with Sarah (from FRIENDS) and her siblings... we spent the first night in Colorado with her. It was SO awesome to get to meet them, they are neat people I really enjoyed the fellowship.

We arrived in Utah Thursday night and spent all day Friday groomsmen shopping and at Cabela's. Which was totally awesome. It was good to get to meet Isaac's family, they are sooooooo neat, each one of them is my favorite. The whole week was a blast. Here is Hosanna at the shooting range in Cabela's:

Me assisting Melody:

Havilah and Melody immediately found their respective princes. The rest of the week walking was history. :D

Ok, so maybe the boys aren't the only ones that spoil them: (isn't that an awesome picture of Jonathan?!)

Saturday was sledding/tubing!!! All day long, oh how fun!!! I have many battle scars to prove the duration of my endurance.

The view from the top of our sledding hill...oh MY goodness is that not GORGEOUS?!!!

Abel, he was a ham...and so sweet.

Church was...wow. Awesome. It was such a neat service. We started at 10:00 and didn't go home until 4 in the afternoon! Breaking of bread and then potluck, missionaries spoke and then we sang. It was very encouraging, I absolutely love their church. This is us girls:
Havilah, Me, Melody, Anna, Rachelle (and her ummm...hat), Hosanna, Sydney, Charissa, Rachel

The guys and Anna: James, Caleb, Jonathan and Michael

Wow, Boaz took a liking to me, I wasn't expecting that. Isn't he so handsome? (don't look at my straight hair, it wouldn't work right all week)

Isaac and Noah goofing off:

The girls playing:

After we left Utah we meet Danielle and Zach (from FRIENDS) in Wyoming for lunch. That was sweet! Good friends are a blessing:

Cruzin' through Kansas: