New Years Resolution Contest!

Hey everyone,
So I was wondering if any of you are making some crazy or just for fun resolutions for New Years. Tell me about them and I will post the best one!
Now to have the best, it has to be something that you've never tried before so tell me what you got and you might just win! I will post the winner January 3 so you have 4 days to comment on this post! In the comment, write your name and New Years resolution. Good luck!

Yours truly,
Butterfly

P.S. My resolution is to post what your all interested in so you can comment on any post what you would like to see on my blog! Thanks!

My CHRISTmas

First, today is my dad's birthday so HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAD!!!

Second, here is all the details of what took place Christmas day at my house. I woke up at 9am but everyone else was already awake. We had bagels and toast for breakfast because my younger sister insisted that a big breakfast takes too much time before opening gifts! LOL

So everyone piled into the family room and started the unwrapping of many gifts. My favorite part is probably seeing each reaction to each gift. Its always a face of joy and gratitude (no one gets unwanted gifts at our house)! We turned on the Walt Disney Christmas Parade hosted by Regis Philbin and Kelly Ripa and I took a picture of that and David Archuleta (the runner up to this years American "idol" winner) was showing some of the newer attractions in Disney World:

Well I know some of you are wondering what I received for Christmas so I will not make you wait any longer. I got............

• A pair of LA gear casual flats (loooove it)



• a box of Trader Joe's Dark Chocolate covered Shortbread cookies (can someone say Mmmm...)



• A 2009 Horse Calendar from my sister



• A box of Ferrero Rocher chocolates from my brother



• 2 magnetic games for car rides or whenever



• The Martyr's Song trilogy by Ted Deker (really good from the first 50 pages i've read)


• An AWESOME pair of creme colored cloves that are totally my style (my mom has good taste)


• An Easy Acrylics art book


• $25 dollars in cash from my Great Aunt Cheryl


• A generous $25 Kohls gift card and homemade English Toffee from the nice lady I babysit for


• A $10 Kohls gift card from my BFFWILLAS, Kaitlyn


• A pair of TOTALLY cute ballet flat American Eagle shoes (they were an early gift so I wore them to all Christmasy places)


• super cute winter pj's from my mom and dad


• a cute horse necklace from my aunt, uncle and cousins


• and more gifts are coming when I see my grandparents (from my dad and mom's side) on Saturday!!! I am sooo richly blessed to have a white and wonderful Christmas this year!

A picture of my gifts (top) and my baby brother AJ checking out the Little Einsteins rocket car that my dad, brother and I got for him. He likes it a TON!

After opening gifts, we all got ready to go to my Aunt Tina's for a Chirstmas lunch/dinner. We had tons of food from Brownies to Turkey. My cousins tree was huge! They have a cathedral ceiling in their living room so the tree was probably 10 -12 feet tall. We had a really nice time together. We played a grab gift game and I received a huge coconut chocolate mousse candle. My mom got a beautiful bracelet and my dad a $10 gift card to a restaurant. It was real fun! Since my cousins are an hour drive away, we didn't get home until 7pm or so. I was sooo tired from playing with cousins and eating sooo much food! : ) It was a Christmas I will never forget!

Well don't forget to count your blessings and if you didn't get your wishlist item, something better is coming from God!

Blessings and Merry Christmas, Butterfly

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas Everyone!
I pray you all have a Merry Christmas and a blessed New Year!


Joy to all,
Butterfly

Christmas Party at my Great Aunt's

Hi Everyone,
If you read my last post, you would know that yesterday (Sunday) I went to my Great Aunt Lynn's house for her annual Christmas party. It was lots of fun. I got to see my cousins that I see only once or twice a year, my other great aunt who gernerously gave all the kids $25 each for Christmas, and my mom's cousins (by the way, everyone there is on my mom's side of the family). Due to not so great roads, my grandma and grandpa didn't come (it would have been an hour drive from there house and my grandma has many back problems).
There was TONS of food to eat! Ham, Roast Beef, green bean cassorole, potatoe cassorole, minostronie, homemade rolls (my mom and I made those) and sooo much more.
For dessert, there was brownies, apple pie, blueberry pie, cranberry pie, fudge, assorted chocolates, peanut butter cookies, chocolate cookies, and strawberry vanilla cake! Mmmmmm...
I was so happy to see all the family together and talk with everyone. It was a great time!!

Blessings,
Butterfly

Super Late Update

OK so I am soooo sorry that this update is so late but with Christmas and shopping things have been really busy!
Last week, my sister and I made Christmas Chocolate Creations and sold them to neighbors. We made together $13! I made $8.50 and she made $4.50 from what she made. We both gave half of our earnings to a charity and the rest we kept for more supplies. It was a lot of fun. I spend over two hours because I was making santas on pretzels using red and brown chocolate. First I had to put the red for Santas hat and suit and let it harden and then add the brown and sprinkles.
Monday we did schoolwork (shocker huh... LOL) well anyway, I did my Chemistry, Geometry, English, Bible Study and History. I did a research paper on President Nixon & Watergate. It was very interesting and there is a lot of mystery in that case.
Tuesday was the begining of my dad's vacation. He won't be going back to work until January 5! He has sooo many vacation days left over that he didn't use yet so we will have lots of time to enjoy together. I babysat on Tuesday from 3:15 to about 4pm or so for a neighbor while she went to get her older kids from school because her youngest was napping.
Wednesday we did some house cleaning. I did some of my homework (about half a days work) and helped my mom with baking cookies.
Thursday was the big day of my younger sisters Christmas Choir Concert. She was so excited but a bit nervous too. She did really well. Thursday morning my mom took me out for breakfast and we split a delicious egg and cheese croisant sandwich and two muffins (apple and blueberry). I enjoy speding alone time with my mom because I can talk to her about anything.
Friday, I don't remember what we did! This is so strange but I just can't remember..... I will let you all know if I remember soon.
Saturday I seriously slept in! I didn't get out of bed until 10am! Of course I hadn't fallen asleep until about midnight the other night so that may have been why. We went to the chiropractor and then to a grocery store just down the street. We bought some delicious danishes because they are actually organic! I didn't know that they sold such a thing. : D
Today we are leaving for my Great Aunt Lynn's for her Christmas Party so I have to go. I will tell you all about the party when we get back!

Blessings and Joy,
Butterfly

Joyous news

Hey everyone,
I have something to share with you all that my family and I are very excited about!!!
Drum roll please............... WE GOT CLEARPLAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
If you don't know what clearplay is, then click here to see the website.
What clearplay does is you get a subscription through their online site and you can watch just about every movie made with no swearing, nudity, crude humor, violence, gore and it will edit it out like it was never there!
My dad purchased it on eBay with a 1 year subscription for only $50 and at Family Christian and other stores its over $140! We are so happy because now we can watch films with no inappropriate scenes or swearing. God bless the people who invented clearplay!

Well besides clearplay, I babysat this morning and my sister came along because she enjoys playing with the girls. I brought the Christmas gifts I made them (I made scarfs for the girls) and it was perfect because they needed kid-sized scarfs. I was so happy that the girls liked their gifts and I hope their brother likes what I got him too. I am also happy that I got to hold the new baby girl in their family. She is so very precious. I can barely remember when AJ was that small and he isn't even 1 year old yet! Well I need to do my history assignment now so I will post more later.

Blessings and joy,
Butterfly

My Busy extended weekend

Hi blogger friends,

Sorry I have been so busy. Last week my dad took Friday off and I babysat that morning. AFter babysitting we went to the chiropractor and then to Whole Foods (a HUGE grocery store). Then we went to the mall down the street, at lunch (a mix of Arby's and Olga's) and then did some window shopping. The only thing we bought was a rubber ducky set for my baby brother for Christmas. He loves playing with his ducks in the bath but his old one started to grow mold inside (ewwwwwww!!!!)! We threw it in the garbage. When we got back home, AJ went down for his nap and my siblings and I ate some dinner while my parents went out and did grocery shopping.

Saturday, we went to my dad's Christmas Work Party. We got there at 11am and ate the breakfast they had (we had eaten some small breakfast before going). I went on the mini train ride with AJ in my lap since he is only 11 months old (my mom claims to be too big even though I am 4 inches taller than her). We got our pictures taken with Santa and AJ hated being next to the kind man. I held him so he wouldn't be as upset but he still tried wiggling out of my arms and was doing a baby version of screaming. After that, we received a toy from santa (toy stuffed penguins and reindeer). Then we left my dad's work after he said hi to some of his fellow employees and went to an outdoor Christmas trick-or-treat. We didn't have to dress up but we did bundle down to stay warm! There were different stops in from of three strip malls where you would play games (ring toss, bucket balls, and tic-tac-toe... kinda easy stuff) and get a candy prize at each different stations. One of the restaurants had hot cider, another had cocoa and meatballs. It was actually quite fun! We went to a historical museum that was open for free that day and saw the Christmas craft show inside. Another Santa was there and AJ kept making sad faces every time he tried to come near to AJ. It was sooo cute! Later that evening, at 5:25, I left my house to go babysitt across the street until 11:45pm! But I did have a good time watch four girls ages 12, 9, 7, and 2. Once they were all in bed, I watched a movie to keep myself awake until their parents came back from their Christmas concert.

Sunday,

after church, we went to a museum thats about a 45 minute drive from our house and we saw a costume exibit there. The following pictures are from the museum:

Batman's costume, Robin's costume, and below is the batmobile!

Darth Vadar

Indiana Jones jacket, whip, and the holy grail.

Ghost Busters Car and one of the costumes.

Monday, my dad had that day off too so my parents went to do grocery shopping while AJ took his nap and my siblings and I did our schoolwork. At 3pm, we went to pick up my friend and go Christmas caroling at a local nursing home. It was fun to make a joyful noise with so many homeschool families and bring such joy to the elderly! Then, after dinner, we went caroling with 8 kids and their mom's from our court in our sub. After caroling, we went to our neighbors house across the street for hot cocoa, brownies (i made them), peppermint cupcakes and games. It was tons of fun!

Today, I have done my homework, helped my mom cut my brothers hair by holding him still because he hates getting his hair cut, went to the dentist at noon which went as follows, "You have very nice colored teeth, you brush really well, you have no cavities, and you won't have any bottom wisdom teeth." I was very excited to hear that I won't have bottom wisdom teeth because normally those HAVE to be removed and the dentist doesn't know if I will get uppper wisdom teeth yet but they should be able to tell by my next appointment in June. Now my schoolwork is done which is why I am posting but I have to go because dinner is almost ready and my assistence is needed.

More later, luv, Butterfly

Give me your eyes

Hey all,

Hope you are having a great week and have sunny skies! Now my title is for a good reason. I am going to talk about eyes and how so many are blessed to see. If you have never heard Brandon Heath's totally awesome song "Give me your eyes" you can scroll to my green playlist on the bottom of my blog and listen to it while you read this post.

Here is the lyrics:
Looked down from a broken sky
Traced out by the city lights
My world from a mile high
Best seat in the house tonight
Touched down on the cold black top
Hold on for the sudden stop
Breath in the familiar shock
Of confusion and chaos
All those people going somewhere,
Why have I never cared?

Chorus:
Give me your eyes for just one second
Give me your eyes so I can see
Everything that I keep missing
Give me your love for humanity
Give me your arms for the broken hearted
Ones that are far beyond my reach.
Give me your heart for the ones forgotten
Give me your eyes so I can see
Yeah Yeah

Step out on a busy street
See a girl and our eyes meet
Does her best to smile at me
To hide what's underneath
There's a man just to her right
Black suit and a bright red tie
Too ashamed to tell his wife
He's out of work
He's buying time
All those people going somewhere
Why have I never cared?

Chorus

I've Been there a million times
A couple of million eyes
Just moving past me by
I swear I never thought that I was wrong
Well I want a second glance
So give me a second chance
To see the way you see the people all along
Chorus (x2)

Brandon Heath is asking God to give him a heavenly viewpoint of this world. Can you imagine what its like from God's eyes? He cares about everyone and everything.
Have you ever thanked God for your eyes? What about your vision. Almost everyone is born with eyes, but not all are born to see. Like Helen Keller, some will never see a sunset, a waterfall, or their mommy and daddy's faces. Don't take your vision for granted. God gave it to you as a gift just as He gave you life!

Praise Him, thank Him, all ye little Children, God is love. God is love! <3

Blessings and love,
Butterfly

New feature

Hey everyone,
I added something new to my blog....... a playlist! I have two actually. The red one plays Christmas music and the green one plays Christian music! The are at the bottom of my blog and you can turn on whichever one you want to listen too. You can add one to your blog too by clicking on the create free playlist tab but be sure to ask your mom or dad first like I did because it requires your email address to use. Enjoy!

~Butterfly

SNOW!

I am soooooo hyped! Its finally snowing and I am talking real snowing with lots of beautiful snowflakes!!! YEAAA!!! I hope you all had an awesome Thanksgiving and enjoyed this weekend with your family/friends!

Friday my dad, brother, sister and I went Black Friday shopping. The only two things I bought was a 4GB card for my camera which was originally $30 but on sale for $12! And I bought my dad earmuffs for Christmas that were $25 but on sale and with my coupon, only $9! I was pretty happy to complete my Christmas shopping. : )

Yesterday, my whole family decorated our entire house (inside and out) with Christmas decorations. We put up the tree, decked out the fireplace, and I even put lights up in my room! (See pics below: )

My awesome room lights! : )

Our magnificent Christmas tree.

Our TV all decked out with stockings playing the Christmas music channel.

Post more later,

Butterfly

HAPPY THANKSGIVING BLOGGERS!!!

Dear Friends,

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!

There is so much to be thankful for, your family, friends, home, clothes, bed, and everything that you can say is yours! I am even thankful for the bad things because they always happen for a reason! I hope you all have a blessed Thanksgiving Day with your family and friends and that health and joy will be with you all!

At my house, we are having my grandparents over and these are the dishes that will be served:
Honey baked ham
Turkey
Cranberry Jelly
Sweet Potatoe Casorole
Green Bean Casorole
Salad
Potatoes
Gravy
Stuffing
Stuffing Gravy
Veggies
Pumpkin Pie
Cranberry Dessert Bread
and more that I can't think of right now!

I think by the end of today, I will be more stuffed than the turkey!!! LOL


Bless and Be Blessed,
Butterfly

Some fun highlights from last week

Hey there blog friends,

I just wanted to share some happenings with you all from the last couple of weeks. Two Saturdays ago, we went to a car museum for their Christmas party and we made crafts, listened to a Christmas choir, looked at old cars and how they were built, and had baked goods and holiday punch. It was lots of fun. After that, we went to a fun HUGE CHRISTMAS STORE and here are pics of what it looks like inside:

Trees anyone???

Above left is a little play that goes around showing the story of Snow White and above right is a Christmas village. If you bought the whole village set shown above, it would be over $2,000.

Here is a couple videos of Christmas villages! Aren't they sooo cute!





After that we went to Cracker Barrel for dinner which was delicious!

~Butterfly

Nominated for Best Blog ever

I have been nominated for BEST BLOG EVER by Elizabeth!

Thanks Lizzy!

I now nominate these wonderful blogs:

Nicole

Katie

Angie Smith (wife of Todd Smith from SELAH)

Olivia

Enjoy !!!

If your name is in the list, be sure to put this nomination picture on your blog and nominate four other blogs!

~Butterfly

How smart is your right foot???

This title seems wierd but this is soooooooo cool! You have to try it and tell me if it worked for you too!

This will entertain you for a while at your desk. Just make sure no one is watching..
How Smart Is Your Right Foot ? Try This. It's Pretty Neat !
It is from an orthopaedic surgeon..
This will boggle your mind and you will keep trying over and over again to see if you can outsmart your right foot, but you can't.
It's pre-programmed in your brain!!
1. While sitting where you are , at your desk, in front of your computer, lift your right foot off the floor and make clockwise circles.
2. Now, while doing this, draw the number '6' in the air with your right hand.
Your foot will change direction!

I told you so!!!! And there's nothing you can do about it. You and I both know how stupid it is, but before the day is done, you are going to try it again, if you've not already done so.

Weather

Well it is official, I am not going to sell my camera after all because 1) the other camera I was considering buying is too expensive and I want to save money for Christmas shopping and 2) the two friends decided to not buy it but I am actually really happy about it because I like my camera too much to sell it after all!

Besides that, there have been several snow showers where I am and I miss the sunshine!
I am excited though because my dad and I are going to set up a electric fireplace in our family room next weekend and that will be keeping us cozy and warm during the icky weather outside.
I do love sledding and such but I enjoy Summer waaaaaaaaay more than sledding! LOL
Well I have to get more school work done but I will post more later!

~Butterfly

Whats new with you?

So how are you all doing today? Blue skies and sun at my place! Yeaaaaaaa!

Update on Digital Camera: so far I am waiting for two friends to see if they are going to buy my camera (see post below). I don't think you could get a better deal on this camera anywhere. The model is barely over 1 year old! If you are interested please let me know. If I don't sell it in a week or less, I will put it on Ebay to sell so comment really soon!

Besides that, I am reading the book "So What's the Difference" by Fritz Ridenour for like the third time for 11 papers that I have to complete! YIKES! 11 papers on 1 book! Well its because I am studying the 10 religions in the book and the viewpoint. 10 + 1 = 11 right?!? JUST KIDDING! I know how to add!!! LOL

Well Tuesday night, I went to my friends house for our Little Women meeting and we had lots of fun playing games like investigator 'n muder (kinda like cops and robbers) and eating CHOCOLATE cupcakes! It was a great time and on the way back (we all rode in a friends car) we played The Oregon Trail game on my cell phone. That was fun too! I didn't get home until after 10pm but I didn't sleep in the next morning so that was good.

I have to go and eat lunch now but I will post more later!
~Butterfly

Hi

Hey friends,
Sorry that I have been neglecting my blog but I have been really busy. Yesterday, I did 8 hours and 45 minutes of schoolwork!
That should be proof for you. LOL Well anyway, we had our first snow fall yesterday morning and it was only 31 degrees at 8:30am this morning!
Talk about winter weather! Well it is getting close to that time of year.
Other things I have been doing besides school is learning new piano pieces for Christmas.
I learned The Drummer Boy, Jingle Jingle Jingle, and I am starting to practice Silver Bells. I learned other Christmas songs last year like Jingle Bells and Carol of the Bells. (I like songs with bells LOL.)
Another thing that has been keeping me on my toes along with the rest of my family is that my little brother is now climbing up the stairs all by himself and even though we say no or get down, he growls at us and continues climbing! LOL
It is soooo funny when he growls and crinkles his little button nose that its IMPOSSIBLE to be upset with him (in reality he does know what no means because he usually will stay away from something if we say no.)
Well we put all our thanksgiving decorations out since its only a week away already!
I am going to go Black Friday shopping with my dad the day after Thanksgiving again this year. We usually get up at 3am and leave no later than 3:30 to go to the sales.
The first store opens at 4am and we like to get in and out as quickly as we can with our purchases. Its definitly the best time to buy Christmas gifts because everything is on sale from 50-90% off!
Well I have to go and finish up my studies but I will post more later.

~Butterfly

FIRST SNOW

I can't believe it but we had our first snowfall this morning! I was sad that it is so chilly out but somehow the snow makes me warm inside of happy memories of playing in the snow with family and friends from past winters. I am so looking forward to getting together with family for the holidays. I also do most of my Christmas shopping on Black Friday (the day after Thanksgiving).

Later,
Butterfly

Peace Be Still

Dear friends,

It is a bit after 11:30pm on election day and it was announced online a bit ago that we now have Obama as our president. Now don't get me wrong. I don't hate Obama himself as a person and I respect the role of a president but what I don't like is what he supports like prop. 2 and such. All I can say is that God is forever in control of all circumstances and I like this verse:

Isaiah 55:8-9 (NIV)

8 "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the LORD.
9 "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.

We don't know God's thoughts on this situation but I know that God has a purpose for what is happening every second of every day. I am definitely not happy with this situation but I know its all for a reason.
I got the title for this post from Rush Of Fools song, Peace Be Still. Here is a music clip of it that I took with my camera. Unfortunatly my camera ran out of memory at the last few seconds of the song. : P




I also take comfort in this verse:

Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV)

11 For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

God has a plan for all of us and although we may have a calendar filled with events, God is the one who plans each day for us. He decides if we will have another breath or wake another morning. Dwell on thoughts and happiness and remember that God has a reason for all things.

~Butterfly

P.S. If we could survive under Bill Clinton, we can handle these upcoming four years.

Also, I made this post RED, WHITE, and BLUE to be PATRIOTIC! : )

HAPPY HALLOWEEN! ! !

Hey Everyone,

I hope you all have a safe and

HAPPY HALLOWEEN! ! ! ! !


Blessings,

Butterfly

P.S. I was a Hawiian Girl!!! : )

FACE IT! ! ! <3

Face It
by the Brio staff

Get in the kitchen and whip up a facial mask for you and your friends. Make sure you get permission from your parents before using the kitchen and ingredients. If at any point you have a stinging sensation from a facial mask, completely rinse off the mask. You may be allergic to the ingredients used. (Test behind your ears before applying mask to your entire face to check for an allergic reaction.) Don’t apply masks more than once a week. Follow each mask with a facial moisturizer for your skin type.


Balanced Breakfast Mask (for all skin types)
What you need:
1 egg white
1/2 cup cooked instant oatmeal
1 teaspoon olive oil
few drops of lemon juice
What to do:
Mix ingredients together. Spread over face. Let it set for 15 minutes. Rinse with warm water. Dry face.

Berry Smooth (for all skin types)
What you need:
3-4 tablespoons plain yogurt
3 strawberries
What to do:
Mash strawberries into the yogurt until mixed well. Apply to face. Leave on for 15 minutes. Rinse with warm water. Dry face.

Honey, I Shrunk the Zits (for oily skin)
What you need:
3 tablespoons honey
Use either: 8 strawberries or half of an apple
2 tablespoons of oatmeal
What to do:
Mash strawberries or grate the apple. Add honey to either fruit. Apply the mixture to your face. Leave on for 10 minutes. Rinse with warm water. Dry face.

Monkey on a Mission (for dry skin)
What you need:
1/4 cup dry oatmeal1 ripe banana
3 tablespoons honey
3 tablespoons plain yogurt
1 teaspoon vitamin E oil
What to do:
Mix ingredients in a blender until dry oatmeal turns into a powder. Add other ingredients. Spread over face. Leave on for 15 minutes. Rinse with warm water. Dry face.

All of these are really great! Enjoy and tell me how they work. I will tell you how I am doing in a later post (I have been reaaaaaaaaally busy! Sorry),

Butterfly

Highlights of last week

I am so sorry that I have been neglecting my blogging responsibility! I have been really busy with my family but here are the highlights of the last week.

Last Sunday (October 12) we went to a Halloween party type festival and I was a Hawiian girl, my sister was a princess, my brother was a Ninja and my baby brother was a baby dragon! AJ was soooo cute in his little costume! Anyway before the party we had gone to a historical outdoor museum and that had been nice because the weather was sooo beautiful! God made a perfect day once again!

Last Wednesday (Oct. 15) I had my PSAT test at 7:30 am and it lasted until 11am. I feel that I did a really good job and God gave me peace throughout the test. I skipped a couple problems I was unsure of but the rest were not so hard.

Last Thursday, (oct. 16) we went to a local Cider Mill to get donuts and we went on a hayride. Our aunt, cousins, and grandma came along with us and it was sooo much fun! We played in the barn park and my little brother played on the mini pedal John Deer tractors. It was real nice. Oh and we also fed baby goats some oats! They were sooo cute! Here is a pic of them:

Last Saturday, my dad installed a gate at the top of the stairs because my little brother is crawling every where now. We did chores cleaning up but nothing super special. But the Saturday before last (October 11) we went to a Fall Oktober Fest and the had a car that looked like Tow Mater (from the animated movie CARS) and I took a few other pics to share that with you:

Yesterday, we went to Church like usual and they had a message on Tithing (I am good on that subject and give 10% of my babysitting money to charities) but anyway, after church, we went grocery shopping at a couple different places and I got a new winter jacket (its all CHOCOLATE brown) so I have a backup in case any more buttons fall off of my other red jacket. Also we went to a local crafting store later in the evening and I bought another scrapbook and some scrapbook stickers all for a total of $12! I bought four sheets of those bubble stickers and the book for that price! Usually its a lot more than that so I was happy (it was all 40% off).

Today, I finished making my mask for the masquerade ball on this upcoming Saturday. I am sooooo excited. I have my dress, I made my bag, and I finished my mask so all I have to do is knit a easy shawl and I will be good to go! Oh and I already picked out a hairstyle too! I will post pics of my stuff later!

Until next post,

Butterfly

Fall Fun Pics

I haven't had much time to post lately since I am so busy studying for my PSAT test but I did have time to take these pictures today to share with you all! Enjoy!!!

~Butterfly

My baby brother (who turned 9 months old today) playing in the grass.

Fall flowers, scarecrows, and other cute things!

I love Dark Chocolate and now I have a health reason to eat it!!! LOL

Dark Chocolate Prevents Heart Disease
Tiny Bit of Dark Chocolate Daily Reduces Inflammation That Leads to Heart Disease
By Caroline WilbertWebMD Health News
Reviewed by Elizabeth Klodas, MD, FACC
Sept. 25, 2008 -- A piece of dark chocolate a day -- a very small piece -- keeps the doctor away.
An Italian study shows that dark chocolate can significantly reduce the inflammation that leads to cardiovascular disease. The ideal amount is 6.7 grams per day (0.23 ounces). A typical Hershey chocolate bar weighs about 43 grams. That means eating one dark chocolate bar over the course of 6 1/2 days to get 6.7 grams per day.
Milk chocolate doesn't appear to offer the same benefits.
The study was conducted by Research Laboratories of the Catholic University in Campobasso and the National Cancer Institute of Milan and has been published in the Journal of Nutrition. The data come from an epidemiological study called the Moli-sani Project, which selected men and women at least 35 years old randomly from city hall registries in southern Italy.
For the chocolate study, researchers identified 4,849 people in good health without risk factors for cardiovascular disease, such as high cholesterol and high blood pressure. These participants were asked about their dark chocolate consumption.
Chronic inflammation can lead to heart disease, so keeping inflammation under control is a major part of preventive treatment. Research has shown that patients who have a low amount of C-reactive protein in their blood have lower levels of inflammation. People who eat dark chocolate regularly, in small servings, have significantly lower levels of C reactive protein, according to the study. This holds true even after accounting for any other potential confounding factors (such as differences in other dietary practices).

Sorry I can't say more right now but I got to get back to my studies!

~Butterfly

Ingredients: 5 hours of prayer, 15 days of study, and extra prayer

So you are probably wondering why the strange title? Well for the next couple weeks I am studying for my PSAT/NMSQT test that I have to take since this is my junior year of high school. I am taking it at a local Christian school (yeaaaa!!!!) but since I discovered I have to study sooo late (school kids have been studying nearly 4 weeks so far!)... I won't have much time to blog for a bit. : (
So still check out my blog and this will be a great opportunity to read my archived posts. See what I was talking about last year! LOL This will be hard on me since I love to blog but be strong with me and support me for being courageous in my hard studies! LOL
Still comment and tell me how you are and I will post again to tell you all about these upcoming two weeks!!!

Love and blessings,

Butterfly

GOD vs. Science

Albert Einstein did write a book titled God vs Science in 1921...


God vs Science 'Let me explain the problem science has with religion.' The atheist professor of philosophy pauses before his class and then asks one of his new students to stand.

'You're a Christian, aren't you, son?'

'Yes sir,' the student says.

'So you believe in God?'

'Absolutely.'

'Is God good?'

'Sure! God's good.'

'Is God all-powerful? Can God do anything?'

'Yes'

'Are you good or evil?'

'The Bible says I'm evil.'

The professor grins knowingly. 'Aha! The Bible!' He considers for a moment. 'Here's one for you. Let's say there's a sick person over here and you can cure him. You can do it. Would you help him? Would you try?'

'Yes sir, I would.'

'So you're good...!'

'I wouldn't say that.'

'But why not say that? You'd help a sick and maimed person if you could. Most of us would if we could. But God doesn't.'

The student does not answer, so the professor continues. 'He doesn't, does he? My brother was a Christian who died of cancer, even though he prayed to Jesus to heal him. How is this Jesus good? Hmmm? Can you answer that one?'

The student remains silent.

'No, you can't, can you?' the professor says. He takes a sip of water from a glass on his desk to give the student time to relax.

'Let's start again, young fella. Is God good?'

'Er..yes,' the student says.

'Is Satan good?'

The student doesn't hesitate on this one. 'No.'

'Then where does Satan come from?'

The student falters. 'From God'

'That's right. God made Satan, didn't he? Tell me, son. Is there evil in this world?'

'Yes, sir.'

'Evil is everywhere, isn't it? And God did make everything, correct?'

'Yes'

'So who created evil?' The professor continued, 'If God created everything, then God created evil, since evil exists, and according to the principle that our works define who we are, then God is evil.'

Again, the student has no answer. 'Is there sickness? Immorality? Hatred? Ugliness? All these terrible thing! s, do they exist in this world?'

The student squirms on his feet. 'Yes.'

'So who created them?'

The student does not answer again, so the professor repeats his question. 'Who created them?' There is still no answer. Suddenly the lecturer breaks away to pace in front of the classroom. The class is mesmerized. 'Tell me,' he continues onto another student. 'Do you believe in Jesus Christ, son?'

The student's voice betrays him and cracks. 'Yes, professor, I do.'

The old man stops pacing. 'Science says you have five senses you use to identify and observe the world around you. Have you ever seen Jesus?'

'No sir. I've never seen Him.'

'Then tell us if you've ever heard your Jesus?'

'No, sir, I have not.'

'Have you ever felt your Jesus, tasted your Jesus or smelt your Jesus? Have you ever had any sensory perception of Jesus Christ, or God for that matter?'

'No, sir, I'm afraid I haven't.'

'Yet you still believe in him?'

'Yes'

'According to the rules of empirical, testable, demonstrable protocol, science says your God doesn't exist. What do you say to that, son?'

'Nothing,' the student replies. 'I only have my faith.'

'Yes, faith,' the professor repeats. 'And that is the problem science has with God. There is no evidence, only faith.'

The student stands quietly for a moment, before asking a question of His own. 'Professor, is there such thing as heat?'



" yes.

'And is there such a thing as cold?'

'Yes, son, there's cold too.'

'No sir, there isn't.'

The professor turns to face the student, obviously interested. The room suddenly becomes very quiet. The student begins to explain. 'You can have lots of heat, even more heat, super-heat, mega-heat, unlimited heat, white heat, a little heat or no heat, but we don't have anything called 'cold'. We can hit up to 458 degrees below zero, which is no heat, but we can't go any further after that. There is no such thing as cold; otherwise we would be able to go colder than the lowest -458 degrees.'

'Every body or object is susceptible to study when! it has or transmits energy, and heat is what makes a body or matter have or transmit energy. Absolute zero (-458 F) is the total absence of heat. You see, sir, cold is only a word we use to describe the absence of heat. We cannot measure cold. Heat we can measure in thermal units because heat is energy. Cold is not the opposite of heat, sir, just the absence of it.'

Silence across the room. A pen drops somewhere in the classroom, sounding like a hammer.

'What about darkness, professor. Is there such a thing as darkness?'

'Yes,' the professor replies without hesitation. 'What is night if it isn't darkness?'

'You're wrong again, sir. Darkness is not something; it is the absence of something. You can have low light, normal light, bright light, flashing light, but if you have no light constantly you have nothing and it's called darkness, isn't it? That's the meaning we use to define the word.'

'In reality, darkness isn't. If it were, you would be able to make darkness darker, wouldn't you?'

The professor begins to smile at the student in front of him. This will be a good semester. 'So what point are you making, young man?'

'Yes, professor. My point is, your philosophical premise is flawed to start with, and so your conclusion must also be flawed.'

The professor's face cannot hide his surprise this time. 'Flawed? Can you explain how?'

'You are working on the premise of duality,' the student explains. 'You argue that there is life and then there's death; a good God and a bad God. You are viewing the concept of God as something finite, something we can measure. Sir, science can't even explain a thought.'

'It uses electricity and magnetism, but has never seen, much less fully understood either one. To view death as the opposite of life is to be ignorant of the fact that death cannot exist as a substantive thing. Death is not the opposite of life, just the absence of it.'

'Now tell me, professor. Do you teach your students that they evolved from a monkey?'

'If you are referring to the natural evolutionary process, young man, yes, of course I do.'

'Have you ever observed evolution with your own eyes, sir?'

The professor begins to shake his head, still smiling, as he realizes where the argument is going. A very good semester, indeed.

'Since no one has ever observed the process of evolution at work and cannot even prove that this process is an on-going endeavor, are you not teaching your opinion, sir? Are you now not a scientist, but a preacher?'

The class is in uproar. The student remains silent until the commotion has subsided.

'To continue the point you were making earlier to the other student, let me give you an example of what I mean.'

The student looks around the room. 'Is there anyone in the class who has ever seen the professor's brain?' The class breaks out into laughter.

'Is there anyone here who has ever heard the professor's brain, felt the professor's brain, touched or smelt the professor's brain? No one appears t! o have d one so. So, according to the established rules of empirical, stable, demonstrable protocol, science says that you have no brain, with all due respect, sir.'

'So if science says you have no brain, how can we trust your lectures, sir?'

Now the room is silent. The professor just stares at the student, his face unreadable.

Finally, after what seems an eternity, the old man answers. 'I guess you'll have to take them on faith.'

'Now, you accept that there is faith, and, in fact, faith exists with life,' the student continues. 'Now, sir, is there such a thing as evil?'

Now uncertain, the professor responds, 'Of course, there is. We see it everyday It is in the daily example of man's inhumanity to man. It is in the multitude of crime and violence everywhere in the world. These manifestations are nothing else but evil.'

To this the student replied, 'Evil does not exist sir, or at least it does not exist unto itself. Evil is simply the absence of God. It is just like darkness and cold, a word that man has created to describe the absence of God. God did not create evil. Evil is the result of what happens when man does not have God's love present in his heart. It's like the cold that comes when there is no heat or the darkness that comes when there is no light.'

The professor sat down.


PS: the student was Albert Einstein


I JUST LOVED READING THIS!!!

~Butterfly

BUSY

Hey everyone,



Sorry I haven't been posting in a while but I have been really busy helping my family paint the deck. We didn't do any school Tuesday, Wednesday, or today because from 10am until almost 6pm everyday, we were outside painting our deck! So I have to do school on the weekend now! It will be an interesting schedule until we finish sometime later this week. Fortunately the only painting left to do is the floors and my dad is doing that part with my mom! *sigh of relief*

So besides that let me tell you about the past week.
Last Thursday evening, I went out to a local city for a Ladies Night Out event. They had contests, giveaways, smoothies, free totes and all sorts of goodies. I went with one of my best friends, Katelyn, and we had a blast! My mom and I both brought a friend and we had lots of fun. It started at 6pm and we stayed until a little after 9pm. Katelyn and I bought ice cream around 8pm and we were sitting in the park across the street eating our ice cream and talking about homeschooling and such (she is homeschooled like me) and then these two teen guys in a car drive by with the stereo blasting some dumb music, well anyway, five minutes later........ they drive by, AGAIN and the guy in the passenger seat shouts over the music to us "Whats up!" Katelyn and I were hysterical with laughter and couldn't get over this hilarious happening! I told my mom and her friend and they laughed and even my dad thought it was funny! LOL I don't think I will ever forget about that fun night!
Friday I went to go babysit in the morning like I always do and it was nice because it was just me and the girls (Noah is in school now). After babysitting, my mom and I stopped at a few local garage sales and I got 9 tops and a never used suede purse for a low total of $12!!!! Can you believe that!!! Also my grandma came over and visited with us and we had a nice time talking with her.
Saturday, we went to the chiropractor in the morning and then we went back home and cleaned the house most of the day.
Sunday, after church we went to the Cider Mill by our house and enjoyed donuts and cider after eating a quick burger at a fast food joint. Then we went to a cider mill that has a really nice gift shop and play area. They have a kids barn that has slides and peddle tractors of little kids and I took AJ down the slides on my lap (they were looooooooong slides too!). Then we had to go grocery shopping and bring our yummy food home.
Monday, I was actually able to do all my school work and get it done before 2pm! That is good since I have 6 hours of school every day! I helped my mom tidy up the house because she was having a Ladies Night neighborhood moms get together at our house. I had to babysit that night so I can't tell you how the evening went for my moms party.
Tuesday, Wednesday, and today didn't have much difference between them. We did our devotion Bible reading in the morning after breakfast and then went out to stain the deck.
It was nothing fun and if I had had the choice, I would rather have done my homework than paint our deck because we had soooo much to do. We had a huge three level deck (I will take a pic to show you later) and it has waaaaaay too much detail to express the massiveness of it all! (I am not sure if massiveness is a word or not but if it isn't, don't tell me.... LOL!)
Anyway, that just about raps it all up! Thanks for reading my blog and don't forget to comment!

Blessings,
Butterfly

Mocha chocalatte

Hey girlfriends (sorry if there are any guys who read this),

If you are a coffee drinker and love Starbucks coffee, you will love this homemade recipe for a great iced or hot coffee!



Butterfly's Mocha Chocalatte


Things you will need:

• A coffee mug or glass cup like in picture


• A pot of hot coffee

Ingredients:

• Coffee (at least two cups for each glass)


• Chocolate Syrup (optional)


• Cream (also optional but most girls and moms like it with cream)


• Ice cubes (optional, use for iced coffee)


• Whipped Topping


• Cinnamon

Take your mug or glass cup and fill the coffee about 2/3 way into glass. Add chocolate syrup while still hot. Add ice cubes (three - four). After its cooled off, add more ice cubes (if others melted) and add whipped topping. Sprinkle on a little cinnamon and Enjoy!

This recipe is great for a cool day outside or a hot Summer drink! I hope you like it as much as I do!

Blessings,

Butterfly

Three Things

Dear blogger readers,



First, my hives are doing better today but I did break out this morning at 2am! I haven't had a breakout since so I am hoping that the worst part is over and that I am hopefully in the clear of it all.




Second, I took this totally cute picture of AJ yesterday in our front yard which is sooo green and beautiful from all the rain we have been getting from God!

Third, check out my recipe for this great homemade coffee drink! If you don't like coffee, make it for your mom on a special day or just because you love her!

Blessings,

More later,

Butterfly

PLEASE PRAY

Dearest, beloved, and appreciated blog readers,

I pray that you are going to read this soon and pray for me.... why do you need to pray? Well since last Friday, every evening I have been breaking out in HIVES (once again for this year) and its awful! Last night it was all over my face, neck, arms, and legs. I felt like crying out to God asking, "Why me Lord?!?" I know God has his reasons but I just can't see the purpose of this. But what I really need prayer for is that we will discover what it is I am eating that is causing these breakouts. Normally hives lasts only a couple days but its been four days since I started breaking out and as I type to you, I have hives on my face, arms, and hips. I know that many people are in worse conditions than I am but still, when you think of me and my blog, saw a quick prayer for God's guidance to see what is causing this irritating thing to happen to me. Thank you so much! I can't express how grateful I am that you support my blog and pray for me but I must say thank you to show my appreciation! God bless you all and may you have a blessed day (or night)!

Love,
~Butterfly


P.S. If you have a prayer request as well, please comment and I will pray for you too!

Jeans Book Cover

Jeans Book Cover
Decorate a 3-ring binder or a composition notebook and use the pockets to hold your pens and pencils.

You need:
Old Jeans
Trim and Appliques
Gemstones
Gem Glue
Low Temp Glue Gun

Instructions:
Cut the legs off a pair of jeans. Cut open the front, cutting off the entire zipper. Turn jeans upside down. Place the binder on top and line up the top edge of your jeans with the top edge of the binder and the back seam with the center of the spine.
Trim both sides and the bottom of the jeans 1" bigger than the binder. Hot glue the top edge securely. Tack the other three sides with dabs of hot glue.
Turn the project over. Tuck in along the back seam to fit the jeans to the spine. glue in place.
Wrap sides and bottom of the jeans around the edges of the book. Glue in place.
Glue trim over raw edge. Decorate the outside with gems and appliques. Glue trim under belt loops and around top of book.

This is a craft that I will be trying this week. Tell me if you try it too!

Enjoy,
Butterfly

The beginning of a new week

Hey blog readers,

Here is the latest and greatest!
So tomorrow will be starting our second school week for my family. The first week I didn't even get to start my Geometry so that is my major goal for this week. So far my Chemistry is going really well and I am enjoying Physics. For devotion and bible study, my mom and I are doing Beth Moore's "Living Beyond Yourself" bible study and we have been doing the homework at every chance we get. I really like Beth Moore's teaching style and how she makes it fun and enjoyable. God truly has blessed her with a talent to tell it like it is! LOL

I am currently job searching for next Summer (planning ahead never hurts). Since I am babysitting only once a week, I wanted a job to have for next Summer so I can make enough money to get a nice car (used of course) and afford gas and insurance. I am not quiting my babysitting but I just want to add an extra paying job. So...... I am probably going to take drivers ed this fall starting up either this week or next month or if not this fall, early spring. I am going to pray for God's wisdom in all these things and see how God works this out. I know he has a plan, I just don't know what it is yet! LOL : )

That is about all that is crossing my mind for now but have a blessed evening and enjoy God's love!!!

Until l8r,
Butterfly

Our Vacation to Mackinaw City

Hey everyone!

I just got back from vacation late last week and we had a great time. I will tell you what happened;

Monday: We left our house at 8:45am (must later than planned) and we arrived at our destination at about 2pm. After checking in to our hotel, we went out to see the beach. It was gorgeous!

Afterwards, we brought all our luggage into our hotel room and put our swimsuits on. We played in the water and my baby brother AJ loved the sand and water!!! At first, Lake Huron was pretty cold but I got used to the temp after a bit of swimming. We went back to our hotel room a couple hours later and went into the Mackinaw Crossings outdoor mall. We bought some FUDGE and looked in the shops. We ate dinner at our fav restaurant up there, Darrows, and I split the huge chicken dinner with my brother. We wanted to get a dessert but they were all our of Coconut Creme Pie! We were very upset! : ( After eating to our content, we again went to the city and bought ice cream for dessert. I wanted to get my fav flavor Mint chocolate chip but my mom got some almond flavored one instead (it was nothing special). We looked inside a store where almost everything is made of wood! Here is a pic:

We went back to our hotel after that and my brother and I went swimming in the hotel pool. We went to bed after showering.

Tuesday: We got up early, went to breakfast, and left for Mackinac Island. We took the Arnold boat like usual. We were going so fast! If you don't believe me, look at this:

We passed the Mighty Mac on the way. Here is a pic of the port:

It was a great day to visit the island. We went to Fort Mackinac and watched them shoot the canon, looked in the tiny schoolhouse, and went in every building we passed.

We were starving when we finished up looking at the fort so we bought sub sandwiches at a deli and they were really good! After eating in the park, we took a long walk and sat in the same gazebo Christopher Reeve and Jane Seymour sat in to make their movie "Somewhere in Time"! We are now part of that history. We stopped at a shop in a hotel and I bought a Starbucks iced coffee for us to share. That helped us make it back to the main downtown area again.

In a fun store called Shirt Off My Back, I bought a nice zipper hoodie that says Mackinac Island on it, my brother bought a camo hoodie, my dad bought a Mackinac sweater, and my mom bought a Mackinac Island shirt.

We shopped around more, bought a suvenior for Hallie (she was taking care of our garden while we were gone) and then had to head back to the boat to leave! We were so sad to leave the island but our feet were sore and we did enjoy the boat ride. When we got back, we ate dinner at Mama Mia's Pizzaria and we looked in the Mighty Mac Museum upstairs.

Wednesday: We went to Mills Creek, a historical area and we did something we had never done before! We all went on the ZIP LINE! It was sooo fun!!!!! Here is a video of me on the zip line:

We also watched a demonstration on how the old mills worked and I took a video of it:

After the zip line and the mill demo, nearly three hours had passed! But here are more details on the zip line. We had to walk across a cable bridge that was 40 feet above a creek, we hiked up the hill on a trail til we got to the drop off for the zip line which is over 50 feet in the air, and once all hooked up to the cable line, we put up our feet and took off on the nearly 500 foot long zip line! It was soooooooooo amazing and I felt like I was flying across the water! I loved it and it was just sooo cool! And it was only $5 a person too! After the zip line you get to go on a rock climb wall for part of the Adventure tour. Only me and my brother and sister did the rock wall. Here is a picture of me on the rock wall:

I was a bit nervous because at the very top, you are 4 stories high! That is like scaling a New York tower! Only my brother and I made it to the top but my younger sister made it half way up which is pretty impresive! Also, I did the difficult side that had less rocks but I like a challenge now and then and it was very rewarding to push the bird call at the top! : )

We went to Scalliwag's for dinner and my brother, sister, and I slipt the chicken basket which had 9 pieces of chicken (like chicken strips), four hush puppies, french fries, and cole slaw. I was a really good meal for a fair price too. My mom had their fish basket which is the same thing except fish instead of chicken. My dad had a beef pastie from his favorite pastie shop and AJ enjoyed a jar of baby food. : )

We shopped around after eating but didn't purchase anything. A few hours later, we went to dinner at Darrows. I had the vegetable beef soup which was very good. We finally had our piece of coconut creme pie too! Andrew got crabby from lack of a good nap so I took him to the gift shop area and he smiled and giggled for the lady at the cashier. We went back to our hotel after dinner and went to the Pirate Waterpark. It was lots of fun! There was waterslides and I huge bucket that dumped tons of water on us! My brother and I went down the waterslides backwards just for fun and we had a good time. When we had to leave it was so nippy out and it didn't help that we were all wet! We showered and hit bed soundly.

Thursday: We packed up everything after breakfast that morning. We decided to leave one day early because Friday was going to rain all day and be yucky and gross outside and before 50 degrees!!! But we made the best of the last day. We went to Fort Michillamackinac and looked around the artiface museum under the fort. It was lots of fun and I think Andrew liked it too! We went into a few of the buildings but after a while it started to sprinkle rain out so we went back to the main building and looked inside the gift shop. We went on the beach and I took this video for you all:

Thursday evening: We stopped at Taco Bell on the way home for dinner because it was almost 9pm and we didn't feel like we had enough stamina to make ourselves dinner (dramatization). I had a nacho supreme. We all went to bed after eating and Friday morning we unpacked, did about 5 loads of laundry (i did most of it but everyone helped fold) and we tried to get back into our routine.

Saturday: we went to a Fall Festival in a local city and saw our Aunt Tina and cousins and some friends of ours. We had fun talking and enjoying the music.

Sunday: we worked the Rotary Chicken Dinners from 10 - 1pm. It was lots of fun! I worked with my sister bagging cookies, then I put alluminum foil in boxes (not so fun), and then the best job was putting the boxes on the assembly line. The girl working next to me was very friendly and we talked together most of the time. After working the chicken dinners, we got a free one for our volunteer work and enjoyed our lunch and saw our Aunt Tina and cousins AGAIN! We were so happy to see them!

Monday we started up school again and my dad had to go back to work. Sorry it took so long to make this post but I had to wait forever for the videos to load. Enjoy and tell me what you think!!

Blessings,

Until Next time,

~ Butterfly