Grandma’s Surprise Party!!

Once upon a time, there was a surprise party that was about to be held for some friends and family, on February 13th, 2011 at 2:00 in the afternoon.  That surprise party actually turns out to be a “Surprise 80th Birthday Party” for my Grandma. Since she was turning 80 years old, my mom and her two older sisters, (my Aunt Cathy and Aunt Debbie) all hosted the party together and had been planning it for several weeks before it happened. :)

Now, the party is about to take place in these pictures, but Grandma has no idea that we {Mom, my Aunt Cathy from South Carolina, Katie, and yours truly} have arrived to the assisted living where she lives.  We got there early so that we could do a little decorating for the party and make the room festive.  Also, my Aunt Cathy came to stay with us that entire weekend and Grandma had know idea that she was even in town until the afternoon of the party.  My Aunt Debbie and my Uncle Greg from Kentucky were the ones that had the job of bringing Grandma into the room that the party was being held in.  We all think that they had the hardest job because her room is all the way across the building, but they successfully got her down to the parlor without her having the slightest idea that her friends and family had gathered to help celebrate her birthday down the hallway. Soooo, we got everything accomplished and had a successful party.  Are you ready for some more pictures?  Yep, I thought you might. :)

  We started our little decorating with some pink and yellow streamers on the doors……and then we added some pretty flowers to the table…  *makes me happy*…and a “Happy Birthday” balloon of course! :)

   After the decorating, we decided that we needed to get the food and drinks ready for our guests.

     

Yay!!  I’m still excited that we were able to finish our decorating before the guests arrived and we were all ready for the party with time to spare.  When you have lots of helping hands, things can get done very quickly.  I think the room looked very happy and colorful after we finished, don’t you?  We didn’t put the lights up, but they added a “special” touch. :)

I snapped a few pictures while we waited for the guests to arrive. :)

     

   

…and here are a few other pictures that I took from our fun afternoon. :)

                     SURPRISE!!!! :)           

Mother and the Daughters   

Left top to bottom right: Aunt Cathy, Grandma, Mom, Mrs. Theresa, Aunt Debbie and Mom’s Aunt Joann

I hope you enjoyed all the pictures.! Now, before I go eat some supper with my family, I’ll leave you with a little video I took of Grandma’s reaction when she found out about the party.  Enjoy! :)

Oh, and just so you all know… I’m feeling MUCH better today!!!  I’m SO excited!  I have a lot to catch up on this week, but at least all the schoolwork, emails, and everything else I need to get done can get accomplished with the “normal” me again.  Thank you for all your faithful prayers!  :)

Have a wonderful rest of the week!

~Em

I’m Still Alive!

I know you all think I’ve dropped off the face of the earth or something, but I’ve been stuck in my bed taking numerous naps, reading several chapters in my book, watching movies, and trying my hardest to get rid of this nasty sickness that has taken over my life for the past week.   It’s been the longest week of my life and I still don’t have all my strength back.  I’m much better, (thankfully) but I still don’t feel like my “normal” self again.  Please continue to pray for healing and strength for me and my whole family.  It’s been about six years since someone in our family has had the Flu and we will all sigh a huge relief when it decides to leave us in peace.

Let’s pray that it leaves soon too because Mom went to the doctor this morning and found out that she too has the first stages of this awful Flu bug.  She didn’t feel very good over the weekend; she began to have an annoying dry cough and felt very tired so I’m thankful that she did decide to get a check up today.  Please pray that we’ve caught her sickness before it gets too bad.  We are all extremely tired of being stuck in this house and feeling dreadful.  Dad and Andrew have been so wonderful at helping us girls get our medicine and coming quickly to our service with our frequent calls for hot tea, cough syrup, or anything under the blue moon that would make us feel better.  Thank the Lord they haven’t caught this sickness too.   Katie ended up having strep throat last week when I caught the Flu, so we have both been resting in our beds.  She is getting much better, but isn’t completely healed either.  :) On another note, spring is fast approaching us!  I’m afraid I haven’t been able to enjoy the beautiful weather we’ve had the last couple of days, though.  I’ve heard that it’s been simply lovely!  The birds have been singing plenty of pretty songs outside my bedroom windows to keep spring in my thoughts and that makes me feel better.  Mom also opened my window the other day to air out the bedroom and give me a chance to enjoy the cool breeze and warmer temps.  I was very thankful for the new fresh air and lovely sunshine shining through my windows.  I've also realized that the days are getting longer, but since I’ve been sick and have been trying to survive these very LONG days in my bed, I haven’t been able to appreciate the extra time during the day.  I will hopefully be able to accomplish something new this week and continue to feel closer and closer to being the normal  Emily that I can’t wait to be again.  You know you’re ready to feel better when you actually want to help with the laundry and cooking again!  I have really missed my regular chores and schoolwork!  I also can’t wait to pick up my lovely camera and go outside take some pictures again!  I really need some new pictures on that memory card and I hope to post some new ones for you all to enjoy soon.  :)  

Well, I just wanted to give you a little update and ask you to continue to be praying for our family.  I really hope to be able to write up a full recovery report later this week, but for now I must go finish a few things before heading to the kitchen for another dose of my nasty antibiotic and to start getting ready for bed.  :)

Resting in His arms,

Emily

P.S.  Thank you SO very much for all the “get well soon” wishes and prayers.  You guys are so awesome. :)

I’m Afraid I’m Sick…

I’m sorry I haven’t posted anything new since Thursday, but I’ve been fighting a nasty cold/ the awful Flu bug since yesterday morning.  We also had my aunt from South Carolina come stay with us this past weekend and I didn’t have any time to post anything while she was here. 

This sickness has taken a hard grip on me and so far it’s not looking much better.  Right now, I’m lying in bed, covered up with about 4-5 blankets, watching movies, drinking lots of fluids, and trying to rest.  I was able to go to sleep for a little while this afternoon and I think that helped me catch up from my awful night last night.  I didn’t sleep very well and I also had a fever which made me feel uncomfortable.  That being said,  I've been surfing the internet, editing pictures from this past weekend, watching movies, reading books, sleeping, drinking hot tea, and trying not to cough my lungs out.  You know it's bad my friends when you take several cough drops and a few doses of cough syrup and it still doesn't help you stop coughing.  I’ve been coughing so much that my throat is starting to get sore… :(

Anyway, this is not a fun way to start the week off.  If you think about it, please pray for a speedy recovery for me.  I’m already very tired of being sick.  Your prayers would be much appreciated.

Lots of love to all of you,

~Emily

P.S. On a side note: we had a great weekend spending time with family and celebrating my Grandma's 80th birthday. I’ll try to post some pictures soon.

Christ's Valentine Petition

Would you like to be committed to being Christ's Valentine this February?  Well, you can now sign a little petition saying you are only His until your Prince Charming comes along.  My lovely friend, Moriah (from Uniquely Fashioned for His Glory) has started a petition for young ladies that want to commit to being Christ’s Valentine…

The main goal of this petition is to see how many signatures that Moriah can get in order to see how many young ladies are willing to remain faithful to the Lord as their Valentine, until their Prince Charming comes along...

For more details about this petition check out this link HERE.  Are you going to sign?  :) 

Love and hugs,

Emily

“Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity.” ~1 Timothy 4:12

Wordless Wednesday: Making Valentine Cookies

   

Schoolhouse Expo Announcement

Hello my lovely blogging friends!

I received an email from a lady on the Schoolhouse Expo Team at The Old Schoolhouse Magazine on Friday and she asked me to post about a new Expo that they’re going to be having in May.  Anyway, I decided to help her out by spreading the word to all of you this week.  Now, since you’re probably not familiar with the Expo, I would love to introduce you to it!  :) The Schoolhouse Expo is a fun and informative online homeschool convention. This online convention will be held May 16-20, 2011.  They have a wonderful lineup of speakers which that you and your parents might be interested in!  In fact, not only will these speakers appeal to homeschool parents, but many of them will appeal to all the homeschool students as well! You can read more information about the speakers here: http://www.schoolhouseexpo.com/?page_id=10150.

Also, each ticket includes MP3 downloads of all the sessions from the convention.  This will allow you to be able to listen again and again to your favorite sessions or to listen to sessions that you may have missed during the convention. 

There will be virtual goodie bags (valued at over $200!), door prizes, and even a virtual vendor hall offering freebies and specials!  And the entire convention will be presented from a Christian perspective.

Here are some links that you will help you to know more about the Expo and what it has to offer:

The main site: www.SchoolhouseExpo.com.

The Facebook page: www.facebook.com/schoolhouseexpo.

The Expo brochure: http://www.schoolhouseexpo.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/SchoolhouseExpoSpeakers.pdf.

Now, the last thing that you need to know is that for a limited time, the tickets cost $19.50.  This is a special Early Bird price, though and it ends at 11:59 p.m. on February 9th.  On February 10th, the price will go up to $29.00 and then on February 27th, the full price of $39.99 will be in effect.  So, what are you waiting for?!  Go check out those links and tell your parents about this neat homeschool opportunity!  :)

I’ll be back with more posts soon, everyone!  It’s going to be a very busy week for my family, but I’m going to try to post a life update soon.  Love you all!! *hugs* :)

~Emily

A Peek Into Our Sister’s Lives—Miss Jennifer

Every month I choose one of my “blogging friends” that has inspired and encouraged me, and that has a heart for the Lord to interview.  I hope that the interviews will be an encouragement to my readers and that they might be able to help young ladies to find another true example of how to strive after Biblical Womanhood.  I believe that we can be a "light" in this dark world, and that we can encourage one another through the blogging world as we shine for the Lord in everything that we do in our lives. I hope you are extremely blessed as you read these interviews.  Enjoy!

It's about time to have another interview for the "A Peek Into Our Sister's Lives" posts, isn’t it?  I had planned to have a few more interviews last year, but December and January were extremely busy months for me and, I was also having a hard time finding anyone that wanted to do the next interview.  I am going to begin doing the interviews every month, though.  I simply can not wait to show you who I’ve decided to interview throughout this year!  It’s going to be amazing and I think you will all enjoy them.  =)

Now, for those of you who have never met this lovely sister in Christ, I would like to introduce you all to Miss Jenny!  I was blessed to have come across Jennifer and her wonderful blog, Blessed Feminia, sometime last year and ever since then, I've thoroughly enjoyed reading her posts, looking at her delicious recipes, and getting to know her more through Facebook and emails.  She is so special and I think you’re going to love reading the interview I had with her last week.  I’m very excited to get this interview started, so let’s start out with the first question, shall we?  =)

Emily:  Jenny, would you please share a bit about yourself and your family?

Jenny: First of all Emily, I would like to thank you for the honor of being interviewed on your blog and also,  thank you for encouraging so many young women to strive after Biblical Womanhood.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

        Yes, indeed! I live with my beloved parents in Sunny Northern CA, close to Big Sur and Monterey.  I am an only child, born to parents late in life.  My mom had quite a few miscarriages before having me. Our family attends a conservative Presbyterian Church about 45 minutes from where we live.  My dad is a businessman and an elder at our church.  I so appreciate his strength and strong love for anything to do with theology, he continues to be a wonderful blessing in my life!  My momma is an amazing woman and is a great inspiration to me, as she encourages me to "grow in grace" and pursue godliness in all things!  She is also a blessing and inspiration to many other women as well. 

I am happy to say I am a "homemaker-in-training" that loves the Lord.....filling my days with things that pertain to managing and beautifying a home....{ I love to write and blog about homemaking, too ;)... }Emily: What are some things that you enjoy doing in your spare time?

Jenny: Oh... what a delightful question! Well, as I already mentioned I take joy in things pertaining to the home... So, I love to cook, bake, sew, quilt, embroider, clean, organize, stamp, make cards, scrapbook, play music, and the list goes on... ;)  I also delight in reading godly books and of course reading God's precious Word.

Emily: I've seen a few pictures of you at some historical reenactments before and since that is something that I really enjoy doing myself, I thought this question would be fun to ask you.  What is (are) your favorite time period (s) to reenact and what got you started in reenacting?  

Jenny: Awww.... yes isn’t re-enacting wonderful?!  ::sigh:: I would have to say my favorite time periods are the Civil War & the Regency era.  I love the Civil War era and first became involved in re-enacting after attending a Civil War reenactment.  I love to read the writings/letters of Stonewall Jackson and other godly men of that era. {and yes....I must confess I l-o-v-e hoopskirts ::hopeless sigh::} I love the regency era due to Jane Austen and her amazing epics... that era of dress was elegant and refined.

Emily: Would you consider yourself more modern or old-fashioned and why? 

Jenny: I would say more old-fashioned yet a wee bit modern.  I love almost everything old fashioned such as lace, vintage paintings, etc...and {my dad says I should of been born in a different era}. Yet, I also love the modern conveniences of a running dishwasher, hot water, antibiotics, electricity and other amazing benefits of this modern age... which I am very thankful for.  Emily: What are three main goals that you what love to accomplish by sharing God's love with others, encouraging other young girls, etc?

Jenny:

1) Urging young women to keep their focus on Christ
    and seeking to glorify Him in all things. {Soli Deo Gloria}

2) Serve joyfully wherever they are placed... {with their families, with their husband, children etc...}

3) Gracefully proclaim feminine loveliness to the world by dressing with beauty, modesty, dignity and grace....while garnering a spirit that seeks to encourage, help, and build-up others.

Emily: I love seeing all your delicious looking recipes on your blog and I also love looking at all your creative photos.  What is your favorite thing about cooking?  

Jenny: Oh, you are so sweet. My philosophy for cooking is quite simple "we all have to do it... so why not do it beautifully!" I would have to say my favorite thing about cooking is the joy it brings to others and also, just simply because I LOVE it & find it very enjoyable.

Emily: What are some of your all time favorite things about being a stay at home daughter?

Jenny: Being protected & loved by the people I love most. Rich conversations, guidance, oversight and counsel on a daily basis! I am blessed to have parents that have supported me and wish for me to remain under my father's headship until the day {if & when} I marry.

Emily: Would you care to share a little note of encouragement for the readers of Practically Pink?  (Maybe, something about courtship, being a servant, or godly young woman?) :)

Jenny: I think daughters at home {homemakers-in-training} have a most wonderful potential to use their single years to further the Lord's Kingdom.  Ministry opportunities abound and are all around you! Seek out that mother in your Church who needs help with the laundry. Read to that elderly saint who is weary from her long journey. Be a mentor to that young teen girl in your neighborhood by inviting her to a special "Ladies of Virtue Tea!" Assist in your home with organization, food, cleaning.... help your momma with her needs.  Honor your father by assisting him in his business/ministry endeavors.  Read aloud to little ones at your Church or in your home. As godly Christian women we must be willing to seek out these kind of ministry opportunities. They might not pay, they might not gain us recognition or success in the business world or elsewhere, but in fact seeking these opportunities to serve others joyfully as un-married maidens is in fact touching hearts and souls in a very profound way. This kind of service will transform relationships and help build Christ's Kingdom for eternity...which in the end is the only thing that matters and is worth giving our all for!

Emily:  Thank you again, Jenny!  I hope you all thoroughly enjoyed the interview!  Have a wonderful week, everyone!! =)