Christmas 2017

This year my family and I were able to spend 3 days in Chesapeake with friends/adopted family.  We had a great time, and lots of memories were made.

When we arrived on the 23rd, we had a fantastic dinner awaiting us ... and Sangeria.

Me and Mom

Me and Dad

Me and Rhey
No, she is not drinking wine!  She felt left out and put her root beer in a wine glass lol.

Dec. 24th :

Mimi, Rhey, and I worked together and got Christmas dinner ready.  We enjoyed cooking, laughing, and talking with each other.

Mimi and Rhey took a break and went on a hunt for Brazilian nuts.  Meanwhile, I was being sneaky and took a picture!

They were in charge of the main meal ...

... while I was in charge of making the salad ...

... and finger foods

Nick and I went on a walk the pond ...

<3

Begging to go on another walk

Nick loved cuddle time with his new friend Lexis

So blessed to have this guy as my dad!!

Thankful to have her as my life-long best friend

Miracles happen!  We managed to get a family picture taken lol!

All in all, Christmas this year was great!  I'm thankful to have spent it with my family!

The First Christmas || Poem by Yours Truly

The First Christmas

Mary, a virgin so humble and sweet,

An angel named Gabriel did she meet.

Gabriel spoke words so sweet and true,

“Mary, I'm pleased to say God favors you.

You are to deliver a sweet little child,

A child you will find to be humble and mild.

Your son has been sent to deliver you,

He is the Messiah, so honest and true.”

Mary pondered these words in her heart,

Overjoyed that in in Father's will she would take part.

Mary and Joseph then had to travel,

In order for the Father's plan to soon unravel.

In Bethlehem the time had come,

And Mary delivered her sweet little son.

In a stable did the Baby lay,

In a manger, a trough full of hay.

Jesus, the tiny Babe that Mary bore,

The shepherds and wise men came to adore.

The Messiah was born to seek and to save,

That is why we have a Christmas day.

Bonnell Christmas Traditions

Photo from Pixabay

I'm so thankful that my family has Christmas traditions – I personally believe that they make this time of year more enjoyable :)

Enjoy a sneak peek on what we do the night after Thanksgiving ;)

Putting the lights on the tree

Making popcorn garland

:D

Mom does an ahmayzing job decorating :D

Other traditions not pictured are:

** watching Polar Express while drinking hot chocolate
** looking at Christmas lights on Christmas Eve

What are some Christmas traditions do you + your family have?

Comment and tell me, I love hearing from you ;)

My Love For Christmas Decorations

All photos from Pixabay and Google Images

For those of you who don't me well enough - allow me to just tell you:

I absolutely love Christmas decorations :D

What do you love most about Christmas?

Comment and let me know, I'd love to hear your thoughts ;)

Prep and Landing

The prep:

January 4, 2014

*pick out outfits

*find snow-pants

*put music on the Mp3 player

*pack a travel bag

*pack suitcase

*clean room

After all the prep I did, I didn't get to cleaning my room thoroughly......but it was clean.

Okay, so the prep wasn't that bad....until it came to packing a suitcase that was too small!

Have you ever seen the cartoons where the person is sitting on the suitcase, jumping on the suitcase, even standing on the suitcase, just to get it to zip close?  Yeah...that was me :P  

Mom - I did not stand on the suitcase [ just thought I'd clarify that :) ] 

January 5, 2014

I was so excited!  Not only was I headed to Michigan, but Rhey wanted me to go along to the American Girl store with her :)  WOW!!  Let me just say....I am so glad that I was able to go along and see the excitement in her before I left.  It made my day!!!!

After the American Girl store, we headed to the Baltimore Airport.....only to find out that my flights had been cancelled!!!!!!  It turned out that the big snow storm were affecting flights which meant flights weren't leaving Cleveland, Ohio until the 8th of January.
However thanks to the friendly lady at the ticket counter, I was able to be assigned a seat on a flight departing at 6:45 that night.  Now was the hard part....waiting. waiting. waiting. for the right moment to head through security and do some more waiting in order to board my flight.

I've only been on a plane one other time.....when Rhey and I flew to Colorado.  I love flying. absolutely love it!  Only this flight was a little different.....I was sitting between a woman snoring on my right and a kinda grumpy older man on my left.  Also, when the plane left Baltimore it was absolutely clear......I didn't think it was so bad.  But when I heard the pilot say that we were getting ready to land into the Detroit airport, I looked out the window....WOW there was a lot of snow.

The landing:

I called my dear friend and told her that I had landed.  She then told me to follow the crowd and I will easily get to the baggage claim.
Okay.....you would like to think that there would have been a crowd....but there wasn't.  And not only that....there were no signs for a while!  So while I was on the phone with her, this guy gave me directions.....how embarrassing!

Finally....I found the baggage claim....and my dear friend and her mother waiting for me.  After giving each other a really big hug and meeting her mother, giving her a hug, and meeting her brother and giving him a side hug, we grabbed my bag and headed out.....prepared to have the time of my life :)

Stay tuned for "Sweet Fellowship part 1"

In HIS grace, Alisha

When & how my sweet friend and I met

My dear friend and I met five years ago (2009) when I was 13 and she was 15.  At that time, we were just merely acquaintances….I subscribed to her magazine and submitted content.  At times, I would get an occasional personal note from her, and I would write back.

At fourteen, I participated in an apron swap hosted by Emily at Practically Pink.  What Emily did was, she paired young ladies up whose personalities complemented each other.  So Emily paired me up with my dear friend.  Soon I received a beautifully sewn apron from her and she received a vintage apron that I had bought (at that time I couldn't sew).  With the aprons there were personal letters to one another and a recipe.  After the apron swap we started to communicate more often through personal letters….not just about the magazine.

In 2011, our friendship blossomed!  We started writing letters, then we started chatting through our Google accounts, then we started texting…..then the Father saw it was time to step me out of my comfort zone. ….talking on the phone :l  Allow me to pause for a brief moment…..I’m not typically a phone person, so when she told me that I could call her, I kinda laughed…and put the thought to the back of my mind lol.  Then finally it happened…..I got over my shyness on the phone with her, but anybody else….yeah can’t talk to them without sounding totally dumb and jumbled haha!

Okay now back to the rest of the story….

After talking on the phone with her for about four months….we finally had the opportunity to meet.  They were going to be in Haper’s Ferry, WV…which is only three hours away from where we live……YAAAY!!!  There was so much excitement built up…..I don’t exactly know how I was able to get school and chores done, let alone make dinner lol.  Then it happened….our schedules didn't line up, so we had to face heartache (well at least I did lol).

Then for Christmas, Mom and Dad decided to bless me with a one week trip to Michigan.  I was so excited…..I cried, squealed, gasped, and jumped for joy lol.

……..stay tuned for the post “Prep & Landing”…..

This hear was destined for travel

Merry Christmas everyone =)

I pray that this post finds y’all in great health and immensely enjoying this holiday!

So I thought I’d share just a few of the things that I received for Christmas this year!!

Here we go:

(i have been collecting things for my hope chest)

(i love  black and white….now i have black and white dishes for my someday home)

(of course i couldn’t forget to add my new neon green ear buds)

(i love this shirt…..can’t wait to wear it)

AND NOW…..FOR MY FAVORITEST GIFT OF ALL!!!!!!

(and yes “favoritest” is a now a word….I used it)

My parents gifted me with a trip to Michigan =) =) =)

Looking forward to seeing my lovely friend =)  We’ve known each other for five years and have never met!

The paper was folded in an envelope, which was wrapped in a box full of newspaper.  The paper read as follows:

“Merry Christmas Ali!

*****

This page entitles you to one trip to the home of Miss Peaches in the great state of Michigan on January 5, 2014.

*****

While at her house you are permitted to have a wonderful time for one full week and have school off.  You can upgrade your trip by adding your own funds.

Love you!

Daddy & Mommy”

PRAYER REQUEST:

**I will be leaving for Michigan on Sunday, January 5, 2014.  If you will, can you please pray that there will be no delays and trouble whatsoever!  Thank you for your prayers**

UPCOMING POSTS:

*When & how my sweet friend and I met

*Prep & Landing

*Sweet fellowship prt. 1

*Sweet fellowship prt. 2

***there may be no pics posted in the “Sweet Fellowship” posts.  Not because I don’t want to share about the fun time I had the week I was gone, but out of respect for my sweet friend***

Until then everybody!

In HIS grace, Alisha

Christmas gifts and my new look

This Christmas it is easy for me to say that I received everything that I had asked for...and then some :D  Don't you just love it when that happens?  Well anyway here are the pictures...as promised :P  Enjoy m' friends!!

I saw this Bible at the Christian bookstore earlier this year and fell in love with it!!!  I was so surprised to find it wrapped...and with my name inscribed :D

<3

 I am finally starting to collect things for my hope chest!  However right now (due to the lack of a chest) I have started a "hope tub", but I intend to get an actual chest {someday} :P

 My dear friend Em surprised me with Christmas gifts...thank you Em :D

 My adopted grandma got me this...I'm excited to use it!  The wooden thing you see in the top left corner is a cute little wooden scoop

 My grandparents from IA got me this outfit...I'll have to take a picture when I'm wearing it!  I love Cato :D

 Sydney got me these...I love them!!!!

 I love this room decoration :D

 I told you that I'd post a picture of my new look :P  What do you think?

 <3

The day after Christmas this is the sight I woke up to.  Even though it was a freezing mix {rain, ice, & snow} it was still beautiful :D

a picture to close this post with!

Well m'friends, it is time for me to close this post and head on off to bed for the night!  I pray that you all have a wonderful weekend...God bless you all!!

Serving HIM,

Alisha

What I did today

Shots.  I utterly despise these...with a passion!  Let me rephrase that...I utterly despise anything that has to do with getting my skin pricked with a needle.  Now I'm sure you're thinking to yourself, "This is a very awkward topic for a post...you must be terribly bored!"

Actually this isn't an "I'm bored so I think I'll write a post by the skin of my teeth! post...I'm blogging with purpose...lol :P

About two or three weeks ago Sydney decided to get her ears pierced!  Well, I've always liked the double pierced look, so I asked Daddy if he had an issue with me getting my ears pierced a second time.  He thought about it and said...yes!

So today, I gathered up my courage and...got my ears pierced a second time :D  However, there was a catch...I had to pay for it to be done with my own money!  I'm so sorry that I don't have a picture right now, but I will soon (along with Christmas pics) :D

Serving HIM,

Alisha

Snowmen, family, & hope

Our house is decorated...has been for the past few weeks now.  We just hosted a Christmas party two days ago (we had a great time).  We are almost finished with advent story "Tabitha's Travels"...the past two years we were reading "Jotham's Journey" (I highly recommend these stories...they are really good).  Here are some pictures that I thought I would share with you...enjoy!

 Here is my snowmen collection (mom used to collect snowmen, but has given these guys to me :D)

Mamma let me decorate the top of our piano...what do you think?

I couldn't forget to add this little guy!  The sign says, "Snowmen will melt your heart"...and yes I believe that that is true :P

 Syd has been working on her Co-op photography homework...she had to take a self portrait.

 She and I were in the Christmas parade on November 6th...the theme as you can tell was Polar Express.

I was the classy hobo and Syd was the conductor :D

 Yours truly <3

What we are offered throughout our everyday lives, because in nine days 2,000 years ago, our Savior was born of a virgin and laid in a manger.  Then 33 years later was hung on the old rugged cross for our sins, and rose again three days later.

Well that's it for now m' friends!  I better go and finish making ginger snaps and freshen up for church tonight!

Serving HIM,

Alisha