*untitled*

I have been able to take more pictures recently because I got a new camera (*happy dance*), so I thought I would post a few blog worthy ones.

 a chip clip works as well as any regular hair clip, I suppose...

Haley has been my favorite subject for most of my pictures lately; but with a cute face like her's, I'm sure you can see where I'm coming from.

 my new 'toy'. I call her, Pixie. :)

I am playing around with Pixie's different settings and all that good stuff, so now I will have something to do over Christmas break!

Movie Review: The Hunger Games: Catching Fire

 I saw The Hunger Games: Catching Fire and it was really good. I liked the first movie a lot, and this one was even better (in my opinion).

 Because some of the characters were already developed from the first movie, it made me like them even more in CF, especially Peeta. (not that I didn't like him to begin with... :))

the clothes in this movie were awesome...

Ceasar Flickerman and Katniss Everdeen 

  I wasn't sure if I would like the casting of Finnick Odair and Johanna Mason, Katniss and Peeta's fellow competitors in the Quarter Quell, but I was pleasantly surprised: they physically fit the roles and both actors did a great job portraying those...interesting characters.

Sam Claflin as Finnick Odair

Jenna Malone as Johanna Mason

 Donald Sutherland gave such a good performance as President Snow and I was glad that we got to see more of him in CF than in THG.

some of his best acting in this movie was in facial expression alone.

 

 The movie followed the book pretty closely, though it did not include the amputating of Peeta's leg and it glossed over Peeta's story about he and Katniss's marriage and her pregnancy--it was never mentioned again after Peeta said it in his interview. I was a little disappointed about the second one, just because I felt like the book was partly centered around that fib. It was mentioned several times throughout the book, whereas it was barely talked about at all in the movie.

 Jennifer Lawrence and Josh Hutcherson did very well in their roles and their onscreen chemistry was great.

 Something I liked about the movie was that it really showed how much Katniss and Peeta's relationship changed by going through the Games together again. There were a few sweet moments between them in CF. :)

 Overall, I really liked this movie and thought it was well done. I loved that even though I had already read the books and so (obviously) knew what was going to happen, I found myself sitting on the edge of my seat and practically biting my nails in anticipation and nerves during certain parts.

 ....now I am very eager to see Mockingjay! (well, at least the first installment..) Hurry up, November 2014! :) 

Thought for Today

"If I find in myself desires which nothing in this world can satisfy, the only logical explanation is that I was made for another world."  -C.S. Lewis

Haley ~ 5 Months

8/12/13

:) I love, love this little baby!!

Because we've been doing this with Haley, I got a "month picture" taken...

8/14/13

I apologize for the quality of this picture. It was put through a filter because it was posted on Instagram, and that makes the quality worse when seen on the computer...but I think you get the point of this picture anyway. ;)

Thoughts.

Today is my last day to be fourteen.

This year of my life has been full of great memories and experiences, and I am a little sad to say "goodbye" to fourteen. 

But, at the same time, I am excited to see what God has planned for me in the next year; what He will teach me, how He will use me.

God has blessed me with so much. I have godly parents, fun siblings, an awesome "extended-immediate" family, really great friends, a place to live, food to eat, clothes to wear, my health and my family's health. And the list goes on.

It is so amazing to know that all of my life, God has always been there; that He has heard every prayer, loved me unconditionally. And it's amazing to know that He will always be with me, He will always hear my prayers and that He will never stop loving me, no matter what this year or future years hold.  Thank you, God!

(taken from Spiritual journal)

Favorite Characters: Legolas

I recently watched The Lord of the Rings movies again with my dad and brother, and I was reminded of something...

Legolas is pretty cool.

I mean, 1) he's an elf, 2) he always stands up for his friends and protects them the best he can, 3) he's loyal to The Fellowship and finally, he's an archer! And a pretty good one too, I might add.

I have always thought that archers are super cool, so Legolas has been one of my favorite characters in LOTR (the others being Gandalf, Sam and Pippin) ever since I first saw the movies for mainly that reason. ;)

  Apparently, there are some "Legolas funnies" out there...some people have way too much time on their hands...

One of my favorite hymns

O Lord my God, When I in awesome wonder,
Consider all the worlds Thy Hands have made;
I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder,
Thy power throughout the universe displayed.

Chorus:
Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art.

Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art!
 

When through the woods, and forest glades I wander,
And hear the birds sing sweetly in the trees.
When I look down, from lofty mountain grandeur
And see the brook, and feel the gentle breeze.

Chorus

And when I think, that God, His Son not sparing;
Sent Him to die, I scarce can take it in;
That on the Cross, my burden gladly bearing,
He bled and died to take away my sin.
 

Chorus

When Christ shall come, with shout of acclamation,
And take me home, what joy shall fill my heart.
Then I shall bow, in humble adoration,
And then proclaim: "My God, how great Thou art!"

Haley ~ 4 Months

7/12 

Cow Appreciation Day. :)

Haley is a very happy and smiley baby. She likes to 'talk' and chew on her toes, and has recently been belly laughing more.

We thought at one point that she was going to lose the hair on the sides of her head and sport a mohawk (that has happened with every baby in my family except for me!), but, so far so good! :) 

Haley ~ 3 Months

 Haley is getting so big! *sniff sniff*  She is smiling and "talking" almost all the time, following people and objects with her eyes and has started laughing a little, which is lots of fun. She has also become pretty chubby. :)

she is now considerably bigger than the teddy bear. :)

The one with Curls and Celebrities

Still here! My life has been crazy, but good.

I don't have much to say, so this post will mostly consist of pictures. :)

My five-year-old cousin giving my eight-year-old sister a piggy back ride. :)

I just love her blue eyes! My other siblings and I don't have blue eyes, but my mom does, so hopefully her eyes will stay blue. 

I have always thought that the brother-sister relationship is one of the sweetest things. 

 I found these awesome ringlets in my ponytail last night!

Once, someone saw a picture of my curls and said, "God is good!" :D

Okay, so I have been told that I look like this woman, Jennifer Garner. 

...do I?

Speaking of looking like a celebrity... for fun, I recently got an app on my iPod that supposedly tells you which celebrity you resemble. Apparently I resemble Gwyenth Paltrow and Liam, Matthew Perry and Orlando Bloom. :) Nice! I don't know how accurate those are, but nice!

 I have a weird case of "blogger's block", so I don't have anything else to say right now.

I hope your Summer has been great so far!