thanksgiving and more

 *Note to those of you have read the post previous to this one: none of these are edited with PS... I had already done all the editing on the pictures for this post before getting Photoshop.

On our way to Iowa we stopped at the arch(obviously). I had never been up before, only drove past it which was way back when I was little. Those small--very tiny--capsules that take you to the top are awesome!!

us kiddo's

If I lived in St. Louis, I might consider walking those steps every day for exercise.. (:

The highest I've ever been...(besides flying)

The view from the top.

I spy the van!!

"Thank you self-timer."

Well...we finally arrived at our destination. (:

Our stay with the Bontragers was most enjoyable..

My cousin let me put her flash on my camera for a little, and boy, did I love it!!

experimenting...

After what I wrote in THIS post you were probably wondering what my smile(with a gap) looks like. Well for those of you who were curious...



Ok, so you're probably thinking 'its not really that big', but believe me, when you're used to no gap and in less than a week it goes from together to approximately 4mm apart, it's BIG! Also, it's not as wide anymore and when I get braces in a few weeks it'll go right back together. (:


---

We had Thanksgiving dinner on Wednesday instead of Thursday because of other plans.

the table. [minus most of the food]



cranberry salad



stuffed potatoes



chicken instead of turkey



pies by Allison



Us older girls went out to an adorable little coffee shop in town later on in the evening. 

Ashlyn - Chelsy - Me - Allison

Nothing like a good latte--or a good talk while sipping it!!!

-corina.dm

a white scarf

A couple months ago, while shopping at Cato's, 

I saw a scarf I really liked and I figured I could

just get the measurments to make one myself.

Mom had some extra knit fabric, so I decided to try one.

----

All it takes is 5/8 yard of knit{I think I trimmed approx. 7 inches off the end}

Sew the 2 ends together than lay flat and
cut 1/2 inch wide fringes 5-6 inches long on both sides.

It took me less than half an hour to make. 

 ----

-This is kind've what it looks like('cept mine's white)-

[pictures from Forever 21]

 

It's very inexpensive and easy to make!

Not to mention it would be a great gift!

 

-corina.dm

about the {new song} on my playlist

It's a song I've been hearing pretty often on the radio recently....
When we're having a bad day and things aren't going our way, its easy not to take time and just praise Jesus for everything that He sends our way, fun and not-so-fun..
- - - - - - -
I'd Need A Savior
AMONG THE THRISTY 

How many names
Can I use to explain
The love of my Jesus
The life that He gave
And so many times
Will I praise You today
I lift up my life
Cause You're always the same
And my offering
To you I bring

Your name is Jesus
Your name is Jesus
You're the wonderful, counselor, my friend
You're what I hold on to
I know that You brought me through
All the days of loss and to the cross, You knew
That I'd need a Savior

How many songs
Can I sing to proclaim
Your wondrous love
Oh and beauty so great
Oh and, What would I say
If You brought down the rain
And everyday I walked through the pain
My heart would still say…

......All the days of loss, and to the cross You knew,
That I'd Need a Savior Well, I'd need a Savior
You're what I hold onto, I know that You brought me through
All the days of loss and to the cross You knew,
That I'd need a Savior
I'd need a Savior,
I need You Savior.

*For some reason its more quiet than the other songs on my playlist so you might have to turn up the volume a little so you can hear it better.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------~

Some of my awesome cousins came to visit us last week! :) We met them at the Tennessee Aquarium..

As you can tell with 17 children (over half of them under age 11), its hard to have everybody looking at the camera! 

Chelsy and I had fun taking pictures in a giant mirror!! :)

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------*
One of my favorite quotes right now:

"Any concern that is too small to be turned into a prayer is too small to be made into a burden."
-Corrie ten Boom

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------`

I love my little sisters............As I was writing this post I played dutch blitz with Elise and put together puzzles with Courtney. They absolutly love when you spend time doing things with them. :)

Harrison's getting so big!

Right now I'm holding him and he's slobbering all over my phone.....He loves my phone and I can barely talk on the phone and hold him at the same time cuz he jus wants to grab it!

And the reason he's drooling so bad right now is because he's teething.......again.....but this time its eye teeth......fun,fun,fun.....I know!!! But I do love how his top teeth now show when he smiles...... :)

corina.dm~

fun self portraits~& an aWeSoMe old building

This beautiful old building is believed to have been a slave cabin. It's right behind some of our friends' house so when we went to visit them this week I just had to take a few pictures!!

    

So I set my camera on a chair and set the timer!!lol

These aren't the best, but I laugh just looking at them...remembering hitting the button than running a few yards to the place I needed to be before it took the picture!!

NOTE::these pictures are cropped...(my camera doesn't have THAT good aim. smile)

If you ever want to try something different or new, grab your camera and set it somewhere, set the self-timer and try out some new poses!! lol. I'm telling you, it REALLY is fun(even though people give you funny looks)!!

"Costume change"!!

Yup..I love to snoop in old buildings.haha

If you can't tell by now...I absolutly LOVE sunflare!! Every chance I have, I take pictures with it!!

I'm not sure how many of you listen to my blog playlist(at the bottom of the page), but on there is a wonderful song I found by Laura Story called "Grace". The lyrics are so amazing~

My heart is so proud. My mind is so unfocused.
I see the things You do through me as great things I have done. And now You gently break me, then lovingly You take me and hold me as my father and mold me as my maker.

I ask you: "How many times will you pick me up, when I keep on letting you down?
And each time I will fall short of Your glory, how far will forgiveness abound?"
And you answer: " My child, I love you.
And as long as you're seeking My face, You'll walk in the pow'r of My daily sufficient grace."

At times I may grow weak and feel a bit discouraged, knowing that someone, somewhere could do a better job.
For who am I to serve You? I know I don't deserve You. And that's the part that burns in my heart and keeps me hanging on.

I ask you: "How many times will you pick me up, when I keep on letting you down?
And each time I will fall short of Your glory, how far will forgiveness abounds?
And you answer: " My child, I love you.
And as long as you're seeking My face, You'll walk in the pow'r of My daily sufficient grace."

You are so patient with me, Lord.
As I walk with You, I'm learning what Your grace really means. The price that I could never pay was paid at Calvary. So, instead of trying to repay You, I'm learning to simply obey You
by giving up my life to you For all that You've given to me.

I ask you: "How many times will you pick me up, when I keep on letting you down?
And each time I will fall short of Your glory, how far will forgiveness abounds?"
And you answer: " My child, I love you.
And as long as you're seeking My face, You'll walk in the pow'r of My daily sufficient grace."

-----------

Jesus is the one that gives us the grace to be able to continue each day. Even though "at times [we] may grow weak and feel a bit discouraged, knowing that someone, somewhere could do a better job", He loves us for who we are....no matter how many times we "fall short of [His] glory", He still says "I love you" and gives us the grace to continue as long as we seek His face.

We can never pay what was paid at calvary. All we can do is to "simply obey" Him and give up our lives to Him for all He's given to us.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

I took some hilariously fun and awesome pictures of Courtney today!! I'll try to get more of them on here soon!!

::corina.dm