Petrified Forest 3-29-2014

Saturday, the 29th of March was a big day!  We started it out with a 12 mile bike ride through the Petrified Forest and another couple of miles walking. It was amazing to see trees turned to stone - some of them still completely intact!

 

 Then we piled back into the truck/camper and headed for the Grand Canyon.  Here are a few snapshots of our time at the Petrified Forest. 

I got way too far behind on the bike ride because of my mad photography.  :)

Anybody up for hitch-hikers...?

I've always wanted a shot like this!

Just a boy and his dog.  Perfection.

There were some huge trees!

The colors were so gorgeous!

It looked like this tree got cut with a chainsaw.

Grand Canyon...coming soon!  I was SO not ready for what I saw there!

Petroglyph National Monument 3-28-2014

Well, hello there, everyone! 

 

I am writing this blog post from our cute little "home" in California.  We are currently on a vacation to California and visiting my parents' favorite sites - places that they used to spend time together as a young couple - before all of us kids came along.  :) 

 

We started out on Thursday, March 27 and made a few stops on the way. 

 

During our time here, I will try to post faithfully as I am also using this blog as a sort of "photo journal" for myself.  :) 

 

This was a lovely, peaceful little site just over the New Mexico border.  I am so grateful for my Papa who stops to let me take pictures!  :) 

Beginning to explore the Petroglyph National Monument - so incredible! 

This little guy was amazing! 

This was my favorite - it looked like an Indian with a spear and, possibly, a rifle. 

Does anyone else think that this looks like a dinosaur? 

The lizards were cute.  :) 

Adventure is out there! 

Next up!  The Petrified Forest in AZ!

Frosted Beauty // Thoughts on Christmas

We woke up Saturday morning to a world of frosted trees and breathtaking beauty!  As I walked through the snow with my camera in hand, I thought of Him forming each one of the spear-shaped crystals with His own loving hands.  It was so joyful to think of Him as Creator, and know that there is a reason and a beautiful purpose for everything around us.  It didn't "just happen", and it most certainly wasn't Jack Frost.  :)  Our Lord, who thinks upon us, also takes great joy in the glory of His creation.  As he prepared this beauty for us to see the next morning, He had our joy in mind as well.  

Frosted pinecones are so perfect! 

 

Mama has a thing for red berries so I took this picture for her.  :)

 

Right when I saw this lovely little bush covered in frost, I thought of the verse in Isaiah that says:

“Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, they shall be as wool."

 

As we celebrate Christmas this week, let us remember the reason we celebrate.  He became a man - JUST THINK OF IT!  He humbled Himself and became like us, to be tempted in every area, just as we are, so He might sympathize with us (Heb 4:14-16).  He lived in this sinful world, and God, who despises sin, lived with sinful people every day.  Then He bore our sin, the wrath of His Father, the rejection of men, and the rejection of His Father.  He died, was buried, and then, after three days, He was raised in glory.  Our sins were scarlet, and He washed them white as snow.  He loves us that much.  Christmas isn't just about Jesus being born in a stable in Bethlehem, but it is the whole story of His life, the complete story of redemption.  What a joyful season of remembrance this is!

 

MERRY CHRISTMAS, Y'ALL!  :)

Flashback

Hello friends!
Thanks for bearing with my long neglect of this blog.  Life has been so full, plus I have not had much access to the Internet since we moved.  This is a post that I actually put together before we moved, and never wrote anything, so it has been sitting in the "draft" section, patiently waiting to be published.  All of these photos/events happened before we moved, so this has been a fun flashback for me to some very lovely, sweet, and memorable days with family and friends before we moved.

I have known these sweet girls for a l-o-n-g time and they have been such a huge blessing in my life.  I love them dearly.  I think that I have been blessed with more than my fair share of amazing friends.  I am so grateful!

Lovely AnaLise.  What a joy!

This thing was called "the blob".  It was hilarious to watch people launching each other high into the air. 

Is that kid not one of the cutest things you've ever seen!?!

Sisters.  :)

I had the loveliest Chic-fil-A and photography date with this lovely lady before we left for Wisconsin.  Go check out her beautiful work at http://www.hannaheliseblog.com/

The Armour kids on the way to Ultimate Frisbee.  Wow!  Those were some awesome days!

One of the most incredible skies at Bible study one evening.  God's power is displayed through a thunderstorm in such an awesome way!

Marji.  Funny girl. :)

This is one of our 5 kittens, Merry.  I liked to call her "Shmellow" (short for Marshmallow) because she was so fluffy.  :) 

Blowing bubbles for the cats to chase.  :)

Popular kid. :)

Gator ride with my favorite little gentlemen.  They are pretty good drivers. :)

The little guys were coloring pictures one night, so I decided to join them.  :)  I like my kilted Scotsman.  :) 

Next, I hope to be posting some of Amanda's senior photos.  

Have a blessed weekend, yall!  

Psalm 103