Home for Christmas

  It finally seems the rush of Christmas is settling down, but then the excitement for New Year's is replacing it. I am especially eager to start school again in January. I love being with my family, but I also love to be out and about, learning and exploring!

  Christmas was so nice, but then so busy, as I'm sure everyone's is. A few days before Christmas, we took in a family that had just lost their apartment and didn't have anywhere to go for Christmas. They had only a few gifts for their three kids and barely any money to their name. The Mom was pregnant with their 4th child. We were able to provide them a home for Christmas, where their children could wake up to Santa's gifts under the tree. It may have been hectic at time with 5 boys in the house, but the memories they were able to get were priceless. Having the opportunity to minister the Mom and her children was humbling and taught me many things about myself and God. 

  A few days after Christmas, they were able to find somewhere to stay. We're still in contact with them and always on stand-by if they need somewhere to stay again. Overall, Christmas was wonderful!

I hope you all have a blessed Christmas! 

Cristian is the oldest of their family. 8 years old and a very wild, but silly boy!

Isaiah (my brother) opening up a chocolate gold coin.

Zachariah is the youngest of their children so far. He is such a charmer with those eyes!

Levi (my brother) so excited for super hero underwear. 

Still learning how to use the shaving kit. 

Playing on their new trampoline from Santa!

  

P.S You can't see Joey in these pictures, who is the family's middle child who's 3. I swear he looks almost identical from Go, Diego, Go! Good time! 

Love, England

  I have the greatest friend Ruby We became penpals almost three years ago and ever since have been writing and sending each other packages. About a year and a half ago, I even went and visited her in her homeland, England. It was amazing and ever since my love for travel and Europe has increased more and more.

  I could go on about all the things I saw and did in England, but I'll save that for another post. Anyways, Ruby recently sent me a Christmas package. Every time I go to open up one of her letters or parcels, it's exciting. Words and treasures from a different country. And especially hearing from my best friend. 

  How I loved what I found when I opened my presents from her. England goodies!

  Take a look for yourselves! These are just a few of the many things she sent me. I feel as if I'm a bit closer to England in my room now. Thank you Ruby! 

Letters to Santa

A few nights ago, Isaiah and Levi wrote letters to Santa. With construction paper, stickers and crayons they were able to tell Santa the things they wanted for Christmas. With Frank Sinatra singing Christmas tunes in the background and the mess the boys were making in the process of a Santa letter, it was pure holiday bliss. 

Afterwards we enjoyed Tiramisu, fair trade coffee and the feeling of cold toes and warm hands holding cups of hot coffee.

There really seems to be something about Christmas that brings people together. Maybe the cold winter air or knowing that everyone comes together. It is a holiday were everyone will settle their busy schedules and sit down to talk and watch a Christmas movie. Where houses are decorated with shining lights that make everything seem fancier. Our Savior was born this season and that it is the time where we bring praise for being saved. 

In a way, I wish it could be Christmas all year. Not the presents, but the feeling of family. It is so much stronger. Coming together to decorate or bake, simply being with each other. It seems as if the distractions of life  fade away.

Tasty and fair trade!

Their mail boxes for Santa to receive his letters

Doesn't this look delicious?

Tragedy

It is almost a week ago that a man killed 27 people in Newtown Connecticut at an elementary school. 20 of these were children, under the age of ten. When I first heard about this, my heart sank. It was another shooting and this time targeted specifically on little innocent souls.

My heart aches for those parents who found out that their child did not survive. My heart aches for the siblings that lost their best friend forever. Such a tragedy that cannot go undone. 

How do we as people and community deal with such loss as this? How do we know that this isn't going to happen to our own children, our own siblings? It makes me scared for my little brothers who will be the school age in just a few little years. The place were we think our children are safe is no longer safe. It can be a battle ground for a massacre. 

I pray to God for those parents and siblings. That He gives them comfort only the Lord of All can give. I pray for my own brothers, that He gives us wisdom for the places we go and the people we see. God is in control and that is all that we can do. Pray to Him for guidance  wisdom and know that He is the Almighty and He knows all things. 

Plop Till You Drop

I was born with naturally curly hair, and I will admit, I had been neglecting it pretty bad. It was really long, so It couldn't curl up to it's desire and I didn't know much about styling and hydrating it. After a hair cut from my stylist (Mom), we tried the new curly girl system everyone has been talking about.

It's called plopping! It's wear you take you hair, gather it into a long-sleeved shirt and tie it up so your hair stays up. You can keep it on for a few hours, 20 minutes or the whole night. The longer, the bouncier the curls you'll get. I also like it because once you're done plopping, you only have can let it air dry or blow dry it for a little bit. 

I have ditched all silicone and sulfate shampoos, conditioners and hair products because they damage curly hair. I replaced it with healthy products my hair has been loving. It's been so hydrated, soft and prettier than I even had it before.

Let me show you my routine:

Once out of the shower, I squeeze all the extra water out of my hair. I don't use a towel anymore because it causes frizz for curly hair. Then I take my products and scrunch it into my hair. What I use it a little hairspray, quarter size anti-frizz cream and a good amount of leave in-conditioner. 

Let the plopping begin! I left it in my hair for a few hours today, then blow dried it after for about 10 minutes. It's so much easier and faster than other routines I've tried! It's kind of stylish once you think about it, ha! It's really comfortable to sleep in.

I use a diffuser because it put the heat in one section rather then blowing it all around so I don't become a frizz ball!

This is the video I used to learn how to plop. She teaches you everything you need to know about plopping. Try out her other videos on tips for curly hair! 

Happy Curling! 

Chocolate Peanut Butter Ritz Crackers

The Ingredients:

 1 package of Ritz Crackers

1 jar of Peanut Butter  

1 bag of Melting White Chocolate

Put peanut butter on one side of cracker

Add another cracker on top to make sandwich

Start melting chocolate

You can dip half or the whole peanut butter cracker into the chocolate once it is completely melted

Lay on wax paper to cool, then eat once chocolate sets!

It is an easy and very fast recipe that is so tasty! It is one of my family's favorite snacks to eat on Thanksgiving while we are cooking for the grand dinner. You can make a ton of them for really cheap!

Santa!

Isaiah and Levi got to meet Santa for the very first time tonight. Some kids cry or shy away, but they were super happy to be able to meet him. I think this experience made the whole 'Santa' idea seem more real in their minds. Afterwords, there was a boat show, where boats were covered in Christmas lights and sailed past us, ending with a fire work display.

I love how these events bring the community together, even if there is so many people it can get a little overwhelming. Crossing the crosswalk afterwards, we saw people straying out of the white crossing lines and weaving between cars because there was such a huge mass. That's my city for you. There are always events going on right down the street giving us so many opportunities to talk and be with our community. Places need that because it reminds us that we are not alone, but in it together!

Newbie

I've rarely been the new kid at school, as I've been home schooling since I was in middle school and started going to college when I turned sixteen. In college, there inst really such thing as a new kid. But then there's church.

The new kid is always identified.

The designated newbie greeter automatically comes up to them and asks for the general questions.

How did you hear about us?

What's your name?

How old are you?

Then the designated greeter introduces you into a group that will take you in under their wing and spend time with you on your first visit to the church. Sometimes you're remembered, or sometimes you're not. You might come back the next week and get the same treatment because they couldn't keep track of all the people.

I'm not bashing what churches do to greet newcomers. Not at all. I think it's a great way to get people into church rather them just coming and leaving with no one talking to them.

It's just I've been to so many new churches more than I can count. I've seen the newcomer procedures done too many times the answers almost come automatically out of my mouth as if they are programmed. Church has always been a struggle for my family.

We haven't always been accepted in for our background or our crazy genes. Some people look at us with wonder when we tell our story, as if they have never experienced anything like that before. It's like they don't really know what to do with us.

I think we may be more for them we can handle. My family, we are Christians, but I would say we are not like normal Christians that non-Christians perceive about us. Some people have a mind-set that Christians judge everyone for their sins and are arms lengths away. I totally get that because people have experienced that from Christians. But Christians weren't supposed to be like that. Why should we judge when we have our own sins? Why should we not be accepting towards others when God accepted us and forgave us?

We are given a grand opportunity to show God's love. To the poor, the starving  the sinners, even our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ who are sinners just like everyone else.

No one will be perfect, so why do we push them away then embrace them with God's love?

Someone may look crazy.

Act crazy.

Think crazy then the general population.

Think about it though, if they are doing it in the name of Christ with passion and perseverance, then don't you think God is going to honor it? Even if they appear a little different than the rest.

No one knows someone's heart more then God.

God is going to tell them something more different than God will tell you personally.

My family doesn't do life the normal way. We don't store up for earthly treasures, we live out the hands and feet of Jesus.