Almost Christmas!!!!

This ornament hung on my mom's tree when she was a little girl, and we still hang it on our tree. I love how the light shines through it.

Our Hike

The hike to the top of Crowders Mountain was very foggy, but once we reached the top the fog cleared. My dad says that this view looks like it should be in a movie.

Mysterious Berries

I saw these berries the other day while I was taking a walk. They were growing on a bush by the lake at the park. I have never seen any like them before, and I'm not sure what they are. Whatever they are, they are very pretty.

A Great Find

When I saw this cake keeper at Value Village I fell in love with it. I think it is so pretty. I've never seen a cake keeper that looks like this before.

A Tired Girl

I took this picture when Lilly and I were jumping on the trampoline the other day. Lilly was starting to get tired, and she laid down for a minute. That is a rare occurrence, because she never seems to get tired when she is jumping on the trampoline. I like the way her eyes look in this picture.

Jack-O-Lantern Mushrooms

There was a bunch of these mushrooms growing around a tree in the yard. It's amazing how fast they grow. It started out with just a few, but before I knew it, the ground around the tree was covered. I researched them. They are called Jack-O-Lantern mushrooms, and theoretically they are supposed to glow in the dark.

A Surprising Present

Mom and Dad gave me a giant mushroom for my birthday. I wasn't expecting it, and I was very surprised. It is a very me present.

It's My Birthday!!!

I had a cookie pizza instead of a birthday cake. I decorated, and I think it came out quite well.

A Whole Lot of Firewood

There was a huge tree in our yard that had been dead for a while. It was finally cut down last week. Lilly decided to paint herself that day, which is why she is covered with red.

An After the Rain Surprise

We had a perfect view of this rainbow from our front yard. I haven't seen a rainbow this pretty in a while. It lasted a long time before it faded away.

My Attempt At Flower Arranging

Summer Harvest

Our gardens are doing well this year. This is just a portion of what we have picked so far. The two big zucchinis are the biggest I have ever seen.

Hair Cut

A few years ago I got my hair cut for Locks of Love. Today I had 14 inches of hair cut off, and I'm going to donate it again. This is the shortest my hair has ever been. It feels very different, but I like it.

Father's Day

Happy Father's Day!!!!! I hope you enjoyed your day!

Lilly's Pets

There are a lot of frogs and snails around our house this summer, and Lilly loves to catch them. This snail stuck its head out of its shell while Lilly was holding it, which made her very happy. None of the creatures are as happy to see her as she is to see them.

Dad

Happy Birthday Dad!!!!! I hope you had a wonderful birthday. I love you.

Sam

This is my youngest nephew, Sam. He is growing up so fast! He thinks he is as big as his older brothers Caleb and Jack. Sometimes even a big boy needs his thumb and sippy cup.

Presents

On our way back from West Virginia we stopped to visit our family in Virginia. Mom and Dad bought presents for the children. Caleb and Jack really enjoyed their fans. These were high tech fans that you could program to scroll messages across the blades as they spun. The boys had a lot of fun putting crazy messages on them.

Mall

There was a mall across from our hotel in West Virginia, and one night we walked around it. In this picture Laura and I are throwing pennies into the wishing fountain.

Our Trip

Last weekend we went to West Virginia for a friend's wedding. I had never been to West Virginia before. I didn't realize what a beautiful state it is. I'm going to post some more pictures of our trip over the next couple of days.

I Finally Did It

I have finally eaten my chocolate duck, and he tastes as good as he looks. I couldn't bear to bite his head off at first, so I ate his tail first. He was always cheerful, and he went out smiling.

An Unwelcome Visitor

Last Wednesday I got a shock when I walked into the bathroom and saw a snake. I quickly exited the room and informed Dad about it. He was able to corner it and catch it , but not before it bit him on the thumb. Fortunately it was only a black snake, and not poisonous. We think he came in through the pipes, and Dad is going to seal them. I hope this is the last time a snake invites himself into the house.

Jason's Birthday

Happy Birthday, Jason!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
You're my favorite brother!!!!!!!!

My New Smile

Monday was a very momentous day because I had my braces taken off. I've had braces for two and a half years, so it feels strange not to have anything on my teeth. I am very pleased with my new smile! Those are before and after pictures.

Easter Duck

My mom always puts a surprise in the Easter baskets. This year the surprise was a chocolate duck. He looks so much like a real rubber duck that it is hard to believe that he is chocolate! It will be very difficult to eat him.

Maggie and Me

Maggie is not usually a very affectionate cat, but the other day she decided to have a little snuggle time with me. This is a rare occasion, and we both enjoyed it.

Spring flowers

Spring has finally arrived, and everything seems to be waking up from their long winter naps. The cherry tree in our front yard has bloomed, and it looks absolutely beautiful. I think the world looks especially lovely.

Our Puzzle

We started a puzzle last week when it was snowing. Yesterday we finally finished it! I can't wait until we start our next puzzle.

March Is Here

I think it's safe to say that March came in like a lion this year. We got six inches of snow in our area, and we lost our power. Much to our relief we finally got it back today. Even though it was very cold I ventured outside to make a snowman. Is he not cute? However, he is starting to melt, and instead of looking cute, he is looking very sad. Oh well, I'll make another one next year.

A New View

Jimmy, my brother-in-law, has some land that was recently logged off. My dad, my sister Laura, Jimmy, Lilly, and I walked around the land last week. Even though I hate to see the trees cut down, there is now a beautiful view of Kings Mountain.

Valentine Apple

Every Valentine's Day, my dad buys a box of candy for the children who still live at home. This year he did something a little different and bought us chocolate apples that have a gummy worm in the center. I almost hated to eat mine because it was so cute. However, after I took this picture I tasted the 'apple'. Not only is it nice to look at , but it is delicious too!

Baking

My mom has cookbooks full of recipes that we have never tried, so we've decided to make at least one new recipe a month. I made these oatmeal scotchies yesterday, and they are delicious! They are some of the best cookies I've ever made. I'm sure I will be making these cookies again.

WInter Harvest

Our neighbor planted a field of turnips and collard greens and lets us pick all we want. I'm picking collard greens in this picture. My brother-law, Jimmy, really likes collard greens, so my Mom always makes sure she has some cooked for him when he comes over for dinner.

Lucy

Baby Lucy is very good-natured. Sometimes she will lay on the bed and look around for a while, and Rachel says she is almost sleeping through the night. She had her two-month checkup today and she weighs nine pounds!

Doctor in Training

Lilly loves to play doctor. She can be a little rough, but I still tell her I feel better

Whistles

Whistles, my guinea pig, is very active and did not want to stay still for a picture. He was investigating my camera when I snapped this picture.

I collected a lot of old bottles and decided to make a bottle tree. Yesterday my dad and I started working on it. He drilled holes in a tree behind our house, and then we hammered dowels into the holes and hung my bottles on them. We can see it from our kitchen window.

Goodbye Snow

Almost all of the snow has melted, but when I went walking yesterday, I was able to find a few patches of snow left. I'm hoping it will snow again soon, but I doubt it.

Linus

This is a close up picture of Linus, one of my cats. She is usually a fairly well behaved cat, but sometimes she can be irritable.

Snow!!!!

Today we had our first snow of the year! It wasn't very deep, but I was still able to get some pretty pictures. This is a picture of an old vacation house. Even though it is falling down, I still think it is a beautiful scene.

A New Coat

Lilly in her new coat. She didn't want to take it off, even in the house.

Sunday Nap

My youngest niece Lucy took a nap during Sunday dinner. Doesn't she look comfortable?

A Fairy's Shadow

For today's picture I decided to try to be creative. This is a picture of a fairy statue and her shadow. It is a little unusual, but I think it is a beautiful picture.

Recycling

My mom likes to make things out of plastic grocery bags, and she has just finished a rug. I think it looks very nice on our patio table.

My Favorite Cowgirl

One of my nieces, Lilly, got a bouncy horse and a cowgirl hat for Christmas. She loves to pretend she is a cowgirl, and to 'feed' her horse.

A Path in the Woods

I love to take walks in the woods behind my house, and I have a route I like to walk. This is a picture of a ridge I climb. The ridge is steeper than it looks in this picture, but the view at the top is worth the climb. I can see our neighbor's field which is still green though everything else is brown. It is a beautiful sight.

The Old Farm Bell

In my blog, I am going to share snapshots of moments in my life. This is a picture of a bell in my front yard. It was originally on my Great- Grandfather's farm, but it has been in our yard as long as I can remember. It doesn't sound very pretty, but it is a beautiful part of my family's history.