Cousins, Christmas and Christ.

I have some of the best cousins anyone could ask for! I found this quote.

It makes me smile! Here is a picture of all my cousins on my moms side. Actually it's a picture of me, my 6 siblings and our 7 cousins on my moms side.

We had a fun Christmas. Every year we cousins draw each others name at thanksgiving and play secret santa at Christmas! I drew my cousin Stephen. I drew him last year too. He got the same gift as last year. Jeans and a T-shirt. I dont think he minded. When we get older some how jeans, shirts, underwear and socks become exciting. Probably because we have gotten to the age where our parents make us get our own clothes. They are no longer freely provided. So now we are more grateful when we do receive clothing. It's a good thing really. And then again maybe that little theory only applies to me. Moving on. Here Stephen and I are after Christmas morning.

And here are all my girls. This one is from Thanksgiving we are blessed we all get to spend Thanksgiving and Christmas together!

Some of our Chrismas included Apples to Apples. An AMAZING magical card trick from the amazing, beautiful Michaela.

It also included garlic mashed potatoes(my favorite) a silly string fight, a dog fight, some frisbee in the road, A LOT OF SPARKLING GIFTS, a "Merry Christmas Laura! :)" text, making a blanket with Aunt Vanessa and Aunt Alice along with some good talks.

some aprons made by mom and some socks hand knit by our amazing Mi-mi

Here is Mi-mi in the middle.

and a Happy Birthday song to Jesus. Thank you Jesus for such a beautiful blessed Christmas week! :)

So Much Hope.

Ann Voskamp has a way with words that whenever I read what she has to say, I usually cry. Here is a quote from her blog. "And Christ comes and cracks into this world and the carapace of our hurting hearts, and we can hear Him coming: "I came in unexpected ways the first time and I will come again in the hour you think not, so trim your wick, you there in the impossible dark, and light an unexpected flame regardless, and be ready with impossible hope — for I am coming again."

The Feta Cheese!!!! It Burns!!!!

Picture this. Mary and I were eating dinner together. We had made some lovely salads for ourselves. We were talking and enjoying our conversation and salads. Then in the middle of our conversation I notice mary making some weird faces and licking her lips. Then she says "Laura Kaye something is spicy! What did you put in here." Me- "There is nothing spicy in here I didn't put anything spicy." Mary takes another bite of salad. Then says "The Feta Cheese, it burns!" Me- "Mary Feta Cheese doesn't burn.You are being a whimp. Maybe you just are not used to it. Do you ever eat Feta Cheese?" Mary "No. And it burns!" All of a sudden Mary jumps up and starts to frantically say "Oh my gosh Laura Kaye you did put something spicy in here! My mouth is burning!!! Its on fire!!!" Me- "No I really didnt!" Mary with tears in her eyes, "Laura Kaye my mouth is BURNING!" At this point we are both laughing because we are just so confused by the situation. And Mary's mouth is burning from nothing we know of. But something. Me- "Maybe its the seeds from the bell pepper?" (At this point Im trying to think of something/anything that could be making her mouth burn. But bell pepper seeds dont actually even burn.) Mary starts chewing on a piece of bread. Then says "You taste my salad! I promise something really does burn! Did you put a pepper in it." I racked my brain... Then it clicks. Yesterday I had cut up a bell pepper and a jalapeno pepper and put the slices in a baggie together. Mary had taken the bell peppers out and the half of a jalapeno thinking it was a bell pepper slice and put it on her salad. I burst out laughing and tell her what it was. Mary says "I knew I wasn't going crazy.And I really did think you were playing a joke on me. I was thinking why would Laura Kaye ruin a perfectly good salad with something so awful hot! Every time I would chew it would burn more. And you're over there telling me Im a whimp!"... Oops! ;) .................................................................................................................... The Feta Cheese It Burns!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! hahahahaha

Last Weekends Happenings (Yes, I am behind)

Hannah, my oldest of my younger sisters, and I went to John David, our older brothers girlfriend, Liz's apartment. (If I have not lost you yet keep reading) ;) She and her room mates were having a dinner party with some of the girls and boys that go to their college. CIU.The girls made a great dinner with homemade french fries, venison burgers and delish carrot salad. With Hot chocolate to top it off. We all had a good time talking and relaxing. Here is a picture of my beautiful sister Hannah out side of Liz's apartment. The view is pretty gorgeous!

On Saturday Carrie and I went to a craft show to sell our fabulous hand crafted wears, Carrie made Scarves and Blankets and had some christmas ornaments as well.

I make jewelry So I brought that.

Then on Monday Alex Mary's Husband left for NAVY SEAL BOOT CAMP. The night before we had a going away party for him.

Obviously Roselyn was very upset that he was leaving.

Alex saying good bye to all the kids that he helped teach on Sunday nights.

Perfume

So I moved! Its official. Its been 5 days. I have been meaning to post pictures of my new room. I will soon. Maybe tomorrow. I had a blast making a whole new room! I love my new room! I miss home and my family! But I really love coming home to my and Mary's house. And living closer to work and the grocery store and the gas station and the bank and everything else! haha #Countrylifeproblems. I love creating my new home. As a lady friend of mine said "Its just a natural woman instinct thing built in us to nest and create a home." Once again I just ranted before getting to the point of this post. Mary my house mate has this perfume from Rue 21. When she wears it you can smell it all day and it is glorious! It is called "revert"

So she wore it the other day. I could smell it in the house and it's just oh so nice, so I had to spritz some on myself. (Shh...dont tell her I did that.) All day I could smell it! It was great! So this morning I wanted to spray it on again... but I resisted because she did buy it. So I went to see what perfumes I have. I saw my Rue 21 perfume called "Midnight Sparkle."

Mary actually bought it for me for Christmas last year. I spritzed it on this morning and I can still smell it this evening! I Love it too!!! I have a hard time deciding what it smells like. Kinda like vanilla and doughnuts but not exactly... idk. So I have decided its just Rue 21 smells I love in general! I guess they are just the best! =D And they are only 10 bucks so thats great! :D And Im not going to use Mary's perfume any more. So dont worry! It was a moment of weakness. The perfume is just that good! I will just have to get myself some! Or better yet someone can get me some for Christmas ;)

AB RIPPER X

So my computer (This new one that I just got and was so excited about and that I made sure before I bought it had everything I wanted on it and it even has a touch screen as a bonus. I could care less if it has a touch screen or not but the one I got ended up having one so hey, that cool! Yeah that computer.) Well it doesn't have a CD/DVD player... because... I forgot to check for that? Seriously? I needed to check for a CD/DVD player? Its this cool advanced computer and it doesn't even have a CD/DVD player? Um.. Ok well then be that way. So I guess I will order a portable CD/DVD player that can plug up to my computer. Anyways that is not what this post is about. That was my short long rant about how I feel about that. This post is about AB RIPPER X.

Which is an awesome ab workout if you stick with it! The reason I ranted is because a month ago when I started doing AB RIPPER X I went to put the workout DVD in my computer and behold there was not a DVD player! Luckily you can access it online. So thats what I have been doing thank you Youtube! I have been at it right at a month. I have been doing it every other day. I missed one day that I can remember. I can personally see a difference! Babam! That makes me happy! Also someone said to me today, "Have you lost weight Laura Kaye?" I said, "Maybe a little but I have been working out and toning up so I haven't lost much weight but I have gained muscle and you know what they say 'Fit is the new skinny!'" I plan on sticking with it at least till the end of January. I have heard that it takes 3 months to see a major difference... actually I think that's what I heard I'm not even sure, but as long as I keep believing that, maybe it will keep me going. Im a pretty determined person so Im not worried about quitting really. Anyways if you want a good ab workout "AB RIPPER X" is where it's at! I can definitely see and feel a difference and my clothes fit better! Now to find a good leg workout! ;)

Time Is Precious.

My best Friend Mary got married to Alex on October 4th. They moved into a pretty little house 20 minutes away from my house. Alex is going into the Navy Seals so he has to leave for bootcamp on November 18th. He will be gone for 6 months. (Say a prayer for the both of them) In the mean time Mary didn't want to be alone so she asked me if I would like to move in with her! I said yes!!! I am excited and I am nervous and I am happy and I am sad. I am excited for a new adventure. I have lived in the same house my whole life. This will be my first time to live somewhere else. I am sad because now as the day approaches I realize that my time with my family will be becoming less. (Even if it is only for 6 months)(and even if I can come home as often as I want because heck its just down the road and across town.) I am happy because I will get to spend more time with Mary. Marys path and path in life has not been crossing as much with my path in the past few years. She went to college in Sumter while I was going to Cosmetology School in Camden then we both began working. Her at a preschool and me at a hair salon. So its not that we didn't want to spend time together, our paths just didn't cross that often. Now we will get to see each other all the time! I am nervous because a lot of things can happen in 6 months and there is not all ways the guarantee that I will be returning home and that makes me nervous. And Im nervous because Im pretty sure another sister is going to move into my room an take over. So if I do return what if they don't have a place for me!?(I will just kick her back out) ;) So while I have this last month at home I am making the most of it by spending more time with my sisters! This week we played a long game of phase 10.

And another night the sister and I went to Lugoff House of Pizza. But I didn't get a picture. Then we came home and watched a movie. So anyways I hate to get all bittersweet on ya. Let me just say go make the most of the time you have with those you love because memories are a precious thing to have.

Jesus is speaking to my heart. I hope what he is speaking to me will speak to you too.

John 3: 16-17 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him." Did you catch that? God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world but to save the world through him. God sent his perfect, holy, blameless son who could have judged the world right then. He could have looked at all the horrible sin and sent us all straight to hell which we totally deserved. But instead, because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. Ephesians 2: 4-5 Jesus died nailed to a cross naked in a very shameful way. That was my shame. That was your shame that Jesus took on himself so that if we accepted him as our savior we would no longer carry that shame. God sent his son to save the world not to condemn it but to save it. Just imagine Jesus standing there looking at you and you know every single sinful thing you have done, and Jesus knows every sinful thing you have done, and yet Jesus instead of looking at you with scorn like the dirty imp you would be with out his grace sacrifice, He looks at you and smiles the most warming, heartfelt, loving smile you could imagine he opens his arms walks toward you and pulls you close to his heart and whispers in your ear "I love you." You no longer feel guilty. Only loved. But why? How? I don't deserve to feel loved. Im a sinner I do bad things.But still God holds you and whispers to you, "Now I have reconciled you to myself through the death of Christ in his physical body. As a result, I have brought you into My own presence, and you are holy and blameless as you stand before Me without a single fault." Colossians 1:22 That's how but why? Because He loved us. That's it. That's why. He simply loved me. No other reason. Not because I deserved it not because I asked for it. Not because He had to. But because he did. HE LOVED ME. He wants to hold me. He wants me to know his heart. Because He loves me! These are the things God is speaking to my heart. And as he does my desire to know his heart increases. I sit here in his presence and weep. I weep because his love is over whelming. I weep because his love is fulfilling. I weep because I do not deserve this love but I am so thankful to know it and to receive it. My prayer is that you would know this love. That you would know God is opening his arms pulling you in and whispering. "I love you."

"Jesus lived for me the life I could never live so that he could die the death I deserved to die." ~Unknown

BJU Adventure

Yesterday I went with the Dabbs to drop Sarah Jane(my sister) and Olivia Dabbs off at Bob Jones University for the highschool festival week. They entered some art work into the an art competition and Sarah Jane will be competing in a bible memory competition. She memorized John Chapter 17. If they win or make 2nd place in any of their events they will get to go to a BJU summer camp for free! While we were there I took off with my favorite Bailey Girl (who attends BJU) and we went to the mall. Where we bought some cute things and then hit the Starbucks, where I got a Peppermint Mocha with whip cream and sea salt on top! Mmmm... Devine! Here I am with Bailey, Olivia, and Sarah Jane! :D

On our way to BJU we sat in the back of the van and watched my favorite movie........... 7 Brides for 7 Brothers!!! I have not seen that movie in years!

Seriously, Best Movie Ever!!!

Revolutionary War Park Reenactment

The town I am from (Camden,SC) has a historic sight where 1 of the battles from the Revolutionary War was fought. Once a year people from all over the country come and dress in garb from that era, (1780.) They set up tents and display things like carved wood spoons, bowls, whistles, & buttons. They have cloth and clothing for sale and fire baked breads. They demonstrate how to make candles and how to carve. There is a black smith whom you can watch make things and woman weaving and cooking meals over fires. Rebeca and I went on Saturday and got to see a bunch of men reenact the battle scene. The whole experience is really interesting and a great experience. Here are some pictures from the battle. Here are some shots of the people all dressed up doing their thing! And here are Rebeca and I having a great time and a few others that are my favorites! :D