Highlands!!!!!

January 30
TGIF!!!

YYYiiipppppeee!!! Friday!!! Today started off pretty rough for me. I accidentally set my alarm for 7PM instead of 7AM, so I slept through my first two classes. I told Carolyn on the way home from dinner tonight that it was the first time in my college career that I have unintentionally slept through class! So I guess that's a pretty good record! I still had one class left at 12:20, so I went to it...(had to get one in!) After that class, Mike & I headed out to Highlands, NC! (check out his blog: http://martinmottrip.blogspot.com/ -- he talked about it too!)

Well, we left around 1:30...after checking the weather (a freezing 33, feels like 23 for Highlands). The ride up took about 1 1/2 hours - which left us cold & stiff! As soon as the bike was parked, I was off and headed for the local coffee shop: Bucks Coffee (the picture!). We each had a cup of coffee and split some keylime pie (my favorite!). The ladies behind the counter were nice enough to let us leave our helmets and heavy jackets in the store while we walked around - so we headed out to see the "cute" shops (as Mike says).

I must explain that I have NEVER been anywhere that I don't love, so naturally I LOVED the little town of Highlands. I am very much a "small town Southern girl" - I love (I wish I had another word to use besides "love") the uniqueness of small towns (like Poulsbo in Washington, Bar Harbor in Maine, Highlands in NC...) they're so alike, but they're also so different. And it makes me happy to be in the South were in these small towns (or anywhere) strangers smile at you, even though you've never met and probably never will again and the store owners greet you from behind their desk (where they stay while you browse) and acknowledge you when you leave. I also enjoyed that it snowed while we were there. Snow to me is like Christmas ... I will never ever get enough! (I hope someday to live in Colorado - or somewhere like it for a while where I can enjoy it daily in the winter!) We ended up walking around and browsing through the stores for about an hour when we came to the last store - Dutchmans. I think Mike knew he was saving the best for last! This store had all kind of fun furniture and neat little doo-dads. So of course I loved it! I think it was way better than pottery barn (though just as expensive...bummer!) - I ended up buying some berry potpourri before we had to leave, but that was all! After Dutchmans, it was time to leave so we headed back to the coffee shop to pick up our stuff. We had one more cup of coffee each and a bear claw this time ... then hit the road. The ride home was bitterly cold, but completely worth it for the view. Music ministers to some people, but the mountains minister to me. (...if you couldn't tell from my previous post) The way home wasn't as curvy (Mike's blog describes it!) but it was incredibly beautiful! If it hadn't been so cold I would've asked Mike to stop for some pictures, but as it was, I couldn't feel my fingers, toes or knees!

It was a great day date! (: Since Mike wouldn't leave me there (though I begged) he did promise to take me back!

This was a really sweet lighting fixture that they had in Dutchmans. I want to make one.... except we don't have anywhere to put it in our apt.

God Is...

thursday january 29, 2009

God is...

Who is God to you? I recently saw pictures from a prayer room that had "challenges" to do as you were praying.

*The first: "Be still and KNOW that I am God" -- Take time to quietly reflect on God and center your heart on Him as you enter into the prayer room...
*The second: "I am" -- Write down who God is to you. Then, look in a mirror and write down who you are in Christ.
*The fifth: Mission across America -- commit to pray for a specific location in our country.
*The sixth: Local missions - pray about how you can be more on-mission at home. Write down goals of how you can serve your friends, family, and peers.
*The seventh: Global - write down your prayers for the nations.

(I skipped some of the challenges because they were specific to the program)

Seeing these pictures inspired me to work on my time in the Word and on my prayer life in general. We discussed at Bible study this week how easy it is for me to fall into a routine when it comes to praying. I'm a list person, so I find it necessary to have a list of things / people to pray for - which I've come to find is a downfall. And extremely limiting. I'm working on praying conversationally - where I'm thinking about what I'm saying instead of saying the same things over and over. (I also have a bad habit of having certain things that trigger my mind and make me pray for certain things or people - but that causes me to be monotonous.)

Back to the challenges. This week I've taken the first and second. I've enjoyed "being still" and basking in the Glory of God. Mike & I rode through the mountains today (Friday) on the motorcycle (you'll get more of this in Fridays blog) and seeing the mountains always draws me to Christ. To me, they are the very essence of Christ. Huge. Beautiful. Glorious. I've also worked on thinking of who God is to me and who I am in Christ. I've thoroughly enjoyed this one! It's freeing. I would most definitely suggest doing this in your next quiet time. Reflect!

Clemson Sunset

Jan. 28, 2009
Wednesday

I missed a Clemson Sunset a couple weeks ago (Ben informed me that I should've taken my camera outside & gotten some pictures) - so I stepped out on our porch when I realized how beautiful the sky was. But, the way our porch is positioned I think we face North (I think that because the sun rises to our Left & sets to our Right). I decided that I may get a better picture if I went out to the parking lot -- so I threw on my duck boots & wrapped my wet hair on top of my head & headed out to see what I could see!

I don't have words to describe Clemson Sunsets. Yes, when the sun sets at the beach it is beautiful, and yes when it sets in the mountains (in my opinion) it is even more beautiful, but in Clemson the skies turn a magnificent Orange / Pink / Purple in the evenings & it is absolutely indescribable. I like to think that the sky is a HUGE canvas, and when it comes time for the sun to set, (or even on a blue sky day with fluffy white clouds) God takes out a paint brush. I know He enjoys painting these skies because of the joy that it brings me (well, not only me, but everyone who enjoys them!)

(By the way, this picture does not do it justice)

earings

Tuesday
January 28, 2009

Before I went to bed last night I remembered that I still needed a picture for today. I've tried before to get a "cool" picture of my earrings, but gave up because it never seemed to work. This isn't one of my favorite pictures, but it'll do.

Intramural Soccer

Jan. 27, 2009

Mike's 1st intramural soccer game this year(:

Laura Story

Jan. 25, 2009

Carolyn, Mike & I drove to MRPC today to see Laura Story in concert!! It was a great concert!! In Mike's words, "Her voice is retardely good." Melanie and Mike's mom & papa were there too - so afterwards we all had pizza together. We crashed Grandmother and Allison's so we didn't have to go all the way back to Simpsonville to eat, so it was a surprise blessing to see them as well! -- This was an amazing end to a perfect weekend!

http://www.laurastorymusic.com/

Redeeming Love

January 24, 2009

We ate a late supper Friday night, which meant it was dark by the time we were done - so we decided it would be better to just stay the night at the lake house and to head back to Clemson on Saturday. So...I slept late (:, had my first egg sandwich that Mike's papa fixed me (which was good until it got slimy), talked to Mere for a little bit, and read a good portion of my book *Redeeming Love*.

We went back to Clemson around 4, did homework for a couple hours and then went on a dinner date to Applebees (using a gift card from Christmas!) Mike commented that it was a perfect weekend and I completely agree! It was a much needed vacation from school -- we left all of our work behind! It was an overall relaxing weekend! (:

Lazy Lake Weekend

Jan. 23, 2009

Today after I got out of class, Mike rode back from the lake on his motorcycle to pick me up and took me back to the lake (it was my first ride with my new helmet!). He went over Thursday night after FCA so he could work on the basement some on Friday morning with his mom and dad. Once we got back it was about 2 PM and lunch was almost ready -- Burritos from a Southern Living magazine, re-fried beans and chips with salsa! Yum Yum! After lunch, everybody resumed working and I decided to go for a walk, down to the non-existent water to take some pictures. It ended up being a good venture--I took a ton of pictures! The water was still so low - out to the end of the cove, but there was a small creek running all the way through the cove. Clancy & I followed it out to the big water (mushing through the mud as we went), stopping along the way for some pictures. I got pictures of the waist-high grass, some humungo muscles that were on the next dock down the cove, some geese, an old bridge that used to run across the cove (I think Mike said it was from the 1800s), and some old cans that were littering the ground. Not only did I get a lot of great pictures, it was a very relaxing walk! Even though there wasn't much water, it was extremely peaceful down by the water & I enjoyed Clancy company while I explored the bare banks of Hartwell.



This is the dock across the cove from the Martins lake house.







Mike like this one ... the grass that's growing & taking over the cove.







A muscle that was bigger than my two hands put together!







An old, old Pepsi can - there were several others -- I wished I had a bag to pick them all up!







This is the old bridge that used to run across the cove.

Jan. 22, 2009

Jan. 22, 2009

Painted my toenails today for the first time since Christmas break I think -- and I'm going to have to re-do it because I put my socks on before they were dry & when I took the off, there was sock fuzz all over my stinkin' red toes! Bummer...

Lost Season 5 Premier!!

Jan. 21, 2009

LOST season 5 Premier!

We recommenced watching LOST at OD & Cathy's for the Season 5 Premier!! (: Mike, Ben & I came from Clemson, Melanie came from PC & Brock, Chris & Whitney came from Greenville. This first episode was AmAzInG!! Definitely what the show needed (in my book) - to start off answering questions that Season 4 brought about! Although it did bring about some other questions...like who in the heck is the woman at the end--for real?! Daniel Faraday's mom? Anyway, It was great to see everybody - always is!

I brought my camera hoping for a group picture for the Lost Recommencement, but by the time I got around to taking a picture Chris & Whitney had already left ... but, this picture of Melbug & me turned out to be a great one - thanks photographer Mike!

Obama's Inauguration

Jan. 20, 2009

I don't have much to say about this picture, except that I thought it was appropriate since "today is a day in history." I had class during the actual inauguration, so I missed all but the commentators introduction & the parades afterward...

(This picture isn't the best, but my camera wasn't cooperating with taking a picture of the TV or computer screen...but it's the best I could do!)

The Twilight Saga

Jan. 21, 2009

Aaahhh. Today I finally finished the Twilight Saga. I can't even explain how good these books are. The love story is amazing -- by far the best love story I've ever read (hands down better than Nicholas Sparks!). I need to "thank" Whitney for getting me hooked! She gave me Twilight for Christmas & once I started reading (even through New Moon, which is very slow compared to the others) I could not put them down! Once I got to Breaking Dawn I slowed down to enjoy every stinkin' minute of it!! - I would limit myself to a couple chapters a day so it would last longer. Since I've finished them, Melissa & Carolyn have started & are just as obsessed! (: Now that I finished them all, I've started reading another book (I'm takin' a break so I can go back and re-read them...slower this time!)

www.stepheniemeyer.com/twilight.html

Goodbye Cloudland Station

Jan. 18, 2009

Goodbye Cloudland Station! This house (the only complete one on the whole 460 acres of property) was our last stop on the way out of Cloudland! Frank let us in & took us around -- the house is absolutely gorgeous on the inside!

$100,000 Tree House

Jan. 17, 2009

We (Me, Mike, Matt & Amanda Tingle, & Ben) camped this past weekend at Cloudland Station in Tennessee where Mike worked a couple of summers ago. After a day of climbing at Rock Town & dinner at Mr. T's (delicious pizza) we headed to set up camp. We drove around for a few minutes looking for an electrical outlet because the 1971 VW microbus that we were camping in had a wall outlet (we used it for a space heater! (: ) Well, we finally found an outlet at the "ice house" so we pulled up beside it & the boys got out to get everything set up. (Including the tent that Mike & Ben slept in inside the "ice house") Amanda & I were talking in the bus & hanging out when I noticed the tree house was lit up!!! I'm pretty sure my eyes lit up like a kid on Christmas morning -- because I absolutly LOVE LOVE LOVE Christmas lights. (I jokeinly told Mike this Christmas while we were driving around looking at lights that one day our house would be the one in the neighborhood with the most lights on it!--but seriously!) After seeing the tree house lit up, I promptly got out of the camper with my camera in hand & headed straight for the tree house for pictures! I really really really loved it! (: If I could live there, in the tree house I believe I would!

Birdie Birdie

Jan. 16, 2009

Somehow I never ever have my camera when a good photo-op comes about. However, on Friday when I pulled into the parking lot at our apartment, this little birdie was sitting in the tree that is at the bottom of the stairs - staring me right in the face! Of course though, my camera was upstairs, which meant I would have to turn the car off and get out without making too much noise so I wouldn't scare it away! When I made it to the stairs the bird was still sitting there, so I took off through the apartment & grabbed my camera. When I made it back down, the bird was still there on the tree. But, when I turned on the camera the volume was still on high, which scared the bird and caused it to move to the porch railing -- then, when I clicked the first picture it started to fly away...luckily my new camera thinks fast & I was able to snap it again

Jan. 15

Jan. 15, 2009

This is another one of Ben's pictures -- & since I hadn't picked up the camera this day - this turned out to be a great 'picture of the day'! (: Thanks Ben!!

Chhhheeeeesssseeeeccccaaakkkkeee!!!

Jan. 14, 2009

Carolyn gave me a cheesecake pan for Christmas & in the past week I've made two! Since we had Elizabeth & Drew's engagement party on Friday, I thought I would give it a shot before hand (just to make sure I could to it!).

The first cheese cake was a marbled strawberry cheesecake (it was supposed to have Irish Cream in it, but I didn't have any, so I made it without) - & it was amazing!! The second was a recipe from Haley - White Chocolate Raspberry...absolutely heavenly. It was a white chocolate cheesecake with raspberry preserves mixed on top. After it cooled over night, the topping was a layer of cream cheese mixed with white chocolate, then covered with raspberry preserves! It was very very rich though - next time, I think I'll just put a cream cheese icing with no white chocolate in it, then cover it with raspberry preserves!

After making these two cheesecakes, I told Haley that when she opens her bakery (which I have a ton of ideas for!) that I wanted be in charge of making the cheesecakes -- she seemed fine with that idea "as long as I remember who is in charge." I reminded her that I would gladly remember who was in charge when she had to be up and working at 4 AM while I was enjoying sleeping! (:

Birthday Celebration

Jan. 13, 2009

Happy Birthday Brock & BD!!

We started out at our "usual" birthday spot -- Wild Wings. We've sort of made Wild Wings our staple birthday spot because on Tuesday nights they have "two-for-Tuesday" ... buy 12 wings / get 12 wings free (: However, some in the group had somewhere to be after dinner & the wait was 45 minutes so we decided to hop over to Cracker Barrel, which is right down the road (and ended up being a GREAT choice!) Not only did they get our order right (pretty incredible since we had about 15 people!) the food was amazing! -- & in my book, better than wings would've been!

In the picture (First row, L-to-R): Mike H, BD, Katie, Ben, Carolyn
(Back row, L-to-R): Will, CP, Brock, Me, Elizabeth, Dave, Mel, Chris, Mike

Jan. 12

Jan. 12, 2009

Just playing around with my camera again...figuring out the settings!

MeXiCaN DoMiNoEs!!

Jan. 11, 2009

Mexican dominoes has become a new favorite hobby for our apartment (+ Mike). Melissa introduced Carolyn & me to the game over Christmas break, which made us addicted ... if only to be Melissa, who I think is still undefeated! Before school kicked into full gear, we played several nights a week (keep in mind that each game takes about 2 hours because it's 12 rounds). However, with school finally kicking in, we typically only play on the weekends now -- still trying hard to be Melbert.

Notice in the picture she was upset because of the domino she drew...but don't be fooled, I'm quite sure she probably not only won the round, but won the game.

Night Lights

Jan. 10, 2009

Back around Christmas we got the lights for our porch (: I Love Them! We don't use them often enough - but then again it is really really cold out right now, so we aren't spending a lot of time out there! Anyway, I we turn them on every once in a while & I decided that I should take a picture of them while they were lit ... & I'll probably end up with another of these in the summer (even though it'll probably look the same - I'm sure it'll feel different when it's warm out!)

Ben's Picture...

Jan. 9, 2009

This is one of Ben's pictures...he has very much enjoyed playing with the camera.

Chris, Jackson & Mike (:

Jan. 8, 2009

I believe this was the first time that I'd seen Chris since we got back & he decided that he should be my picture of the day. So, Chris, Jackson (BD's puppy) & Mike gathered 'round the kitchen table & smiled (:

Jan. 7

Jan. 7, 2009

This day I realized that I needed a picture -- and since it'd been rainy / overcast for several days, I thought I'd take advantage of the blue skies ... and ended up with a picture of the grass blowing below our balcony. I do have to say that the skies were incredibly blue this day & aside from any shade of green, the the blue skies (that Crayola will never be able to make) are my favorite! (:

PS - It was VERY windy this day & I was trying to get the grass actually in a "blowing movement" -- I thought it looked a little like "Home on the Prairie" haha!

Christmas decorations

Jan. 6, 2009

Again, not much to say about this picture. Melissa & Carolyn found these cute Christmas decorations (that will hang above the hall doorway until we leave in July) at the outlets during one of their shopping trips. Side note: I LOVE Christmas decorations (sadly the light-up-snow-man that was in our living room had to go home last night)...we still have lights on the porch, & lining the living room and we had HUGE ornaments hanging from the ceiling! (:

Jan. 5

Jan. 5, 2009

I don't have much to say about this picture - I was just playing with my camera Monday night (probably taking a break from reading the Twilight series!) - & thought this picture was cool! (:

Dave & Mike

Jan. 4, 2009

Sunday, Mike and Dave came home from a long weekend at Kiawah Island for a conference called the 'Cloister'. And man was I glad to see them! As you can see, Dave was pooped! (Mike was too, but he stayed awake to hang out with me since I hadn't seen him in about 4 days!) We hung out around the house - watching Sunday football and playing cards - Rummy (a new minor addiction). Then Dave & I stayed for dinner with the Martins (: one last good home cooked meal before headin' back to school!

Jan. 3

January 3, 2009
*Sarah & Kevin's Wedding*

On Saturday, Jan. 3 Sarah Christopher & Kevin Conklin got married! (: It was a beautiful ring ceremony held at Greer's City Hall building. When the ceremony was over, we moved to the lobby area for pictures with the bride / groom & each other. After pictures, we moved back into the area where the ceremony was held for the reception! Then, Sarah & Kevin cut the cake (which was delicious) and had their first dance! Their wedding was a great celebration and I had a blast catching up with all of the girls! (: Hopefully, we'll have a lot more of these in the near future! (hint hint ladies!)

In the picture: Jamie, Cassidy, Melissa, Rachel, Carolyn, Teresa, Cindy, Me, Jenna & Kathy
(minus Sarah who was dancing & Anna who was in the bathroom!)

Jan. 2

Jan. 2, 2009

This is Indie (or Indikins as we like to call him)! He is about 3 months old and very tiny (especially compared to Comet, my cousins present from Santa)! We got him back in October after 2 of our other dogs died. He was fascinated by the camera & if I let the cord drop low enough, he'd go crazy jumping for it and growling at it -- It was quite a site! (:

Happy 2009!!!!

Jan. 1, 2009
New Years night Fireworks at Honey's house!

I decided a few days after the beginning of the New Year, to do the "3-6-5 photo album"...this is a picture a day for the whole year! So far, for the most part, I've remembered to take the picture -- & some days I have a lot to choose from! Mike decided last night that I should make a blog to share these pictures.

Brief Background: I got a new Sony Cyber-Shot DSC-H50 Digital Camera for Christmas. (Mere & DP had one when we went to Washington for Thanksgiving & I LOVED it!) Needless to say, I'm still learning how it works and how to use it!

Every year (probably since before I was born) my family shoots fireworks for New Years & the 4th of July @ Honey's house. This year dad got to come because this was the first time in 20 odd years that he hasn't been selling fireworks! And the "firework man" duties have been passed on to Conner, Carson and Logan (which is scary). Of course I had my camera out while the firework shooting was going on...but I was disappointed because the shots I was taking were not turning out well! On the "grand finale" I gave it one more shot & took this picture! (: