Making Gingerbread Houses!

Acting serious.

Nana Tricking People!

Here are some videos of Nana tricking different family members... What she does it sneakily takes a video and the star of the show thinks it's a picture. They stand there, smiling, waiting for the shutter to click, while they get impatient and tired of smiling! The one of my aunt and uncle is the best!

Confabulations!

Ok... Wow! Looking back it’s been since about the first week in November that I’ve really sat down to fill you in on the happenings of my life in the middle of no where… The last few months I really haven’t got out of the house that much; been shut up indoors. With the coming of winter, and out lowest temperature a couple nights ago of between 0F and 9F, school work, and whatnot I just don’t have the same motivation to go out. I used to enjoy going out to the back hammock and swing, but after leaving it out there in our beating sun the ropes are worn and one is broken. And I mean, what’s the point of getting bundled up just to go outside to make a phone call. I’ve found a better resort, though it takes a few extra minutes. This may sound weird, but I’ve figured out that I can pick up a better cell service (than my own service; Extended Network) underneath the bed. So if I lay on the floor with the phone under the bed for a few seconds or minutes I can make a phone call with a perfectly fine conversation! Anyway, yeah! So our church had it’s Home on the Range party back on Veteran’s Day! It went well! We had a 3-legged race, musical hay bales, a hayride complete with country/folk/hayride-type songs, bonfire with S’mores, oh so good food!, and extravagant socialization. An all in all fun time! And I’m still baking cookies and selling them at Dad’s work. Not as often as I was in the summer, because school just keeps me so tightly tied up sometimes it’s just not humanely possible. And we had some friends of ours pass through on their way through our area. It was nice getting to know them better! I enjoyed it immensely! And Nana flew in, so we could all travel together up to CO for the greatest time of the year that we all look forward to with smiles on our faces-THANKSGIVING! I could just literally write pages and pages of my experiences (from this year alone) and not stop jabbering for a single breath! I think will save that for a post of it’s own. Coming up next! (with hopefully no delay between it and this post) And I could also devote a whole post to the events of seeing my bestest friend! But I think I won't babble on about it, just the main parts, if you would be so kind to allow me! My best friend's dad has had some health problems (as most of you probably know) that has caused them to move from the beautiful country/area they lived in to come back to the warm and drier climate. Unfortunately they had to leave friends, but much to my delight, they will be living only hours away and are currently in town through the holidays! I talk to her “all” the time, and knew that I would be seeing her in a couple days (this was a couple weeks ago), but I don’t think I realized that I WOULD SEE her! Then we were at church the morning I was supposed to see her, helping my dad set up the sound system… When I looked out into the lobby and saw this person and was like “who is that?”. My eyes did a double-check, I dropped everything I was doing (literally), and ran through the sanctuary and gave her the biggest hug ever. My eyes were so blurred with tears I could see (hardly AT ALL) for a couple minutes. That moment I think surpassed the excitement and gladness of Thanksgiving even! I hadn’t seen her in a year and a half… too long is another way to put it! It was WONDERFUL to see her! Talking on the phone doesn’t justify a friendship. I mean it’s great when that’s all you’ve got, but to see your friend is just, well for me, the happiest moment of my life! I want all of you to know, that you’re each dear to me and I hold you in a special place in my heart! For a while I didn’t have any friends (with the exception of one or two long distant friends), and now I see that they are an essential part of life! They uplift you, encourage, bring joy and laughter to you, too much laughter that you hurt so bad or wet your pants. So I’ve just got to say that I love each and everyone of you! Life is short, cherish those around you, for you know not much time is left on this earth. Make each moment memorable and remember those that are! Ok, then I spent the whole day with her and the weekend as well! To stay up late and talk, that’s something I don’t think we’d ever done. lol Growing up I could never stay awake past 10 p.m. and it would drive her nuts because she wanted to stay up and talk and watch a movie or whatever. Well this time we both stayed awake until past midnight, I believe, and actually it was her that fell asleep first, while I was talking... Oh well! At least I did my part! lol And I got to spend the next weekend with her as well and will see her a couple times more after the holidays! :D Oh my! I just thought of something! When she was here at my house a week ago, we watched some old home videos of her and I (and her sister and mine as well when they were 4 and 5 or 6) when we were 9! It was so hilarious! We literally laughed until our stomachs ached! It was a cooking show that we made up where we very informatively presented how to make fruit smoothies/ice cream with the Champion Juicer. According to her, “I talk too much…” because I went on and on about which fruits we were putting in now. But of course Jazmine did talking of her own, such as “This is really good!” That was her favorite line and she must’ve repeated it near 5 times throughout the episode. We were quite nuts, and dorks back then and am just glad for the memories I treasure with my friends and family throughout the past years! My face is all smiles right now!!!! And I don’t want to stop smiling, but some of my other great friends are moving to NC from TX! Boo-hoo! They move in 3 weeks! They’ll be farther but we’ll still talk as much as ever of course. (Which lately we haven’t talked much, and I apologize!) I still have photos for sale, online. I had 32/56 or some big amount like that accepted a while back and then the next batch I had 0/30. I have 116 pictures for sale now, but after have so many rejected at once I kind of lost hope. I will be getting back into trying to sell more after the bustle of the holidays. If you haven’t seen any of my latest photos, look back to some posts around Thanksgiving or the post before last. The snow we’ve had lately has been so pretty! We still have quite a bit in patches here and there throughout the yard. The last few days have been extremely cold, down to the single digits at night (I think) and not above 35F during the day. “Brr!” is right! As you probably know, we now have the house all decorated (and have for 2 weeks now) and it looks lovely! Oh, that is with the exception that I still have the annual/daily battle of the Christmas lights. The hassles of living in an adobe/stucco home! You don’t have wood trimming around the windows like a regular home… So I have to tape the lights on the inside of the windows with packing tape. And almost every day they fall down… Here lately I’ve given up because they don’t stay up long enough to make it worth while. Thankfully there is wood trim around the front door and I could put lights around our front post as well and the Christmas light-balls in two of our windows. And the few decorations of the interior, such as our pink bells, gingerbread men, 3 nativity sets (one of which was in Dad’s family when he was a boy), lights strung across the mantle, the little miniature town on the piano, our advent tree, stockings hanging over the fire, Christmas blankets and pillows on the couch, the table adorned in proper attire, and the festive greetings of cards from family and friends! School has been going well and I’m glad to announce I’m off for the holidays as of Friday! Tomorrow we’ll be running last minute errands and such, and then we head off to GYC the next morning and will return Christmas Eve. I’ve never been to GYC before, but have watched it on 3ABN for the past few years and have heard of all the wondrous stories of how it blessed those attending (and me watching it over tv as well). I will be sure to fill you in on my experience and share my story and insights about it with you when I get back! Christmas day we will be travelling up to visit Grandma, where 2 of Dad’s sisters and their husbands will be there as well. And will return home the following day. It should be nice, especially since we haven’t seen some of our family in quite some time. And I believe that concludes most of it! But stay tuned, a Thanksgiving special is coming up next. A bit belated I know, but hey it’s what’s happening. And I will try to get the lunatic videos up too soon, with the complete story and the rest of the story from Florida as well! And for all of you, I wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! Happy Holidays and Seasons Greetings! Please, listen to the song “Paper Angels” by Jimmy Wayne and remember those who are hurting and less fortunate these holidays and this winter. Pray for them and help those you are able to. God’s blessings! `cj`

Decorations All in Order

We just decorated the house! Unfortunately one of the boxes somehow had condensation in it. I opened it up in the shed to see if it was something that needed to go in, and heard this weird noise and looked and saw waterdroplets falling all over. "Yikes!" I thought and then took it inside. When I walked in the back door I told Mom that there was water in this box. I opened it up and oh my! Not just was there condensation on the lid, but everything in there had mold *_ALL_* over it! All the cardboard boxes that held the different decorations and whatnot were being to disentegrate and are ruined. Mommy imediately went to work cleaning it all up. One craftstick barn nativity set that I made back 8 years ago in Adventurers was completely covered in black mold and was rotted away. Most everything was recoverable but the santa, mrs. claus, and rudolph little stuff decorations that had mold on them and maybe a couple other things. Thankfully it was not the ornament box, or else, lots would have been lost. I have no clue how the moisture got in there, especially living in the desert and this past year being not too humid and very little precipitation. Maybe something was wet from the snow last winter and it just sat like that all year. It sure was extremely grossly covered, so it'd had a while to grow. Anywho. I'm almost done with school. I just have 2 biology experiments that I have to do here when Mommy goes and gets back from the gym. In the mean time I think I'm going to work on some of tomorrow's work because Daddy gets back from San Diego around 12:30 and picks up Jaz and will be home early! So I want to be able to be finished and relax before they get here! Well I better go for now! Ahh, so much to do! The house looks really nice though! Got everything except the tree and all it's decor up! I'll take pictures sometime! I got up early this morning and actually saw a really pretty sunrise! I haven't gotten up early enough for that in a long time! :D Ok, I really have to go! `cj` oh. p.s. when I was getting all the stuff out of the shed I had to move the 5 bikes out/out of my way to get to the back where the xmas stuff was. And when I moved one of the bikes out and bent over to use my fingers to put the kick stand down and had it in the wrong place at the wrong time and pinched my thumb really bad and have a pretty nasty blood blister on it. I've never had one before, and am not sure what to do. Luckily it's not in the direct path of everything, so it doesn't bug me. And it doesn't hurt that much at all, except when I apply pressure to it. So I'm going to have to look up what to do with it! lol do I pop it? eventually? let it heal? idk!

Videos from Thanksgiving!

Twyla saying hi to Papa! Twyla trying to roll over! Twyla trying to roll over again! Twyla laying on floor! Twyla and her Daddy! Twyla sitting up! Me making the Thanksgiving surprise cookies! Josh and Nathan saying hi to Papa! I have lunatic videos... but I'm gonna put the story up along with it! So stay tuned to hear about it and enjoy a good belly laugh!

Confessions

Hi!

Now before I get off to telling you all about how I a€™m doing and what I ha€™ve been doing, I feel I have another job to do.

For the past idk how long, well, ever since I ha€™ve gotten this blog, over a year ago... this has been all about my life. And "devoted" to myself. :D And that'€™s not the meaning I planned to have come across. I realize that although yes I have friends, and I am aware of them and their lives and attentive to that, I'€™m oblivious to the world around me and need to see what is happening in the rest of the world. No, I don'€™t mean that I should watch the news more and see all that'€™s occurring, or watch a political debate to keep up with all that "€œjunk."€ But more take notice of those fighting for our freedom (now whether or not it's necessary I don'€™t mean to go into) and how they risk there lives every moment to defend us. And for those who are less off and those who aren'™t. The people who these holidays are going through trials (finically, physically, spiritually, and mentally) of loosing loved ones, fighting for their lives, and those who don'€™t have homes/the homeless, are less fortunate, and alone. Lately with adding music to my blog, I'€™ve been hearing songs over and over again, as they play continually throughout the day. And two that have really hit me (don'€™t worry the bruise isn'€™t too awful) are Letters From War (by Mark Schultz), which caused me to think of those over seas braving it and missing the holiday season with their families and being so far abroad. And the other is: Will You Love Jesus More (sung by Phillips, Craig, & Dean). Here are a few of the lyrics posted below:

 

"I felt quite sure if I did my best, I could maybe impress you, with tender words in harmony, a clever rhyme or two, but if all I've done in the time we've shared, is turn your eyes on me. Then I've failed at what I've been called to do. There's someone else I want you to see."

 

(And here is the chorus)

 

"Will you love Jesus more, when we go our different ways. When this moment is a memory, will you remember His face, will you look back and realize that you sensed His love more than you did before? I'd pray for nothing less, than for you to love Jesus more."

 

Ok, so do you get what I'€™m trying to say? In a way, (not that this was what my obvious/apparent object was) I think I'€™ve drawn this to be about me. My intentions where just to keep you all informed about stuff and keep in contact, and maybe you came to my blog, just for that purpose, to see what I'm up to. But maybe both of us need to refocus. As you know, I'€™m a photographer, but, I know that I have not been giving the credit to the Creator, the one who created all that I capture. It'€™s by His majesty that He made such amazing sunsets and scenery and it was His master creation that designed this intricate camera with the knowledge given to him by his Leader and by His grace that I have the ability to buy and use such a stunning gadget. And then think, here is another tool that He made available: computers, portable hard drive devices, internet, by which I am all able to use to communicate to you with! And share the pictures. But I'€™ve taken the credit and that’s wrong, it is entirely due to God! And if I have drawn attention to myself or "my"€ achievements I pray your forgiveness. My real motivation should have been to bring you closer to our Savior. And from now on I pray that I will be an upliftment (lol, what a word, if it were that is) and only bringing honor and glory to the One who makes ALL things possible. (see Matthew 19*26!)

 

Now... If you would go and leave this computer that you'€™re at to go bring joy and comfort to those around you that you come in contact with each and every moment; do the same!

 

"€œPray for one another!"

 

Have a blessed and God driven day, giving all you'€™ve got (your faith, thoughts, emotions, battles, struggles, ambitions, whatever it may be) to Him! He truly can take you through whatever it may be that you'€™re going through, have or will be. Just keep this in mind at every moment in life. You will forever need it. Surrender it all.

 

"€œI Surrender All!"

 

God'€™s blessings to you and yours this holiday season! Happy Thanksgiving!

~cj~

 

P.S. And if I do mention my daily going-ons, let it be blessings that I share to uplift and brighten your spirits! (And hopefully voice notes to come soon, Lord willing)

 

"€œGo out and spread the LIGHT!"

Friends Coming & Leaving

hi aww... where do i start? this weighs heavy on my heart. one of my best friends is moving away. i mean she doesn't live around here, but she's moving farther away that she does already. i don't know why i'm taking it quite this hard, but i am. anyway. maybe it's because for the past 3 years almost i haven't had any friends and those i do i cherish and hold deeply. but when they move it just... idk... i can't describe it. just look on the bright side. my best friend is moving closer! anyway. please all of you who read this try and call me! thanks love, butterfly

Rio Grande, Church Nearing Completion, Friends Coming, Nana Arriving, and best for last, THANKSGIVING!!!

In other words, this would be the Introduction to the Crazy Holiday Season!

Welcome to my life!

This past weekend we went up to Taos to visit Grandma! We hadn’t seen her since March and it was so wonderful to see her!

On Sabbath, after church, we drove up to the ski valley! And oh, my word, the colors of the deciduous trees changing colors and the leaves fluttering about in the air on their way to the already-covered ground are so spectacular! It was GORGEOUS! And surprisingly there was snow on the mountains! In fact, I wouldn’t resist it! I went up and grabbed a handful with my bare hands, forming a snowball, and threw it at my dad! Unfortunately it kind of dissipated when it flew through the air towards him. The brook was so beautiful with the crystal clear water flowing over rocks with it bending here and there and the amazingly colored trees on the bank accenting it! Splendid! God’s creations continue to startle, astound, and astonish me, with my mouth handing open in utter awe! Our Creator truly is awesome!

And all along the Rio Grande as well! The golden leaves glistening in the autumn sun! Or rather the trees were displaying honor and glory to the Son with such vibrant, breath-taking colors!

And we went out to eat at Orlando’s Mexican Restaurant! Oh Aw! It was so good and the perfect ending to an already perfect day!

Now looking back, I deeply regret not taking the time to capture with my camera the essence of the majestic mountains, winding streams, striking trees, and wonder of it all! I could just kick myself (but don’t worry I won’t hurt myself… too much). How could I not take the time to admire the beauty of it all and forever savor and retain the moment with the quick click of a button! I mean, I could have shared the magnificence with you, sold it! Aww, oh well! I promise I’ll take the extra effort and time next time! For your sake and mine!

Man, this week has sure flown by! You would think we were traveling at the speed of light! But I’ll still be glad tomorrow when the school week is over! I will just rejoice and jump for joy!

This Sunday we have a Home on the Range party with the church, where we’ll have a hayride, games, good food, people to socialize with, and just an good ‘ol fun time!

And I need to make like at least 6 dozen cookies to sell sometime next week! I guess people at my dad’s work are demanding them!

On Wednesday we have friends coming to visit and spend the night with us as they pass though. So that’ll be fun! We really don’t know them all that well, so we’ll get to be better acquainted and know them more!

Nana comes in the following Monday and Wednesday we all head up to CO for Thanksgiving! OMJB! Anxiety just kicked into high gear! I just can’t wait! I can’t, I can’t! This patience of waiting is going to be too much for me! The time of a life! That’s what it’ll be! More on that in days to come!

Oh my! And here comes the most exciting part! My best friend is moving back, near-here! She moved away 2 years ago and is moving back now (unfortunately it's due to her dad's life- threatening health conditions)! Realization just kind of hit me the other day that I'd see her in like 2 weeks! I absolutely can't wait! It's going to be so awesome to see her and her family! It's been over a year since I last saw them! Can I contain my excitement!? I think not, so I'll just let it burst forth with exuberance! OMJB! With her living only 6 hours away, I just can't wait!

I just found out, seconds ago, that another one of my best friends is moving to NC! That means she'll be farther away (this is a different friend that listed above), but that's ok! I'll still get to talk to her a lot!

And of course, I’m still selling photos online! Well rather, I still have pictures for sale, but I haven’t sold any as of recently. I am still submitting more and more to sell though. In fact I had 8/16 accepted a couple weeks ago and 14/16 accepted just this past week! And right now I have 40 under review (in 4 groups of 10). *fingers crossed* I really hope that more that 50% are accepted! But we’ll see!

I haven’t been taking that many pictures lately, but will surely try to as often as “allowed.”

Hope you all’ve been doing as well as me! Yeah, fantastic, I sure hope so!

It’d sure be nice to hear from each of ya some time or another (especially those that it’s been a couple/few weeks since contact).

My prayer today is that through reading this, that today I brightened your life! If not, then have a good rest of the day anyway!

And on that note I’ve got to skedaddle…! The bread needs to be kneaded and taken care of!

God bless,

Gladly bringing joy to your life, Butterfly

Hey, why not! Smile! I love you all!

*Relaxed, Refreshed, & Rejuvenated!*

First of all I want to say this-Every time I talk to each

and everyone of you either by

phone, chat, or in person you bring all these essential

elements to me (no, not the

Honda Element): Joy to my life, ease to my mind, rest

for my soul, encouragement

to my ears, peace to my faith, smile to my face, strength

to my bones, pleasantness

to my nose, laughter to my voice, tears to my eyes, and

warmth and love to my

heart! Had to share that with y'all, not because that's

what it brings to me, but that's

what you are to me!

From one set of 3 Rs, the ever needed Relaxation,

Refreshment, and Rejuvenation,

to another, the more well known and worn Reading,

Writing, and Arithmetic! We all

the need first 3 as a break in things, and this past

weekend was just that!

More to come later... But basically this weekend was

awesome! The food was

scrumptious, filling, fattening, and plentiful! I loved it

all! (not to mention the perfect

cell service I had)!

Only 3 weeks from today that I'll be heading up to CO

Springs for Thanksgiving! It's

going to be so great! And I get to meet my new

cousin for the first time! She'll be 4

months old! Just thought I'd share with you some of my

favorite things of

fall/thanksgiving. The color of the changing trees,

the rustling of the dead leaves in

the trees, a brook running dry, the sweet aroma of a

pumpkin crisping in the oven,

the sound of laughter coming from my aunts baking

and preparing the

Thanksgiving meal in the kitchen, sneaking egg nog

(shhh... don't tell anyone) in

the morning, my cousins screaming in sheer

excitement, staying up til

1 a.m. playing Apples to Apples or Monopoly, hearing

water go through the walls

of my Uncle and Aunt's house every time someone

flushes a toilet or takes a shower somewhere in the house, eating mashed

potatoes, asparagus and

noodles, salad, and bread for dinner, glass after glass of

sparkling apple cider, an

loading up on six slices of pie for dessert!, observing

the annual Thanksgiving race

from my cousins bedroom window cheering the runners

on, remembering getting

in trouble with the police in years past, watching that

annual movie in the

basement with me and my 5 cousins and sibling on the

floor with the adults

crowded on the two couches!, swinging on the swing-set

out back, staying up late

talking with my cousin, going to a park and playing baseball

as a family of 15!, the

hope of snow, and just plain spending time together! It's all

so memorable to me,

and I can honestly say that I enjoy every moment of it! It's

my absolute most

favorite time of the year! WONDERFUL would sum it all up

into one word! Perfect

could be another!

TTYL Butterfly

P.S. Hopefully more pictures to sometime soon! Oh and

unfortunately the

Rockies lost the World Series! But the Red Sox sure

deserved the win

because they played so extremely well!

Mom's Bday! Red Sox force a 7th game!

Hi Everyone! How is it all going?

Things are ok here... Just really crazy and busy, but what's new?So yesterday was Mom's birthday...! We didn't do anything special. Just went to church, a friends' home, a board meeting, and tracked the Red Sox/Indians game on my dad's phone!

I'm glad this past week is over! Oh my, how it was stressful. I just feel so worn out right now; it's almost torture to sit here and write. My brain feels like mush, my feet are asleep, and I'm just plain tired. And another week is gone, another week less of school, a week closer to graduating, a week closer to summer, a week closer to the 2nd Coming!

THE END!

PSAT and ALCS!

Hey everyone! I don't have much time but just had to say a quick hello. I'll be taking the PSAT (the practice SAT test) tomorrow morning at 7:30 a.m. MST. Could you please pray for me concerning that? It'd be greatly appreciated! I have to get up early (which is going to be a difficulty since I've been getting up after 8 a.m. here lately) and then drive all the way into town... Anywho... I just hope it all goes well. It'll be from 7:30 - 11:00 a.m. Such fun! And... Dad is in Seattle this week; he left this morning and will return Friday morning. And Nemo is at a friend's house tonight so she doesn't have to tag along in the morning and slow us down. It got down to 27.4F here this morning! Brrrr! Our lowest this fall/winter/season thus far! Hopefully it's not too cold tomorrow morning when we get up early! Today is my cousin's birthday! She's 13! Wow! A teenager! Happy Birthday to her! (Mom's bday is coming up on Sabbath too!) And here lately I've been watching the ALCS (American League Championship Series) on Fox in Cleveland (Ohio). (It's baseball for those of you who don't know)... Tonight is the 4th game and it's the Boston Red Sox and the Cleveland Indians who are playing. Cleveland leads 2-1 in the series. hmmm. I'm not sure who I'm going for... It is just a game afterall... I'm anxious to see who's gonna win the playoffs and bat in the 2008 World Series! Unfortunately my team (the St. Louis Cardinals) didn't make it to the NLCS, however the Rockies did! hmm... Only time will tell I guess! Right now the game is at the bottom of the eighth inning (the Indians are up) with no outs, zero balls, 1 strike. And the score is Red Sox 3 and Indians 7. :) Will it be the Rockies/Indians, Rockies/Red Sox, Diamandbacks/Indians, or Diamondbacks/Red Sox!?! in the World Series! *Patience my dear!* Anywho... I better get going. I have a couple things I need to do here before I go to bed. Hope you're all doing well. Sorry for those of you who haven't heard from me either via email or phone in quite some time. You can probably relate with me on a busy life and school though! Have a well rested evening and don't take time out to enjoy yourself once in a blue moon! God bless ~Butterfly~

Butterfly-Denver Butterfly Pavilion August 2007

One of my best pictures of a butterfly!

I HAVE HIGH SPEED INTERNET!

Hey everyone! I have high speed internet! This is so cool! I don't have much time... I still have to do some geography... *grudgingly* and then maybe this evening I'll sit down and write some more... and get more of Florida put up as well! Oh... have you read the post below this one yet...? It's about Epcot! If you haven't I suggest that you do! And if you could, please comment on it... I like to know what you think and who is reading it! Have a good day! ttyl ~Butterfly~

Around the World in 180 minutes!

Around the World in 180 minutes! no, it won't take you that long to read this... But that is how long it took me to do what you'll be reading about...! And that is...! ... travel the world at Walt Disney Epcot Center in Orlando, Florida! So go on, read on and enjoy!

5:23 P.M. MST Thursday, October 11, 2007

Hey y’all!

Ok. So r u ready to grab a cup a hot coco and just sit down ta relax from your days busyness? Well if ya’re not then ya better be soon! Because I’m about ready to burst from all that has occurred since we were in Norway! Lol :D yeah. Norway… if u look back ya’ll see what I mean. Gettin’ sick of me improper language…? Ok, I’ll be nice during the story and give ye a break from my weirdness… forgive me if I go to forgettin’ now… :D

So… Epcot… the 9^th of September… remember… we had gone on a boat in Mexico (un barco en Mexico) and a Viking ship in Norway (et Viking skip i Norge)…… (You can back up a few posts if you feel like you need to refresh your old, tired, worn, and weary brains of my “recent” adventures… (I know… I travel so much and have so much to say that it’s hard to keep up!). Well now if my young, coherent, and spry noodle would recollect correctly I believe it was to China that we journey next. Tis such an amazing thing to be able to travel 11 countries from all over different continents in just the matter of a wee few hours!

嗨！歡迎來到中國！Ching, Chong… Welcome to CHINA; where everything truly is “Made in China!” (No joke!) Here they had a 360 degree movie theater… made up of nine individual screens. You stand up (rather than your traditional cinema where you sit down in stagnant seats) and they have rails and you can walk in a complete revolution… It was so cool! Like when they were filming and you were on a boat! You could look back and see what was behind you (the ripples made in the water from the motor!) all around you and were your captain was taking you up front! And the Great Wall of China! Ahh! Such architecture! And a 360 degree screen! Awesomeness! And there were also of course… Chinese restaurants…! My parents stopped and got something… spring rolls or something of that sort I believe. Nemo and I shared a mango smoothie (not from real fruit unfortunately… but Chinese fruit! Lol… no… but seriously it wasn’t “natural” so to speak) that was like #1 really good! Fantastic! Delicious! Magnifique! Tasty! Scrumptious! Get the point? Because if you don’t I’m running out of adjectives! It was so good, but quite a bit on the sweet side! Wonderful none the less!

And off we ship you to Morocco, on the continent of Africa! I remember not an event from this little country. (The official language of Morocco is Arabic!) The official language of Morocco is Arabic! We just quickly trekked across to our next voyage!

(Il prossimo porto... Italia! Il che inclinando torre di Pisa!) Next port… Italliano! Italy! Such an amazing country! Unfortunately I don’t remember anything… hmmm… I think that would be because (I think) they didn’t have any rides or “attractions.” So nothing really stands out in my mind… but I think they had a candy shop! I would remember that, now wouldn’t I? :D

Yo, ‘sup? Come on over to our territory found in 1492 by Columbus… Ya guessed it… America! Land of the Free, Brave, and Beautiful! (Hence why I live here… beautiful… yea, I fit right in! :D lol) Ok... you may wonder… hm… we’re in America… why would they have an exhibit on it… Well, you’d be amazed at how many folks touring Epcot were aliens. So this was for those who don’t know much about our magnificent and spectacular country… (Notice how I didn’t say magnificent and spectacular government! Oh… not to get off track... but I saw a bumper sticker the other day that said “I love my country, but fear my government…” hmmm… something to think about… and aren’t we supposed to be the voters who “dictate” who we want in office…). In the United States they had an early 19^th century (1800s) court house. It was cool! When we first arrived there… there was a singing group (of maybe 6-7 people) all dressed up in the proper attire for that era. They sang a hymn and then an old slave song and a couple others! It was nice! They stood in the middle of the room, right beneath the dome, and the acoustics were outstanding! Then we were all ushered into an old time theater where (it appeared this way anyway… I’m not for certain if it was real or not) they had an actual stage with levels that went up and down for each scene! It was neat! I really enjoyed it! It was about… hmmm… I think the Civil War. Because in my mind “Fredrick Douglas” stands out… So I think it’d be around that decade or so. But I’m not sure…

(Wie um wir springen im Ausland eine 21. Jahrhundert Passagier Düse und Fliege zu Deutschland! Gut ol‘ Deutschland!) How about we hop abroad a 21^st century passenger jet and fly to Deutschland! Good ol’ Germany! Lol they had a sweets shop there and they had German gummy bears, the same kind you could buy at Wal-Mart, but they cost a lot more at Epcot! :D We also took pictures there… for those of you who have the link to my album you can see them there… If you don’t have the link that just feel free to email me and ask for it. I’d be happy to give it to you!

(次　私たちがヨーロッパとアジア中旅をして、飛び乗るところである　1 上向きの太陽の国の私たちの探検への船で！) Next we’re going to trek across Europe and Asia and hop on a on ship to our expedition in the Land of the Rising Sun! Yep, Japan! I don’t remember much of this… I don’t recollect a “show” either of this unique country. Did you know that nearly every day there is some type of earthquake in Japan? It is because these some 3,000 islands lay on a strip of land (the same piece that California is on) that is prone to earthquakes. Anywho.

(Maintenant vous venir les dames et les messieurs… à la nation de France ! Bonjour !) Now come ye ladies and gents… to the nation of France! Bonjour! MMMMMMMM. Mmmmmmmmm. MMMMMMMMMMMM. The pastry shop there had some of the best delicacies I’ve ever savored! Heaven! A chocolate croissant and an éclair! Mmmm.mm.mmm. So good! They also had a show with another 360 degree screen! So cool! They took you to the countryside and then to, of course, tower d’ Eifel in the romantic city of Paris! It was quite something! Oh and they had some gift shops there and in one of them my parents got some really lovely smelling soaps! I love the “handmade” French soaps that smell so wonderful!

And off across the English Channel (unfortunately no Chunnel here; we had to walk across) to the U.K.-United Kingdom. England! We really didn’t see that much of it… we kind of rushed through it, but we did stop and all have our photos taken in a “traditional” red telephone booth! (Which, again, for those of you who have the link to my photo album, you can go there and see them.). It was nice!

(O › Canada ! Ceci, au delà de tout doute, aurait à être mon pays préféré !) O’ Canada! This, beyond all doubt, would have to be my favorite country! (Well I might have changed my mind if they had more African countries such as Kenya with wildlife). Oh my word… all the scenery in that country is soooooooo unbelievable! I was so amazed, astounded, and awed by the beauty that our Creator has made! Seeing this “video” in yet another 360 degree theater made me want to travel there so badly! It’s just stunningly gorgeous!

And that concludes our site-seeing at Epcot, but not the story… After we’d explored all the countries exhibited there, we journeyed back to China where Nemo bought a Chinese parasol (and had her name written on it in Chinese as well… lol for those of you who will get this… her name almost looks like E.B.K. :D! lol). (Have you noticed what font this is?... Epcot is related to Disney, which is what this font is… I thought I’d make it special for this story of Epcot!) (Oh and as a side note… Every country there that had a “show” or ride when you exited the exposition guess where it would lead you to…? THE GIFT SHOP! Of course… They want your money… so they make it to where you HAVE to walk through their gift shop so you’ll just have to buy a little souvenir from their country! Tricky aren’t they?!) After Nemo bought her parasol, Nana, Nemo and I stayed in China sitting on a bench (unfortunately not the great wall!) while my parents ran to Germany real quick to buy some pretzels. Then we went into a HUGE gift shop that had everything you could ever think to buy… I mean, they had the traditional T-Shirts, postcards, etc. but here they had Mickey Mouse ear hair clips and ice cube trays that formed Mickey Mouse ear ice cubes. I mean, com'on, what will they think of next?! While we were in there browsing around, at such enormous displays and arrays of merchandise, it had started to rain. Now it’d been slightly threatening to "rain" with lightning in the distance, but now it was coming down quite heavily! But thankfully it began this extrenuous downpour AFTER we had finished our tour of the countries! Well… We had got what we wanted to buy as momentos of memory from Epcot and were ready to go. But we wanted to ride Soarin’ again (well I didn’t really want to, even though it was my favorite ride, but because it had made me motion sick). So we made a mad dash through the now saturated air, with 100% humidity, to where Soarin’ was… Well, we made it to another shelter and saw a marquee that said there was a 45 minute wait to ride, so we just kind of huddled under this one dry area, protected by a roof, waiting for it to stop raining… Finally, it didn’t subside so we decided to take a chance and run for it! Daddy and Nemo ran ahead to go get the truck, while we would wait under a carport for them to come pick the other 3 of us up… So Nana, Mom, and I are sitting at the entrance and we wait, and we wait, and wait some more… Finally about 10 minutes later Daddy comes back with Nemo and they are soaked to the bone and dripping wet… It turns out that Daddy can’t find the truck… oh no… Not good. Then he pointed to a parking lot and said I just can’t find it over there… lol :D He was in the wrong parking lot but didn’t realize it… So I put down my backpack and decided to get drenched as well and help him find the vehicle. The parking lot was almost empty so I just ran straight through it which led me DIRECTLY to the truck… Thankfully we had a couple beach towels in the back, that we pulled out and dried off with and then sat on later on the way back to the hotel, to protect the leather seats. After locating the truck we went and got Mom and Nana and then went back to our comfy rooms! Anyway, that was our day at Epcot Center… Hope you enjoyed reading about it! And I’ve got to get started on my school work now and then will be back some other time to share with you about the next day… when we went to Congo River Golf!

Have a fantastic and amazing day!

Love and miss y’all!

ttyl

God Bless

~BuTtErFlY~

GYC-Generation of Youth for Christ!

www.GYCweb.org

Coming Soon! The REST of the Story!

7:28 P.M. MST Tuesday, October 02, 2007

Hi everyone! Sorry it’s been so long since I wrote about Florida! I know… you’re probably checking back every so often just to see if I’ve posted anything recently… I’m sorry!

Anywho… I have a few minutes. So I thought… I’ll sit down and put on the track(s) of High School Musical (1) and write a little bit… But where to start? Lol… I have a short excerpt of something that I read today… that I’d like to share with y’all… It’s about not knowing where to start with writing a story… using a metaphoric technique. I do not know who the author is… but I give him credit… I did not write it myself!

“It may look as though I do not know how to begin my tale. Funny sight, the elderly gentleman who comes lumbering by in a valiant dash for the bus, which he eventually overtakes but is afraid to board in a motion and so, with a sheepish smile, drops back, still going to a trot. Is it that I dare not make the leap? It roars, gathers speed, [and] will presently vanish irrevocably around the corner, the bus, the motorbus, the mighty motorbus that is my tale. Rather bulky imagery, this. I am still running.” ~Unknown Author~

Anyway… I thought that described how I feel sometimes about writing my story/stories. I just am so overwhelmed by all that there is to write… that you just don’t know where to start or with what… (the beginning of course would make perfectly logically sense) and are timid to step out on the venture…

Anyway… I’d love to start about Florida and I hate to say this and put it off anymore than I already have… because I know in the back of my mind that I need to get this done and that you all might be waiting as well… But there is a TV show on that I’ve been waiting to watch all evening… So… sorry! But I’ll be back as soon as time allows! And maybe you never know, maybe the show won’t air and I’ll be back with y’all, my favorite people!

Ttyl

Thanks so graciously for your enduring patience!

God Bless

~BuTtErFlY~

Disasters...!

Hey everyone! Just a quick note about things that have been going on around here... As you might have guessed... it's been busy... hence the reason I haven't written in a while. :D ok, so obviously we're back from florida... if you've read the previous post, you already knew/know that. So my dad ordered new glasses (since his were lost in the ocean and he needs new nice ones besides the cheap replacement ones that he got to go a couple weeks before his NEW ones are ready!) and they should be ready here in the week. I started on school again, which has been going very smoothly, but very crazy as well. With hours on top of hours put in each second, minute, hour, day, week, month, semester, and eventually year, I have lots on my hands trying to get it all accomplished each and every day. So between school, chores, friends, pictures, and just life in general... it's been hectic... to put it nicely... and that's not to mention the "disaster" and mishaps that occurred. Not to go into detail, the speedometer and RPM needles on our van spun a 360 and we no longer resting on their pegs, but underneath the pegs... Got to get that fixed (which as of this morning it is back to working condition thanks to our mechanic friend!). Also my lens on my camera broke... something internal/external... I hadn't used it since we'd returned... and Sabbath morning I find out... but my parents took it into a shop this morning and it's on it's way to LA, CA and should be back in 2-3 weeks I guess. Anywho... I'm kind of really really bummed.. (ok, I am!) because... the trees are changing colors (the few deciduous trees we have down south of here) and I wanted to capture that essence! And the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta I wanted to go to and take pictures this next week or two! And the Harvest Festival at Los Golandrinas in Santa Fe... this next week.. SO I'll have to make do with my other small automatic camera... green mode.. uggh! oh well! Anywho! That's what my weeks' have been like! Just to cover the jist of it. But I've got to go for now I still haven't finished school for the day! ttyl God bless y'all! ~Butterfly~

Back from Fleming Island!

Hi everybody! I'm back home and have been for about a week now... I've just been really busy. One of these days, soon, though I will be putting the rest of the story of FL on here. But I don't have time right now or today. Hopefully in the days to come! Oh, check out the new page item that I added to my blog... It's called "Weather Extremes!" and it shows how hot it got this year here at my house and how cold is it has gotten this fall. The real cold low for the entire year would be like 2.7F but that was last winter! lol So that really doesn't count, because I don't think we'll pass that this year! Anywho... Hope you're all doing well. I'd love to write more... but we're going to town today and I have a bunch of school work that I need to get done before we leave. And time is just ticking away. ttyl God bless ~bUtTeRfLy~

Off Towards Home in 2 Hours!

Hey!

Sorry I haven't written much. I'll try and get the whole story(s) in detail up sometime within the next couple weeks.

We're leaving Nana and Papa's house at 10:30 or so and our flight leaves at 12:45 for home. So I can't write much now. Just a quick "Hello!" and tell you all what's happening today.

Our plane stops in Tampa, New Orleans, and Dallas, and finally lands in ABQ at 5:35 p.m. Our friends will be picking us up and then we'll probably go eat dinner somewhere because we'll be starved from this 7 hours of flying.

Hope you've all been doing well! And I'll see ya later and ttyl.

Smile!

God bless

~BuTtErFlY~

(34) Pictures from trip!

Pizza at CiCi's!

The lighthouse!

The parking lot full of puddles from the downpour!

The rain that poured down on us at the end of the day at Epcot!

A rabbit at Epcot!

The St. Augustine lighthouse... where we went for my birthday! Look at one of the windows inside the lighthouse onto the inlet bay of the ocean there. We were on Anastasia island. Looking over the bay of Anastasia Island from the top of the lighthouse! Fort Matanzas National Monument!

Some pretty purple berries!

My dad hold the sun up!

The sunrise! I closed my aperature and did a quite shot... and this is what I got!

The gorgeous sunirse on my birthday!

The sunrise!

The sunrise!

A bird on the sand of the beach.

A bird standing on the beach with the relfection of the sunrise over the ocean!

A close up of the clouds in the sunrise. Earlier that morning before the sunrise there was a lightning storm in these clouds!

The sunrise on my birthday!

The sunset on 9-12-07 in St. Augustine.

A lunatic!

Some lady who I don't know... walking along the beach, I like the shot I got though... The sunset I saw the night before my birthday! A lunatic we ran into on the beach... More about that some other time. lol :D :P

Nemo swimming with dolphins! A dolphin jumping in the air for a toy! A dolphin!

My family walking to where Nemo was going to swim with dolphins! The blue waters of the Atlantic at Marineland, where Nemo got to swim with dolphins. The Atlantic! Look at that blueness! One of my favorfite pictures! I know it's weird, but just check it out! Awesome! A dolphin jumping in the air out of the water to catch a basketball.

Papa viewing the ocean at Marineland where Nemo got to swim with dolphins for a half hour! It was a complete surprise for her! She loved it!

A hybiscus flower at the history museum.

Post 106!

Hey! I just realized that I went over post 100! Wow! That's a lot! And with my new camera I've taken 8,254 pictures and 1,193 are from here in the past week! lol :) And 220 with my other camera! Wowie! Anywho. Last night we had fried veggies with rice, which was so delicious! And then they all surprised me with a "party!" They put up a banner that said "Sweet Sixteen" and had a Cookies 'n Cream ice cream cake (my absolulte favorite) and they all sang to me! It was so great! Awesomeness! And then we watched a French movie (it had English subtitles!) that was about a school who hid a couple jews during WWII. It was good for the most part, just quite a "bit" of language... And unfortunately I read it all on the screen. :P Oh well. It was a nice and lovely day! Anyway. gtg. ttyl God bless ~BuTtErFlY~

Happy Birthday to Me!

Hey guys! I'll finish my adventurous stories another time. Just wanted to say... that last night we stayed in St. Augustine at a hotel on the beach and then this morning I got up early and took 551 pictures of the sunrise! Then Dad, Nemo, and Nana went swimming... my dad lost his glasses in the ocean... And if you know... my Dad is B.L.I.N.D. without them... so that was a huge disaster, disappointment, bummer. But the good news is... that he had his prescription faxed and is actually on his way "home" (Nana's house) right now from getting new ones! Anyway, then we went to the St. Augustine Lighthouse and to Mantanaz (sp?) National Monument, where I got my national park passport stamped! Anyway, now we're back here at the house and I went to the store with Papa and am back here transferring pictures and messing around with the high speed internet. Hope you're all having a nice day! My birthday has been good today! ttyl God bless ~BuTtErFlY~ P.S. More about today and everything else in more detail/depth coming soon! Oh and read all the 8 posts before this one are all about our trip as well. So make sure that you read them... They're all about our trip up to half way through Epcot Center. And then I have to finish the rest yet! But go on and read everything! Oh.. I wrote all these past 8 posts while I was in Orlando, but didn't have internet but now I'm back... The reason they're all saying the correct time on the posts (if you pay that close attention) is because I did that... so though I just posted them within the past 1/2 hour they still say the exact date that they were written on and the correct time as well! Anyway. Just to make that clear gtg. Dad and Nana are back with his new glasses! ttyl Love and miss y'all! ~Butterfly~ P.S. His glasses aren't ready... They will be hopefully tomorrow! *crossing fingers*