Kit reveals!!

The newest kit reveal for Treasured Scrapbooking is here!
I am SO excited because this kit is chalked FULL of fun things for December!

Kit reveal #1



Products include:
Papers from: Crate Paper, Prima, October Afternoon, Sassafras Lass and more!
Embellishments from: Prima, Pebbles, Jenni Bowlin, American Crafts, Kaiser craft, VINTAGE, and more!

Kit reveal #2




Manufacturers include:

Making Memories
May Arts
Queen & Co
Little Yellow Bicycle
Teresa Collins
Webster's Pages
Jillibean Soup
Kaiser craft
VINTAGE
And MUCH MORE!

They are totally fun and exciting so check them out!

Wake up lil' Suzie, wake up!

Okay so in A's bible study we talked this week about
choosing to get up on time. On the right side of the bed so to speak.
Seriously.. It was about this chick named Hannah and how she chose to do things
and make bad choices concerning getting up on time, using her time wisely,
and causing others to have to work for her because of it.

I didn't honestly feel at first this was applicable to A or myself.
Neither of us need an alarm to get up daily.
We just wake up.
Neither one of us can sleep in either.
However...
A's been struggling with waking up on Mon. & Wed. at 5:30 instead of 6:00.
Why that 30 minutes makes all the difference in the world I will never know, but
to her it does. So she struggles.
The study this week was a gentle reminder about using time wisely but more
importantly about choosing to wake up on time and ready for your day.
All I got last week was grumblings about waking up early, not having enough time
to do chores, even getting back in bed and falling back asleep!

So we've been trying to discuss ways to make it more easier, what chore
could she do the night before, setting her alarm a little later, etc.
But it didn't work. She wasn't choosing to wake up refreshed and renewed. No.
Her issues were she was tired.
I suggested going to bed earlier those days, nope.
I suggested her doing night/day chores to better prepare.
Nope.
I even suggested *gasp* that she actually move
a lil' faster doing her morning chores to have more time to sleep in.
Nope.

So when A&I sat down and did this study on Monday night,
she was slapped in the face.
We do this thing in our house with our hands by putting your hand in
front of your face and making a sound as if to resemble being slapped {convicted}.
And that was A.
The entire study she sat there looking as though someone had said
she could never sleep again! Ha.
I found it a little funny.
Well actually I found it a lot funny because Elizabeth George was
saying the same things I had been, but managed to not only
convict Alyssa, but help her to realize it is a choice.
Yep. Simple as that.
A choice.

So she's been trying to wake up in a much better mood
and looking at things differently when she does get up!
That's a good thing!

So how do you wake up each morning?
Do you make it a choice and choose to have a good day, or do you roll
out of bed wishing that you could crawl back into it and sleep the day away?

I know for myself there are days where I wished I wasn't working.
So that I could get up and not have to go anywhere.
It often sets me in a bad mood and makes the tone for the rest of my
day. So not only did this speak to A, it spoke to me.
Because after all, I have a choice too!

Here is to ensure that we are
making good choices!

Happy Thanksgiving!

I am sure everyone is off spending time with their families.
I just wanted to wish you all a Happy Thanksgiving today!
My prayer is that you find things in your life big or little
that make you thankful. That are placed into your memories
as special times and cherished moments!

I have much to be thankful for this year!

Check it out! {photo heavy}

Go over to the American Crafts blog really quick!
Check out what I created this month with the
really cute and glittery papers!

This is a sneaky peeky! When I got all that fabulous glitter paper when my box came,
I was TOTALLY stoked!! All that glitter made me feel like a princess and there
were so many colors in that stack too!

Here are a bunch of other things I've recently done as well.

This first one is of D and how much I appreciate him being the family provider for us.
I am so thankful for that. This is a pretty simplistic layout for me, but I enjoyed keeping
it that way! I wanted to really focus on the title and how much he means to me because
he provides for us.


I use my Studio Calico's November kit for this one! This was one of my favorite
kits with SC! Totally up my alley!

This next layout is the three of us. My mom, Alyssa and myself. I did it for a challenge
on Treasured Scrapbooking. It was to do a layout of those that we were thankful for.


I am really thankful
that we took these photos, they are such a sweet memory for me! I really wanted to get away
from the "fall" look with this one and I think I did that!!! LOL.

For the next couple of weeks my schedule will be set again! Ha. I'll be working Tues, Wed,
Friday's, and Saturday's. I am excited to have Monday's off because it will allow me to hang
out with anyone from my Monday bible study and not rush back home to get to work too.

Oh and one more photo! I couldn't resist this tree for our den! I think I am in love and I am going
to keep it up all year round!!! Isn't it cute!

This tree makes me really happy, its SO cute! I can hardly wait to decorate for real!!!!

Well I am off for the day, I hope and pray your day is wonderful!

Freedom.

I have spent the past year in imprisonment.
I have chained myself.
To food.
To Weight Watchers.
To obsession about gaining weight back that I lost.
To looking in the mirror and going from seeing God's beauty to see my ugly.
To worry.
To strife.
To food controlling me. Taking over.
To feeling fat. Unwanted. Ugly. And most of all a failure.
To not being able to love the gym and release stress, it only caused more.
To being a slave to the world and its torked views.
To feeling unbeautiful.
To not believing when Dayv would and says I am beautiful. Sexy. Hot.
To hating myself.
To binding myself in chains.
To feeling horrible about food and the things I stuck in my mouth and not enjoying food for what it was.
To desiring unhealthy.
To seeing a torked image, believing in that torked image, and becoming that torked image.
To loosing enjoyment in my life because of me choosing chains...

But on Saturday night I found freedom....
And I am not feeling 20 pounds lighter, or fresher, or like I can conquer the world.
No today what I feel is inner peace.
To know that it is okay.
Because last night I found freedom standing in our church praising God!

There was this worship service. It was a 24 hour service that started at 12 and ended Sunday at 12. Since Alyssa was at camp D&I decided to go. I am ever so glad that we did. The service was directed by God's hand.. Truly it was. So many people talked of freedom that night. The more I sat there and listened to words of worship and people's testimonies about various things I realized how much time, effort, and strife I have brought upon myself this past year. And I felt trapped.

And I realized I had done this to myself. I trapped myself. Then they showed this.



I have seen this before in church. But seeing it again I realized that all of those things that had been pulling me from God were the very things that God wanted to save me from. To release. To give me peace. Humility. Grace. Victory.

No longer will food have control over me.
No longer will I worry about what I am eating and how bad it is for me.
No longer will going to the gym be a chore.
No longer will I allow myself to look into the mirror and feel ugly. fat. unwanted.
No longer will I not believe Dayv when he says I am beautiful.
No longer will I be bound to thinking I am going to go back to the shape I used to be.
No longer will I hate myself.

Because I am fearfully and wonderfully made.
And I have found freedom!

Play the movie, ya play

This weekend D&I went to see this

I can attest
it was a lot better than the first one. Although I've seen the first one 3 times thus far
and after awhile it just kind of grows on ya!
So New Moon...

The theater was packed.
A bunch of swooning women to see the hot guys in the flick.
And there were a few men, mine included.
The girls behind us talked a lot throughout and made really sappy comments too.
But I suppose that is what draws people in.
The movie itself stuck to the book pretty good, from what I can remember
of it. I actually need to re-read them. They were SO good that I flew
through them and have forgotten a couple of things! Ha.
Aside from the buff dudes and Kristen's weird acting the movie
was pretty good. I enjoyed it for some of these reasons:

1. It is really nice to have a movie theater right up the street from where you live.
It makes it easier to go see flicks whenever you want too.
2. Their nachos were yummy.
3. The seats were comfortable.
4. I actually thought that sometimes in scenes Edward was attractive.
5. I thought that Kristen looked more naturally pretty.
6. The love that Edward and Bella has is so romantic!
7. I love how Jacob feels for Bella, honestly he loves her.
8. I love Bella's house, I want to live there.
9. I think Victoria is beautiful.
10. Dakota's part wasn't very big, but she is a good young actress.
11. I enjoyed the fact that Bella cannot be read.
12. I love Alice, I want a friend like her!
13. I really like the fact that D was willing to go see the movie with me. We watched Twilight
together on Friday and saw the new movie on Saturday. He got sucked into it straight away!
14. I love the fact that Edward humbles himself and tells Jacob thank you for watching out for
Bella. I think Jacob respects him even though he loathes him.
15. The awkward relationship between Bella and her dad. It's endearing because he is trying
to make up for messing it up with her mom but loving Bella like a daughter and allowing her
to be free in who she is. Love is like that.

If you saw it, what did you think?

Cards galore!

I have a few cards to share that I've been making for my Monday
bible study girls {I made these weeks ago though! Hey maybe I should make a card
to get out of my slump!} I made the 4th one the other day and it helped me feel
more creative! I always struggle with cards, but I tell ya it's been so much fun creating
these for each of the women in my study. I have enjoyed it a lot and its been so easy!
I think it must because I am truly enjoying the class and each of the ladies in it!




The one's without an envie needs a larger one in order to fit the card! But I did manage to create the envelopes with the other two! They are almost as fun as creating the card!

I just decided to put my supplies away until I felt like I was inspired by something. So those unfinished layouts will just sit until I finish them! Hopefully soon I'll feel creative again!

My grateful list this week {its a lot longer this time around I have much to be thankful for!}:

1. My friend Sarah. Because she loves me warts and all, but most of all we have managed to keep our friendship going even though she lives a million miles away {but I am seriously praying they come here!}
2. My new friendship with B, I am totally amazed at God's faithfulness with my prayers by sending me a kindred spirit of a friend! I really am glad for her!
3. A budget cause I love seeing the fruit.
4. A trip in the works with Sarah. Some place warm!
5. My job. Even though there are days where I want to quit, I am thankful of it.
6. Vanilla Rooibos tea at Starbucks! It's Heaven in a cup with just 3 pumps of vanilla I don't need sugar! It's SO yummy you should try it if you haven't already! But don't get the classic syrup, get vanilla it's sweeter and yummy!
7. Yes I am grateful this week for rice cakes. I know it's weird but its my new favorite treat. I love it with fat free whip cream and a little bit of caramel sauce {Starbucks}. Talk about tasty and filling that sweet tooth but without all that fat!
8. My Monday bible study. Little did I know that God would completely and utterly open up so many doors for learning about Hebrews and myself as well as the wonderful women in the group!
9. The really cute and beautiful things I've seen out there for Christmas. Although I think that having stuff up the day after Halloween is a bit much. But it's SO cute!!! We're decorating Dec. 6th.
10. For the gym. There I said it. I have struggled SO much in this area as of late that I am just depressed about it. But.. I managed this week to go to the gym 4 days and do the trainer workout from the evil one for the full week! And no, the trainer isn't evil, but the workouts she had me doing were.
11. My home group and everyone in it.
12. Being completely done with my extended family's Christmas presents except for the kids gift cards. I am even mailing everything by the end of this month! How's that for organized? Yeah!
13. For a clean home.
14. Not being annoyed when someone is riding my tail in the car! That is huge growth and praise from God for that one! I used to get so annoyed I'd slam on my breaks {yeah I know, stupid of me}, then it got to the point where I'd pull over if someone was doing it. Now I just ignore whomever is behind me and have decided if they want to get around me that bad, then either they will or won't!
15. Really hot showers because you always come out feeling so refreshed and renewed!

I also wanted to share that in the last few weeks I've found myself without a scrappy home. My all time favorite closed months ago so I started looking around.. I found one I thought could be my home, only to realize the boards confused the heck out of me and I didn't care for the layout of it all. Then I moved to another one and like that set up a lot, only the board fell apart as well as the team and the company.. And I even tried to go back to one I used to be on years ago. Although everyone was welcoming I felt like I was out of place, alone almost. And now I am completely lost. I don't have a home or a place to call my home. So I decided to jump back on the band wagon and find me a home! I think I found a good place! It's called Treasured Scrapbooking go check them out! I think I've finally found my place and can be settled again!

Flat on my butt....

Okay follow me here...
I was in the gym, put my stuff down on my favorite treadmill. Then I walked
to the bathroom to go potty before working out.
I come back, get all set up and start walking my tail off.
It was then I realized I left my phone in the bathroom.
So I get off, stop the machine and go back and get it.
Luckily it was there.
I come back and notice the treadmill is still on, running.
But I figure I can jump on it and be okay. I don't literally jump though,
I just step up on it and loose my balance and it shoves me off..
I fall.
Yep in the gym.
The treadmill pushes me off of it, I slip even more as I fall trying to get up cause the
machine is still going.
The girl next to me says oh ....
and then says, I got the machine off are you okay.
I jumped up and hold my hands up like I'm a gymnast going for gold!
I was embarrassed and ticked too..
I stand there and notice that luckily even though the gym is completely full
that not many people are over in the same area, so not that many people saw it!
But I also notice that my ear phones where it connects and goes into your Ipod
has completely broken off into the Ipod itself. SIGH.
So I walk to the counter to get one I can borrow while I'm working out.
I notice this lady looking at me and she asks me if I am okay.
I tell her that I am but I realized in telling her this that I started to hurt.
Yep. My left arm has a HUGE welt on it that is going to turn a beautiful shade
of black and blue!
I tell her I am okay and share with her how embarrassed I am and she says at least you
are okay! I agreed. Got borrowed ear phones and came back.
Got on treadmill and started to walk.
That was that.
As I was walking I was thinking...

1. Oh I am bloggin' about this, I wished I had photos! LOL.
2. I scan the room one more time to see if anyone is looking in my direction so I could smile and laugh a little, but no one was.
3. I wondered what I look like when I fell.
4. I couldn't stop myself from falling and must of fallen on my left upper wrist. It hurts.
5. I felt completely and utterly STUPID!
6. And I wanted to laugh really hard and had I been with someone I knew I would of laughed
for about 30 minutes because honestly it was funny, I know it was!
7. No one ever, EVER wants to fall in the gym. *SIGH*
8. I was pretty proud of myself that the S word didn't come out of my mouth! :)

And even though you were there with me, laugh for me today about it because now that I am sitting at home replaying it all through, it's REALLY funny! Come on you know it is!

Got any funny stories like this to share? Come on.. You know you do! Hee, hee!

Weekend warrior!

Seriously now I know why we have 3 supervisors! I cannot
imagine just having two day in and day out! We've got a supervisor on
leave for 6 days, just 6 days and its harder than ever! I have been
shown that complaining about when I do actually work and my schedule
isn't something that I need to be doing again.... I am really looking forward
to to getting back to my normal schedule soon!

Now that we know that D isn't on the listing to deploy,
we are really feeling blessed. And I am admitting I am REALLY glad
that he'll be here for the winter and he can drive us in the snowy tundra!
Not only that, but it will be nice to have him home when he is normally
gone. I honestly believe in my heart he won't be deploying again, even when
summer comes around! But with all this means that we'll be going to Disney earlier than
we had planned!

Yeah for us!
We are now going in March 2010. I am SO thankful that I got our airline tickets
with insurance so that we can change them. And also that we didn't
actually buy Disney tickets yet since they won't be changing that
much before we go. We are getting them after the first of the year though
to have them on hand and ready to go!
We are totally stoked as this is something we've been planning for years
but never was able to go each time because D would have to deploy or something
would come up with his job!

Grateful list this week:

1. Silence.
2. Laughter with D.
3. New American Crafts Letterbox line!
4. God's work in our home group.
5. A new mind set.
6. Struggles that cause you to lean upon Christ.
7. Christmas is coming! Only 4o something days left!
8. Fun snowmen and Santa's.
9. Guitar Hero.
10. God's grace and mercy that is enough to fill your bucket and then some!

I have another layout to share as well!
This is with the IAAS kit that you saw already.






I LOVED this kit!
It was really fun to work with this
month! It's a good thing we made
it to the pumpkin patch this year
so I could get these great photos
to go along with this really great
kit! I am pretty excited about the colors!

I have been on the hunt for matching Christmas pj's for our family this year. I normally just get us pj's to open up on Christmas Eve {our one traditional gift to open} but this year I wanted to do matching pj's. Do you know how hard that is? I have looked in stores and all over the internet too. I finally just decided to make sure they were in the same color ranges to kind of look like they were matching! LOL. So I bought them at Old Navy. I like them all and hopefully they will too! Of course there will be photos, which they both already know that is going to happen!

Speaking of Old Navy. I love that store. However I don't love their jeans. Maybe it's just me but every time I get a pair of them they aren't ever my favorite pair. I like jeans that move with you and your body. You know when you move, so do they. But these jeans that I have from there don't bend, move, or work with you much at all! I finally broke down and bought a new pair from Wal-Mart... I bought a pair of Levi's and honestly I wasn't too sure how I'd like them. But they move with me and aren't so stiff that I feel like a stuffed pig! And the price? 20 bucks. You know how I am all over buying cheap stuff that's decent. These pants have become my new favorites. I'll keep the other one's but gosh those things weren't working very good for me!

I hope your weekend was spent being with your family cherishing them and your memories too!

I'm in LOVE!

I am SO excited to show you this today!
It's my newest Pink Sketches sketch and I am in LOVE with it!
The reason why is don't you find yourself at times really loving
something you create? I do. And this layout is my new favorite!
It's of Kira just looking totally cute, but it's the design
that I am really in love with.
I loved how it all came together!

SUPPLIES: American Crafts Halloween Full Moon papers, American Crafts Halloween Grimm papers, American Crafts Halloween Undead papers, American Crafts Letterman chipboard Thickers, Fiskars punch, CM corner rounder, Creative Imaginations Creative Cafe Just Wonderful journaling pad, Generic twine, American Crafts Flair So Fun, DoodleBug trims, American Crafts Fun clear stamp, American Crafts Halloween Scream papers, MM letter stickers, Pop dots, Zig black writer.

I went nuts with the American Crafts supplies, because well they are my all time favorite company of course!! It's really fun to take one theme and make it into something else! Most of the AC supplies were from their Halloween line! Fun!

What have you been working on lately? Link it and let me see what you love too!

Fall splendor

Thank you for all of your honest responses to the questions I asked.
I like honesty. I seriously thought for a second that I'd start another
more personal blog. I did for a minute. But I realized and now ever more so
after all of your responses that I am going to stick with one blog. I don't think
I could actually keep up two blogs anyway. It's a lot of work and I still
feel that scrapping is a part of me, just as much as my life is a part of me.
They are really one in the same. Even if I spill a lot about myself and my
life it's a part of me. So is creating.
So there you have it!

Can you believe that we are already into November and almost the middle
of it, can you believe that?
I am still in the fall-ish mood and I hope that you are as well!
I love fall.
I think most people do.
What I love the most is about change.
The change in everything.
It's almost like its a reason to start fresh!
Even if its trying to be winter here with snow flurries and coldness.

A&I just recently started this bible study together.

And we both really like it a lot. It deals with many things that A is going
through and it helps me as a mom be on top of things like this with her
as well. It is also helping me out to understand her more so while she
goes through all these changes. One of the things I love the most about
this is doing a bible study with A every week is that we can bond with
one another, that girlie time. Together having fun and spending time in
the word.

I also wanted to show you this:

I was so excited to work with the new Bo Bunny papers this month!
This kit was amazing and worked SO well with my photos.

I really loved the rich colors because they worked so well with the photos of A
that we took at the pumpkin patch this year!

I also did a bit of sewing on this! I wanted my buttons to look finished so I just
took a needle and thread and sewed them all on! Sometimes it is so much fun
sewing! Ha.
I am a stickler for a couple of things on my layouts. I almost always use a
corner rounder somewhere on my page. I also have to have things dimensional.
For me it makes the page complete! Pop dots are my bestest friend in scrapping.

Supplies: CM corner rounder, The IAAS kit, American Crafts Tangerine Chit Chat Thickers, American Crafts stamp markers, pop dots, Bo Bunny Kitchen Spice papers, Maya Road leaves chipboard, My Little Yellow Bicycle Autumn Bliss Felt stickers, Generic buttons, Brown Satin String, Maya Road Gingham point blossoms, Maya Road flash card sheers, Maya Road bird and tree tile rubons, My Little Yellow Bicycle Autumn Bliss.

I hope that you find yourself enjoying the changes that are happening in your life too!

Questions for ya...

How do you feel about blogs having both personal and scrapping stuff on it?
Do you feel that they should be separate, why or why not?
Does it matter if they aren't separated because you want to hear about the person life as well as seeing scrapping projects?
Do you come to my blog to read about my life or see my projects, or both?
Which do you prefer, seeing more scrapping or life related things?

I ask this because recently I stumbled upon this very topic and wondered what you thought about it.

Thanks for answering these questions for me! Have a great day!

Twelve Friday's

Seriously go check it out.
Twevle Friday's
You could win a spot for their totally cool and fun weekend getaway!
Now who wouldn't like that!!!

Hi.

Hello out there!
Just wanted to give a shout out to those that stop by. I really appreciate it when you stop by, it warms me heart to read messages that you leave. Thank you for that!

Just some random pieces of news..

*Dayv shared with me the other day he isn't going to push going on this deployment. So please continue to pray that he doesn't go and that the Lord show us what he has in store for us.

*He is going TDY again though from the 3-18 of December. So please pray he returns right on time to celebrate Christmas!

*A loves working behind the scenes for Schoolhouse Rock but has been a very busy girl! I think she's ready for it to go back to normal.

*I've got a nasty cold and am so thankful that I don't have to work today.

*I want to buy matching Christmas pj's for us this year, but I cannot seem to find them anywhere.

*I bought all of my family's Christmas presents the other day. I was going to make them all something crafty but decided that making 8 of them wasn't my idea of fun. So they are all getting a prezzie instead that's bought! But SO excited that I am finished. All I need is to get each of the kids something.

*I actually bought Christmas stuff the other day! LOL. Yeah. Wal-Mart had the cutest paper plates, napkins, and cups and I couldn't resist. In fact I could of probably spent more but I got that stuff and Santa hats {they are never out when I want them so I got them early to do a photo shoot with them!}.

*Here is my newest sketch for Pink Sketches. It's a very simple layout for me but I really wanted to use the travel line from American Crafts!

I am not sure why it's so blurry on here..

*We got A a laptop for Christmas. It was a pricey item but we both decided that since hers was on the outs and that she needs it more and more for school that it was time. She has NO clue. Cause of the whole 5 list thingy we've done. But she is going to LOVE it, it rocks!

Grateful list this week:

1. For medicine that works.
2. Sleep.
3. Good running vehicles.
4. Lunch with friends.
5. Fall.
6. Clean sheets.
7. How the Lord speaks.
8. Our new couples group.
9. Singing.
10. Silence.

Everything else is going good here. Just livin' daily and pickin' up our crosses! Hope that your weekend rocks.

Jen Ledger

I told you I'd share a really cool post all by itself.
Today is that day. It's a post about Jen.

Yep this is Jen.

She's Skillet's drummer.
She's like 19.
She's incredible.
She really rocks.
She's totally awesome.
And Jen is my hero.
Yep. She is my hero, I said it.
I want to be just like her.
I want to play drums just like her.

This is Jen's drum stick

See how beat up it is? She plays really hard and rocks it too!
She was using it at the concert.
She was doing a drum solo and it seriously rocked.
I have to admit I pottied my pants just a little cause
I was jumpin' up and down like the crazed woman that I am!
Because she was that good. I mean good.
And she did this solo like I said for about 10 minutes I think.
She stood up each time in each passage and the crowd went nuts!
And then she finally stood up because she was done...
That is when she turned to the left and threw her drum stick.
We all must of watched it fly threw the air to see who was the lucky peep that caught it.
So many hands in the air...
Then she pauses and turns to the right.
That's where I come in.
And before I tell you that I caught the famed Jen Ledger's drum stick let me just share with you...
I was standing up, so was everyone else. We had fantastic seats because they were VIP seats.
We weren't in the orchestra pit, but we were the 2nd seats back and pretty close to the stage.
Jen wasn't very close to us though because the stage was huge and they have many things on it.
But she stands up and faces the left, then the right like I said.
And here I am thinking why is she pausing before she throws it? I dunno what was going through
her mind but I was thinking this and then thought, she's going to throw it this way.
Never in a million years will it go this far back {and understand she didn't throw the first one to the left very far at all which is why I was thinking this}. So the pause, then she throws it.
And I have to share with you as I watch it being thrown, how many hands went up...
Mine didn't cause I was still stuck on there isn't any way it will make it this far back.
So it reaches hand one, and passes.
It reaches two or three more hands that touch a glimpse of it.
It hits the orchestra wall, which wasn't very high and bounces up.
By this time as we are all watching it, I realize it is coming this far back...

It hits the wall, bounces up and seriously hits the girl in front of me. But it doesn't hurt her, it startles her and she swats at it because she doesn't really know what is coming at her because
she wasn't really paying attention.
Now mind you, when I realized that it was actually coming back towards us, I said no way Jesus, then it turned too yes Jesus, oh yeah, and then no way again! LOL.
So it hits the girl and she swats at it, and I hold up my hands realizing in that split second it is literally coming straight at me.
And yeah, I caught it. Like a football player catches a ball in his stomach.
That is where the drum stick landed... Straight in my stomach.
I had a firm hold on it and wasn't going to let it go.
And then it really hit me, I caught Jen's drum stick!
I started jumping up and down and D & A gave me a high five.
I couldn't believe it, but yet that is how the Lord works, seriously!
Cause there is no way that the drum stick could have flown across all those grabbing hands like it did and then fly into mine! Totally and utterly amazing. Just amazing.
I am still in awe over the entire thing actually.
Not really because I am that crazed, but because what are the chances?
But again that is how the Lord works...
Deep down he knew I'd want something like this even if Jen didn't have a clue, the Lord did.

It's given me new inspiration to seriously go after my dreams.
I want to play the drums better.
Cause I can feel it...
And thanks to this push from the Lord, from Jen.
I can do it!

The aftermath

Lots of photos here tonight!
On Sunday night we went to see them:

This is Skillet. They put on a killer show, seriously! I mean it was
fantastic! The drummer Jen {blond hair} rocks the house!
It was AMAZING!
The only disappointing thing with them is that they were the only
band to not come out to their booth after the show.
I mean I get it, they are the top named band and a lot of bands don't
do this, and they would have been their all night long since everyone
would of wanted a piece of them but... It still would of been cool had they
done that. But that was only a tiny disappointment cause their show more
than made up for it, totally!
D&I both got Skillet tee's of course, but we didn't wear ours that night.
But they totally rock too!
And yeah, Jen with the blond hair is looking straight at me... Because I was the tallest person
around me and when they turned I was jumping up and acting like a nut and
she smiled right when I stopped to take this photo!

Here is Hawk Nelson, whom Alyssa thinks is really cute.
Their show was upbeat and cute. I knew a lot of their songs
cause A listens to them and they have a lot of airtime.
The came on before Skillet and played about 6-7 songs.

This is Decyfer Down. Amazing band. Amazing show!
They came on 2nd and played a great show with about 4 songs.
The tats on these guys were pretty cool!
These guys were really genuine when we met them in person after
the show. They signed our VIP passes on the back, totally cool!
Very down to earth and really cute too!

This is The Letter Black. They came on first because they are a
no name group, whom D and I really liked. We bought their CD. They
rocked the house too! And Their tats were amazing!
They signed the inside of the CD case we bought, and I also got a photo with them!
We didn't get very good photos of them in the actual concert though, cause
they all were jumpin' around on stage like crazy.

and it seriously ROCKED THE HOUSE!!!
They each were so awesome.
But... Admittedly so, Skillet stole the show!
They completely and utterly rocked, seriously.

This is A and her friend Kati who we took to the concert as well.
They both got Hawk Nelson tee's and were pretty stoked when
Hawk Nelson came out to play!

Even though the line for the VIP tickets that we got was small,
we had to wait inline outside in the freezing cold for over an hour
just to get in early. Ha! It was worth it, but not at the time we were freezing
our butts off! This is right after we got our VIP passes, we were SO
excited! How cool is that.

I thought it would be cool to get a photo of D and I especially since
he held the camera pretty much all night and took photos.
I think we look pretty cute!!!
Yeah that's my new coat, isn't it cute!

Concerts are such a natural high, the night was SO much fun!!!!
What a blessing to rock out and also talk about God!
We all pretty much have horse voices still and are still really tired
but totally worth it. I'd go again in a heartbeat!

I have another really seriously cool story to share, but I wanted to post it
in a post all by itself because I felt like it deserved one, so stay tuned cause
it's about the concert and what happened that night!!