Beautiful Snow

Yesterday it was snowing big, beautiful, fluffy flakes, so I ran out to snap some photos. I didn't think many of them turned out, but when I downloaded them to my computer and started editing, I definitely have some favorites!! :) Enjoy!

I love this one!

I'm pleased with the bokeh! :)

I love those red berries~ merry and bright!

And this is one of my favorites!

~Winters' leftovers~

It could almost be the beach with white sand~ :)

<3 <3 <3

~Mossy wall~

So now that I'm starting to build up a collection of photos taken with my new camera, I think it's time I had a name for my photography~ signing my photos with my name is just fine, but maybe ya'll have some suggestions. :) I was considering 'Wandering Brooke Photography'.....

~Dani

New Design!!!

How does everyone like the new design? I was a little hesitant to change it because I really loved the other design, but once I got started changing everything, I liked this new hat more and more.:) I've updated nearly everything and I'm pretty pleased with how this all turned out. Besides, it's always nice to have something new~ a new color scheme, new patterns, new music.:) Hope you enjoy the change~ !!!

A Happy Birthday

 Rebecca & Jonah

Yesterday was my little brother Jonah's 13th birthday~ I can hardly believe 

he's a teen now....how time flies! So we went over to my grandparents' house

for a nice dinner and visit. Over all we had a lovely evening~ 

Chatting, eating good food, and enjoying grandmas' wonderful coffee!

These are burgers like none else: in a plastic bag with some raw hamberger

you add any toppings you like~ chopped pickles, bacon bits, cheese, sliced 

sausage, steak seasoning~ anything. Then fry it all up and enjoy! It's my new 

favorite food~ I'm glad Jonah chose this as his birthday dinner!

And the root beer of course~ I could have skipped the diet part though!

Jonah and his castle cake~ which was the theme.

LeAnna~ I simply cannot resist her! She's so adorable and photogenic. Whenever

I get my camera out she's right there saying "Take a picture of me!"

The ice cream cake was scrumptious!

Grandpa put a nice log on to burn while we visited~

Talking guns with Grandpa~ 

(sorry for the poor image quality)

~My favorite coffee in one of my favorite mugs~

(what would we all do without coffee???)

And while everyone visited in the living room, I had a little photo shoot with Susanna and LeAnna~

So we had a wonderful evening. Happy Birthday to my dear brother Jonah!!!!        

In Which I Introduce A New Blog!

I'm so excited introduce to you a new blog of mine! Of course, it's not meant to take over this blog, but I've been wanting a blog just for posting about herbs and herbal remedies. So this is what I came up with! Hope ya'll like it!

The Apothecary Shoppe

Saturday Wisdom Search

For this week, I was going to post that sermon I promised for you all to read, but then I thought better of it, thinking that it might prove to be a bit long and tedious. So, instead, I'll post the link to the sermon so that you can listen to it. I highly encourage and challenge you all to take just 40 min. of your time and dedicate it to listening to this, and allowing God to speak to you through it. I'm assuring you that it will give plenty of food for thought! Not only that, when you're in the service of the Great King, it's our honor and joy to spend time thinking of God and pondering His word~ So, I hope you all will find this very encouraging and uplifting, as I did! Blessings!

Sermon: How To Change Your Heart 

(This link will take you right to the player)

Share your thoughts!

Happenings of Late

I'm so glad I was able to snatch the time today to write a more lengthy blog post, and tell you all what I've been doing these last weeks!

First off, I'd like to thank all the new followers~ you're very welcome here, and we're glad to have you! I hope this blog continues to be an encouragement to you to keep following God with all your heart, mind, soul and strength, and that you enjoy the little tidbits of my life and fancies that I throw in here and there. :) And thanks to all of you who left comments about my photo entry~ I really appreciated them! They made my day.:)

Second, for our Saturday wisdom search posts, I would like to share an old sermon by a wonderful preacher (in words) that I had the privilege of hearing a few nights ago. I found it very edifying, and I know there are some who read this blog who would find it edifying as well. I'll have to post it in sections, so it will take a few weeks, but that will allow for us to comment between each post. I hope everyone is as excited about this as I am! Thought provoking is the word for this sermon. :)

So, in explanation of my slight absence on blogger...
On New Years' eve, we were finally able to drive over to the H. familys' house for a wonderful dinner and evening in which we played a few games and had a fun time of fellowship!

The drive there was absolutely gorgeous, and I had a fun

 time snapping photos out the foggy windows.:)

Playing telephone pictionary~ deciding what to write....

Reading our hilarious cards aloud. :)

Playing Apples to Apples~ Bible addition!

So all in all we had a wonderful evening! Since then we've spent quite a few days rearranging/cleaning/organizing our house, and I've been trying to get on a more consistent schedule practicing my violin and getting back into doing my art, along with teaching and spending time with the kids, and generally spending less time on the internet. (sorry, I don't have any pictures of those :)) We've also had many blessings come our way which we are so very thankful for! For example, starting in February, I will be partaking of some photography workshops, and I am so looking forward to it! Here are a few photos I've taken in my spare time:

A portrait of my sister Susanna :)

A bunch of berries that insists on being bold and bright against the clear

blue sky when all else is dead and drab~ I couldn't resist!

Leanna~ don't you just adore her cute smile? :)

I guess I shall have to include a self portrait of yours truly too :)

~This is me~

So there you have it! Share your thoughts!!!

Photo Challenge // the little things

Lucia, at  lucia, etc. is going to be hosting monthly photo challenges, and I'm so excited thrilled to link up this month! Feel free to participate!!! Her theme is~ the little things. Here is an excerpt from her post:

"This month's photo challenge is the little things. You know those tiny, sometimes hidden or brief joys in life that are so important--or merely adorable? Those are what I am challenging you to capture. Ladybugs on a leaf, a child's joy at his Christmas gift, a baby slumbering, an expression, something miniature..."

So here is my entry:

The Last Token of Fall

Linking up! ~Dani                                                                                   
Find the button on my sidebar>>>

These Happy Golden Days

(This post is a whole day late; but better late than never right?)

I remember thinking ahead to all those far away years~ 2010, 2012. I couldn't imagine what it would be like and how my life would change. And yet, here we are already and I can't believe it!!! Looking back through the years, I can see all of the many times God rained down His blessings on me and my family~ of how His hand of protection was on us, and how much closer I've grown to Him. Yes, and even the hard times of trial, when all seemed dim and discouraging~ God was still with us and for us. But for now, the sun hangs high and shines bright in the crystal blue sky of my life. All is good....and there's a sense of anticipation and excitement in the air~ for this coming year.

my blessings in 2011 

All in all, my biggest blessings have been that I have and cherish my family, and that God has taken such good care of us, even granting us some of our wants along with our needs. One of my growing desires was to have a nice camera with which to start my journey in photography, and I was so blessed to receive one for my birthday. I already have a few photo shoots lined up for this spring, which I am really looking forward to. So, my camera~ definitely a want, but God was so gracious to give me one!
Another thing I count a blessing was my opportunity to spend the summer at Peniel Ranch. I grew in knowledge of many things, and generally had an excellent time! So wonderful a time in fact, that with the Lords' help, I will be spending next summer there also. *sighz happily*
One of my favorite highlights of the year is that I am building wonderful relationships with my little friends (brothers and sisters), while I impart to them the knowledge of writing. That has been one of my greatest joys!
And some random little blessings from '11:
My new sugar scrubs
Lotion and body mist that smells heavenly :D
My laptop
All the scrumptious new cloths I've been blessed with
Good books
Yankee candles
The new scarves that I got for Christmas (oh I love scarves!)
This blog! (which I started in April)
And our new Keurig one cup coffee maker. *very snazzy*

 
my aspirations for 2012

 I'm not making any new year resolutions~ period. (it never works lol) But I do have a few goals that I'll be consistently working towards and will hopefully accomplish! I want to~
Become a better photographer~ I do know that this will happen :D
Master 'Beau Soir' (Beautiful Evening) on the violin~ kind of a complicated piece as far as the intonation.
Redecorate and repaint my bedroom, and do more interior decor around the house
Make some significant progress in art projects that I have pending
Buy my own car (eeeehh, I don't know about that one....)
Grow my very own herb garden, and preserve the herbs for later use
Keep up on my study of midwifery
Drink lots of coffee (Hahaha, that won't be hard!)
Post a lot here, especially through the summer
Throw a big party for my 20th birthday (Maybe ya'll would like to plan a surprise party~ *hintz*)
Gain at least 50 followers! (Now that would be amazing!!!)
And most of all, spend tons of time with my family and friends, growing closer to God all the time!

So, these are my thoughts for the New Year. What are yours?