Christmas Vacation Highlights: Part 2

After I got back from Texas, I had the honor to go to over to my friend Melissa's house to decorate cookies. I taught her oldest son, Jackson two years and this year I teach her daughter Emmy. They let me bring my niece, Isabella, and we had an absolute ball!

 While the kids were painting all the cut out cookies, Melissa and I experimented with decorating mitten cookies. Some turned out..some didn't!

 Here's Emmy getting started on her little man.

 Lot's of beautiful cookies!

  Hopefully, this can be a new Christmas tradion with the Pierson's!

Christmas Vacation Highlights: Part 1

Now that I'm fully back in the swing of things, I thought I'd take some time to share some of my favorite Christmas break highlights.

Right after school finished, I drove eight hours to visit one of my dearest friends, Emily, who lives in Fort Worth, TX. We had a blast!

My first night in Texas, we went to Inn- N- Out and then went to look at some Christmas lights. Check out these lights!! This is just one house!

We went to the zoo in Fort Worth which is one of the top five zoos in the nation. We went on Sunday and the weather was cool. Something must have been in the air, because the animals were so active!! I got some great videos of elephants, hippos, rhinos, monkeys, and a gorilla picking his nose and eating it!

Then we went to Zeke's Fish and Chips, where Emily had a lovely Groupon to share. I love fish and chips, though I've never found any I like after I was spoiled in England and Ireland. Well, good news to me! This was excellent!!

 Have you ever heard of the Movie Tavern? Such a brilliant idea! You go see a movie and eat a full dinner, complete with waiters WHILE the movie goes on!

 We watched the new Sherlock Holmes movie. See the red button? You hit that button if you need anything from your waiter, like a drink refill, more food, etc. So fun!!

 Then we went to the Fort Worth Water Gardens. These are a series of fountains that you can actually go in! The scariest part was that it was raining and it was SLICK! Only after our trek down the fountains did
Emily tell me that some people have DIED walking down them. Good grief!

 Gotta strike some scary poses!

I sure do love great friends and I treasure all the time I can get with with Emily.

Oh Siblings!

Ever wonder what it was like growing up with 4 siblings?? This is pretty much what every Christmas looked like...

Personalize funny videos and birthday eCards at JibJab!

 Enjoy!!

a fresh start

There is something so refreshing about a new year; a fresh start. Even though the new year doesn't even start for another three weeks, I'm already getting excited about a few changes I want to see in my life. One of the things I really want to work on is this blog. A few years ago I wrote a lot on an older blog of mine, and I want to continue my story. I've experienced some hardships since then...dashed hopes, broken heart...and many other trials. I went through a long season of dryness with the Lord, where I was frustrated and hurt and wanted to quit.

Though in many ways I am still healing from these wounds, I feel like I'm in such a better place now. I'm at the metaphorical crossroads. I can either choose to be bitter about life not working out as I had planned, or I can turn to God and be thankful that where I'm at right NOW is exactly where he has me. Right now, today, this month, and next year, I am choosing JOY. Regardless of my circumstances, I am consciously choosing the path of willingly trusting God, turning to Him to lead me. I may not feel this joy at every moment, but I am making a commitment to live a more positive joyful life. One filled with laughter, rejoicing, gratitude, and gladness.

This journey will not be easy. It will be frustrating, trying, and complicated. But with the Lord's help, I know it can be done.

My goal and purpose for this blog is to share my thoughts, memories, feelings and every day happenings. I want to share funny things my students do, struggles, things that make me smile, hardships, great recipes for happy occasions, and an endless supply of random stories.  

I'm excited about this new journey!