Sunday 26 May 2013

Brothers.

Brothers. They are quite a fascinating bunch, are they not?

I am very blessed to have four brothers. Benjamin (Ben), Jonathan (Johnny), Caleb and Jacob.


This is the oldest of the four boys, Ben. He is eleven in July. Here he is in his 'cowboy' pose.

The next two are Johnny and Caleb. Johnny is nine and Caleb is five. These two are dressed up as Indians.

This is the youngest in our family, two year old Jacob. Or Jaybird. Or Jake. Or Jakie. Call him what you will, isn't he cute???
The 'cowboys and Indians' shot. From left, Johnny, Ben and Caleb.

Saturday 25 May 2013

Free to a good home!

Free to a good home: my button!

Using the HTML code below, past it into a sidebar or whatever.

<a href="http://www.mybannermaker.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i.imgur.com/DbDb9vh.jpg" alt='Create your own banner at mybannermaker.com!' border=0 /></a><br>

Create your own banner at mybannermaker.com!

If you wouldn't mind putting it onto your blog, I would be very grateful!

Birthdays + music + netball + camp = busy life!

Here I am, posting again. As I could not think of anything else, this post will be pretty random, I imagine.
Here's the Procrastinator's Daybook to kick us off. :-)


Date... 25th of May.

Starting time... 1:26 pm

Mood... hungry for some lunch! Yes, it's late.

Outside my window... I can hear the birds in the aviary chirping.

I'm thinking... How much longer until lunchtime???

I'm currently reading... Song of the Trumpet by Charles G. Coleman

I'm listening to... Mum and Dad talking about houses.

I'm wearing... a pink t-shirt and brown skirt. It just seems that sort of day.

I'm looking forward to... being 15. I've been saying I'm 'nearly 15' since, like, January.

I'm hoping...I umpired netball alright this morning. I did it by myself today. :-)

Yesterday, I... did schoolwork...music theory with Sophie....ate meals...

I'm hungry for... nothing really. We've just had lunch. Sausage rolls because it is Mum's birthday today!

The song stuck in my head is... Giraffes are Awesome (just kidding)

I love... Birthdays! Me and Mum are four days apart.

I loathe... getting beaten in our netball game. :-( Like what happened this morning...

Picture of the week...

Recent photo of Sophie
I'm really looking forward to a camp I'll be at this week. Starting from Monday and going through to Friday, I most probably will not be able to post, as I do not have the access to an electronic device I can post through. (I will be away over my birthday. *sobs*)

So sorry about that, you'll miss out on my posts for five days or so. You'll cope, though. I hope.
As I said above, it's Mums birthday! Happy birthday Mum!

And I'll leave you with that. May the Lord bless you in all that you do. :-)

Friday 24 May 2013

Survey

I have found that I can't view my survey results anymore... So those of you who have very kindly taken the survey, can you please take it again???

Sorry to bug you!

I have actually changed the provider so hopefully it won't happen again. ;-)

Go here to take it. Thank you- you are much appreciated!

Are you a good person?

I found the link to this test on Rhoda's blog. It is excellent!

If you don't agree, try it. Go here and have a look. It really is worth checking out.

(BTW, only 8 more posts left before the fantastic 100th post!!! Exciting!)

Thursday 23 May 2013

Tagged... AGAIN

Well, I've had several tags that I haven't responded to because I felt that it will only get everyone heartily sick of the same tag. (Like I am.) But now I have just gotten tagged AGAIN so I thought "Oh well, I'll do something different then maybe people won't be so bored reading it."

(Oh, by the way, I was tagged by Rayne Speryll . I guess I should thank her...)

So I'll do something different. That was a brainwave. The only problem is, WHAT? Yeah. I am stuck for ideas, too.

Maybe I'll just post ten rather fascinating facts, NOT necessarily about me... but hopefully you'll find it interesting.

1.) 11 % of people are left handed
2.) August has the highest percentage of births
3.) The average person falls asleep in 7 minutes (I am not sure how true this one is.)
4.) A bear has 42 teeth
5.) "Dreamt" is the only word that ends in mt
6.) Anatidaephobia is the fear that somewhere in the world there is a duck watching you.
7.) A cat has 32 muscles in each ear
8.) Macadamia nuts are toxic to dogs
9.) Each time you see a full moon you always see the same side
10.) All your blinking in one day equates to 1/2 hour with your eyes shut

So that's 10 random facts. If you read this and want to do the same on your blog, consider yourself tagged. Otherwise, don't bother. :-)

Wednesday 22 May 2013

Why did the Chicken cross the Road?


Why did the chicken cross the road? Answers from some of the world's thinkers...
Julius Caesar: To come, to see, to conquer.

John Calvin: It was predestined.

Charles Darwin: It was the logical next step after coming down from the trees.

Bill Gates: I have just released the new eChicken 2000, which will not only cross roads, but will lay eggs, file your important documents, and balance your checkbook. Of course, you will have to purchase Microsoft Road.

Grandpa: In my day, we didn't ask why the chicken crossed the road. Someone told us that the chicken had crossed the road, and that was good enough for us.

Saddam Hussein: This was an unprovoked act of rebellion and we were quite justified in dropping fifty tons of nerve gas on it.

Sir Isaac Newton: Chickens at rest tend to stay at rest. Chickens in motion tend to cross the road.

Moses: And God came down from the Heavens, and He said unto the chicken, "Thou shalt cross the road.'' And the chicken crossed the road, and there was much rejoicing.

Gandalf: O chicken, do not meddle in the affairs of roads, for you are tasty and good with barbecue sauce.

J.R.R. Tolkein: The chicken, sunlight coruscating off its radiant yellow- white coat of feathers, approached the dark, sullen asphalt road and scrutinized it intently with its obsidian-black eyes. Every detail of the thoroughfare leapt into blinding focus: the rough texture of the surface, over which countless tires had worked their relentless tread through the ages; the innumerable fragments of stone embedded within the lugubrious mass, perhaps quarried from the great pits where the Sons of Man labored not far from here; the dull black asphalt itself, exuding those waves of heat which distort the sight and bring weakness to the body; the other attributes of the great highway too numerous to give name. And then it crossed it.

Captain Kirk: To go boldly where no chicken has gone before.

Plato: For the greater good.

Jules Verne: Much knowledge of our world, and the worlds beyond, has been achieved through scientific curiosity. Under a 125 F.At 36 degree North and 115 degree East, and at 03:00 GMT, Professor Chicken entered history as his Cannon propelled him through the road.

William Shakespeare: I don't know why, but methinks I could rattle off a hundred-line soliloquy without much ado.

Computer programmer: cross_road() was called from get_other_side()

Shrek: Urrrrrp. What chicken?

Dr. Seuss:
Did the chicken cross the road?
Did he cross it with a toad?
Yes! The chicken crossed the road,
But why it crossed, I've not been told!

Darth Vader: Because it could not resist the power of the Dark Side.

Martin Luther King Jr: I envision a world where all chickens will be free to cross roads without having their motives called into question.

Siri: I don't understand why people ask questions they already know the answer to.

Albert Einstein: Did the chicken really cross the road, or did the road move beneath the chicken?

Credits Jag Swiftstorm

Tuesday 21 May 2013

Good ideas

Good ideas. They are rather helpful things, aren't they?

I find my good ideas usually happen at about 2:00 am. I am lying in bed trying to go to sleep and I suddenly get a spark of ingenuity. A good idea. A sudden brainwave. It's a shame it happens when it does, isn't it!
If I am lying in bed trying to sleep, the thing I don't want just then is a good idea. Any other time of day would be appreciated. I am not opposed to good ideas; however it seems to me that I want them at a more convenient time. A time when I actually have pen and paper beside me so I can write them down!

We've all had those times when you are lying in bed and you suddenly sit bolt upright (depending on your personality) and think to yourself "Eureka!" (A Greek word meaning 'I have found it'.)

The only problem is, you usually have forgotten it by morning.

Last night I had a truly inspired idea. And I hadn't forgotten it this morning. I thought of a BRILLIANT idea for my 100th post on this blog. (This is the 89th.) However- I will not tell you what it is! You will have to wait until I reach 100 before you find out what it is!

I'd better start writing it. It will most likely take a while. Are you curious?

Monday 20 May 2013

Perfectly timed


Perfectly Timed Animal Photo 27 Bird Smile

Some photos just don't even need a caption.

Sunday 19 May 2013

Favourite + Challenge

These are some of my favourites.

Favourite....

Colour: Royal blue
Food: I always fall for chocolate...
Item of clothing: My stripy blue sleeved top
Song: I love lots, but particularly "Glorified" by the Parachute Band.
Board Game: Snakes and Ladders. Yep, I like simple ones.
Card game: Monopoly Deal or Cheat.
Active Game: Sardines... maybe. Have to think about that one.
Singer: Don Moen, Twila Paris or Robin Mark.
Animal: I always think little tiny dogs are REALLY cute. :-)
Job: Folding washing.
Saying: I'm proud of my humility.
Instrument: Cello (it's got such a mellow tone)
Author: Frank Peretti? I have lots but I can't think of them right now.
Book: I'm not even going to answer this one. Too hard.
Company: Telecom!!! -Dad works there. I'm very loyal. :-)
Font: I love the swirly ones. They look awesome.
Bible verse: Where do I start????? Matt 6:25-34, Phil 4:4-7, Jer 29:11, 2 Cor 12:9-10 etc!
Poem: Paul Revere's Ride by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. I love this one even though I'm not American.
DVD: The Secrets of Jonathan Sperry
Virtue: Joy!
Number: Whatever age I am. So 14 at the moment.
Abbreviation: GGNSBFN (Wouldn't you like to know what it stands for?)
Word: Oprickasteinalatiusoidatitianieineedinanarettistewlarooferalldorellaninacakearettaflimsibob. Danella, Sophie and I made this up together. We can say it out loud, which is quite a feat.
Chocolate: The new Marvellous Creations by Cadbury.
Ideas: Good ones.
Place: Home.
Season: Spring or Summer.
Type of house: Two story houses, cottages by the beach or castles.
City: Christchurch, of course! Christ's Church!
Country: What a silly one. I'm a Kiwi through and through. (In case you don't know, it's NZ; New Zealand.)
Place to read: In my bedroom sitting on my bed, or if it's cold, out in the living room by the fire.
Puzzle type: 500 piece jigsaws
Quote: I have lots, but I like this one by Sir Winston Churchill; "We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give."
Smile: Big ones!
Joke: What's the difference between a duck? It's head bangs together as it flies along. (Don't worry if you didn't get that one.)
Sound: Singing or tea cooking.
Vegetable: Meat. (That's what Johnny said when asked when he was about 5... yeah, it's hilarious. I know.)
Swimming stroke: Breastroke, as it is the most relaxing.
Scene: Either people enjoying being together or beautiful views; mountains, beaches, lakes etc.
TV show: 19 kids and Counting (the Duggars) or Mr Ed.
Sport: Netball or ballet (Is ballet a sport?)

I'd better stop now as I'm getting stuck for ideas.
Tell you what. Here's a challenge. If you read this, I challenge YOU to do the same. Post a list of favourites about you on your blog. If you get stuck for ideas feel free to use some of mine. It's not a tag, but I think if you put the challenge at the bottom it could be cool. Let's see how many people's favourites we can find out!


Moving On

Danella and I sometimes sing this song together that we found in a music book. It's a really gorgeous song with beautiful lyrics and a sweet tune. These are the lyrics.

(singer one)Moving on
(singer two) Moving on
(singer one) Moving on
(singer two) Moving on

(both) We have fun together while we're moving on
(singer two) Moving on
We don't know what's up ahead
Or what might have been instead
We're just where our road has lead and moving on.

(singer one)Moving on
(singer two)Moving on
(singer one) Moving on
(singer two) Moving on

(both) We will always be together moving on
(singer two) Moving on
(both) So no matter what we do
Lean on me, I'll lean on you
And our love will see us through
We're moving on.

You can't really get the picture with all the (singer one) and (singer two) and (both) signals scattered around, and it may seem tacky to you, but it does sound nice when we sing it. (At least, that's what I think!) And the words aren't too bad. Kind of.

Anyway, I don't want to be boring you. So I guess I'll leave it at that as I can't think of anything else to say apart from I am REALLY looking forward to when I will be 15. And that's in... let me see....10 days! It's getting closer!
Farewell, faithful followers. Ego vobis valedico.

Saturday 18 May 2013

Blow your whistle!



Obstruction...
Contact...
Stepping...
Held ball....
Replayed ball...
Offside...
Out of court....
Time...
Penalty pass or shot...
Free pass...
Throw in...
Toss up...

Sounds scary, doesn't it? Yup- it is!










This morning was my first time actually umpiring a proper netball game. It's really confusing, because you have to watch out for ALL the above things at the same time... so it's quite difficult. You have to kind of have eyes in the back of your head!

I really enjoyed it and I'm looking forward to umpiring next week as well. But later on today we have to go back to the courts for our proper game of netball... so I'm going to be pretty tired tonight! Danella and I are in the same team.

What do you normally do on Saturdays?

Friday 17 May 2013

100 of the world's funniest one-liners



100 of the World's Funniest One Liners








1. Ninety-nine percent of lawyers give the rest a bad name.

2. Borrow money from a pessimist -- they don't expect it back.

3. Time is what keeps things from happening all at once.

4. Lottery: A tax on people who are bad at math.

5. I didn't fight my way to the top of the food chain to be a vegetarian.

6. Never answer an anonymous letter.

7. It's lonely at the top; but you do eat better.

8. I don't suffer from insanity; I enjoy every minute of it.

9. Always go to other people's funerals, or they won't go to yours.

10. Few women admit their age; few men act it.

11. If we aren't supposed to eat animals, why are they made with meat?

12. No one is listening until you make a mistake.

13. Give me ambiguity or give me something else.

14. We have enough youth. How about a fountain of "Smart"?

15. He who laughs last thinks slowest.

16. Campers: Nature's way of feeding mosquitoes.

17. Always remember that you are unique; just like everyone else.

18. Consciousness: That annoying time between naps.

19. There are three kinds of people: Those who can count and those who can't.

20. Why is "abbreviation" such a long word?

21. Nuke the Whales.

22. I started out with nothing and I still have most of it.

23. Change is inevitable, except from a vending machine.

24. Out of my mind. Back in five minutes.

25. A clear conscience is usually the sign of a bad memory.

26. As long as there are tests, there will be prayer in public schools.

27. Laugh alone and the world thinks you're an idiot.

28. Sometimes I wake up grumpy; other times I let her sleep.

29. The severity of the itch is inversely proportional to the ability to reach it.

30. You can't have everything; where would you put it?

31. I took an IQ test and the results were negative.

32. Okay, who stopped the payment on my reality check?

33. We are born naked, wet and hungry. Then things get worse.

34. 42.7 percent of all statistics are made up on the spot.

35. Be nice to your kids. They'll choose your nursing home.

36. If at first you don't succeed, destroy all evidence that you tried.

37. I wonder how much deeper the ocean would be without sponges.

38. Eat right. Stay fit. Die anyway.

39. My mind is like a steel trap, rusty and illegal in 37 states.

40. Nothing is fool proof to a sufficiently talented fool.

41. On the other hand, you have different fingers.

42. I've only been wrong once, and that's when I thought I was wrong.

43. God made mankind. Sin made him evil.

44. I don't find it hard to meet expenses. They're everywhere.

45. I just let my mind wander, and it didn't come back.

46. Don't steal. The government hates competition.

47. Humpty Dumpty was pushed.

48. National Atheist's Day April 1st.

49. All generalizations are false.

50. The more people I meet, the more I like my dog.

51. Work is for people who don't know how to fish.

52. If you don't like the news, go out and make some.

53. For every action there is an equal and opposite criticism.

54. IRS: We've got what it takes to take what you have got.

55. I'm out of bed and dressed. What more do you want?

56. I used to think I was indecisive, but now I'm not too sure.

57. I can handle pain until it hurts.

58. No matter where you go, you're there.

59. If everything is coming your way, then you're in the wrong lane.

60. It's been Monday all week.

61. Gravity always gets me down.

62. This statement is false.

63. Eschew obfuscation.

64. They told me I was gullible...and I believed them.

65. It's bad luck to be superstitious.

66. According to my best recollection, I don't remember.

67. The word "gullible" isn't in the dictionary.

68. Honk if you like peace and quiet.

69. The Big Bang Theory: God Spoke and BANG! it happened.

70. Atheism is a non-prophet organization.

71. Despite the cost of living, have you noticed how it remains so popular?

72. Save the whales. Collect the whole set.

73. A day without sunshine is like, night.

74. The early bird gets the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese.

75. Corduroy pillows: They're making headlines!

76. Gravity: It's not just a good idea, it's the LAW!

77. Life is too complicated in the morning.

78. We are all part of the ultimate statistic -- ten out of ten die.

79. Nobody's perfect. I'm a nobody.

80. Ask me about my vow of silence.

81. The hardness of butter is directly proportional to the softness of the bread.

82. The last thing on earth you want to do will be the last thing you do.

83. Diplomacy is the art of letting someone else get your way.

84. If ignorance is bliss, then tourists are in a constant state of euphoria.

85. If at first you don't succeed, don't try skydiving.

86. If Barbie is so popular, why do you have to buy her friends?

87. Stop repeat offenders. Don't re-elect them!

88. I intend to live forever. So far so good.

89. Who is "General Failure" and why is he reading my hard disk?

90. What happens if you get scared half to death twice?

91. I used to have an open mind but my brains kept falling out.

92. Energizer Bunny arrested; charged with battery.

93. I didn't use to finish sentences, but now I

94. I've had amnesia as long as I can remember.

95. Bills travel through the mail at twice the speed of checks.

96. Vacation begins when Dad says, "I know a short cut."

97. Evolution: True science fiction.

98. What's another word for "thesaurus"?

99. Everywhere is walking distance if you have the time.

100. A flashlight is a case for holding dead batteries.

Wednesday 15 May 2013

Being Boring

Yup... I'm being boring. I can't think of anything else to do so here's some random facts about me. (No, I wasn't tagged.)

1.) I love watching Mr Ed on YouTube. He's so funny!
2.) We are taking part in a computer programming club at the University at present. It's really interesting. We're learning all about base 2 (binary) data representation and hexidecimals! It's quite fascinating, especially since we get to do badges to make it more fun.
3.) I love reading your comments. They make me feel special. :-)
4.) Did you know that DVD players play DVDs by shining a laser red light on them? And that the reason Blu-Ray DVDS are called Blu-Ray because the laser light shining on them is blue? (If you're interested in Blu-ray discs, go here for more information.
5.) I'm memorizing Psalms 119:127-134 at the moment for a Scripture Exam. I just love that passage.

And here's the Procrastinator's Daybook....



Date... May 15th 2013

Starting time... 6:42 pm

Mood... contented because we just ate tea.

Outside my window... bushes and moon.

I'm thinking... I love the sticky date pudding we had for dessert!

I'm currently reading... I just finished Watership Down by Richard Adams.

I'm listening to... younger siblings playing outside the office door.

I'm wearing... my favourite purple polar fleece and jeans.

I'm looking forward to... My birthday which is in exactly two weeks.....

I'm hoping... it will come soon, and also a camp which is over my birthday which I'm really looking forward to as well.

Yesterday, I... took the bus into town to help out at the Church office.

I'm hungry for... nothing really. I just had tea.

The song stuck in my head is... "Faithful Friend" by Twila Paris and Steven Curtis Chapman.

I love... hugs. I'm a bit of a huggy sort of person. (Don't read that as a Huggies sort of person....) Which would be Rather Awkward....

I loathe... people saying they will do something and then not getting around to doing it. That really makes me annoyed!

Picture of the week...
This is me and Danella when we were quite young. Isn't it cute?

Monday 13 May 2013

Be Courageous!

The title of this post is Courageous. That is the name of a movie but also the title of this post (now)!
Courage. The dictionary defines it as the quality of mind or spirit that enables a person to face difficulty, danger or pain with bravery. Some synonyms for courage include fearlessness, dauntlessness, intrepidity, pluck, spirit, valor and bravado.  And the antonym? Cowardice.

Winston Churchill is a great source of quotes about courage. Some of his finest include “If you’re going through hell, keep going.” “Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.” And probably his most famous quote, which almost everyone will be acquainted with, is “Never, never, never give up.” 
Here are some more quotes about courage from several well known and not so well known people.



I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear.
Nelson Mandela


Courage is what it takes to stand up and speak; courage is also what it takes to sit down and listen.
Winston Churchill

Courage is grace under pressure.
Ernest Hemingway


There are no easy answers but there are simple answers. We must have the courage to do what we know is morally right.
Ronald Reagan

Courage is the most important of all the virtues, because without courage you can't practice any other virtue consistently. You can practice any virtue erratically, but nothing consistently without courage.
Maya Angelou

He who is not courageous enough to take risks will accomplish nothing in life.
Muhammad Ali


Courage is being scared to death... and saddling up anyway.
John Wayne

Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear, not absence of fear.
Mark Twain


Have the courage to say no. Have the courage to face the truth. Do the right thing because it is right. These are the magic keys to living your life with integrity.
W. Clement Stone


One man with courage is a majority.
Thomas Jefferson


Sunday 12 May 2013

I spoke at Church!!!

I spoke at Church!!! Has a certain ring about it, doesn't it?

Before you start telling me off for lying, yes, I did speak in front of the entire Church. So I am telling the truth.

I guess you want to hear all about it, right?
Here goes.

Back on Tuesday when I was in town helping out at our Church office, the lady who was organising the Mother's Day service asked me if I would like to do a short under-5 minute speech at Church for Mother's Day. Of course, I said yes. It's not often you get an opportunity like that, is it?

Anyway, she was organising the Mothers Day service into 5 categories.
1.) Mothers with young children to teenagers
2.) Grandmothers
3.) Solo mums
4.) Married woman who never had children or unmarried women
5.) Widows

She was getting a different speaker for each category and telling them to say something honouring their category, e.g. Grandmothers. So they would talk about how much Grandmothers are a help, what they do, why they do it, we value and honour them etc. And you go on like that for 5 minutes. Easy, huh?

Not exactly. You see, I was asked to do the Grandmothers category.

Yes, I must confess that I think that is one of the easiest categories to do. But... still... the thought of standing up in front of HUNDREDS of people (our Church had about 300 people there I think) and do your talk.... Thrilling! NOT. Scary. YES. Petrifying. YES.

I'll confess to you, dear reader, I was utterly petrified. It's one thing talking to 20-25 people at your public speaking group. They know you quite well  and you know them quite well and you do it every fortnight so it's not that bad... and if you botch it up completely, it's not that big a deal. But to speak in front of CHURCH. That's scary with a capital S!

Don't tell anyone else this, but I am scared for a lot of things. I still get quite a bit scared before doing a speech at the public speaking group, even after 2 years of it. For goodness sakes: I get nervous before piano lessons! That's just me. So you can imagine how petrified I was before I was due to speak. My hands went all clammy. I couldn't remember what I was going to say. (I forgot to look at my notes.) I just about ran out of the door screaming "I'm not going to do it anymore!!!" Yeah, I know. Completely random. Imagine how bad that would have looked had I done it. *headdesk*

But, to cut a long story short, I did it. I conquered my fears. I spoke in front of Church. And people afterwards even came up to me and said I did really well. (That was probably to console me, because I wasn't that good.) But anyway. There you go.

It just goes to show, doesn't it? The things we fear most (i.e. a tongue cramp when you are speaking [jk] ) can just turn out perfectly right. Why do we get so worked up about everything?

On a completely different topic, happy mother's day! Wish your mother a happy mother's day from me. She probably deserves it, after bringing you up!!!! (Just kidding)

Friday 10 May 2013

Click here...

CLICK HERE..... or forever wonder what it was you would have found if you did.
(Don't worry, this isn't spam. It won't even introduce a bug into your computer.)

Click here.
Now click here.
Next, here.
Guess what.
Click here!
Are you clicking these in the right order?
I hope you are.


April Fool

Hi everyone,
I know it's not really April Fool's Day, but I found this really interesting video on YouTube that tells you all about how it got started. Thanks heaps to Esther from Joyful Maiden who, in her extremely helpful blog post about how to put videos onto blog posts, told me how to do it. Thank you Esther!
That's it from me for a while. Enjoy the rest of your week (or what's left of it, anyway!)
Bonnie


Thursday 9 May 2013

Ballet show

I have a limited number of photos from the ballet show.... (by limited, I mean Three...)

This is a photo I scanned in off the programme. It is our class in the village scene. Danella, Sophie and I are at the back. Sophie is between the girl in blue and the girl in lilac (first from the left) Danella is next from the left and I am second from the right. You can't see us very well, but aren't the costumes gorgeous?


This is some of us in our tutus. I am the one in the back row, third from the left. Sophie is on the end beside me. From this angle you can't really see the butterflies in our hair.

Here is the hall where we were doing the photo shoot. At the back are some girls in tutus getting photographed, and in the middle there are people awaiting their turn. 
I would love to have posted more photos, but that's all Abbie took!

An incredible miracle

One of the most incredible miracles in the world is the miracle of the butterfly. It is a caterpillar; then a cocoon; and lastly a butterfly! Two incredible major changes take place in it's life, and we were blessed to be on hand to watch. This is our story.

On the last Thursday of the school term after my violin lesson, we went to Mum's friend's house for a few minutes. We told her that we have always had problems raising caterpillars. (We grow the swan plants but whenever we get caterpillars they always disappear the same day and we've never properly watched them.) She was very kind and offered us three of her monarch caterpillars. When we got home we put them on a swan plant on our windowsill (because we feared it was too cold for them outside and they might die) and have been privileged to watch them progress from caterpillar to cocoon to butterfly.


The first stage: Caterpillar!!

 I do apologise for the condition of these photographs as we didn't want to upset the caterpillar by the flash when it was busy turning into a cocoon. So these photos are the best I could do, sorry!
Second stage: Cocoon. This is the very early hours of the cocoon, it is not in the proper shape yet.


This rather blurry photo is the skin the caterpillar shed when it turned into a cocoon.

And this is the proper shape for the cocoon.

 Once again I apologise about the number and quality of the photos. I think that most of you reading this blog are a hundred times better at photography than me... so you'll have to bear with me. That, by the way, is the full extent of the photos I took so we'll have to resort to good old google images for the rest of the process.



Isn't that amazing??? Why did I even try to do my own photos????!!!











Here's the caterpillar turning into a cocoon.

That's all folks! Enjoy your Thursdays!


Tuesday 7 May 2013

Office... Nearer My God To Thee...


One of my favourite hymns has to be the epic one Nearer My God To Thee by Sarah Flower Adams.
The words are simply gorgeous! Here they are. Read them carefully.

Nearer My God To Thee Hymn

Nearer, my God, to Thee, nearer to Thee!
E’en though it be a cross that raiseth me,
Still all my song shall be, nearer, my God, to Thee.

Refrain

Nearer, my God, to Thee,
Nearer to Thee!

Though like the wanderer, the sun gone down,
Darkness be over me, my rest a stone.
Yet in my dreams I’d be nearer, my God to Thee.

Refrain

There let the way appear, steps unto Heav’n;
All that Thou sendest me, in mercy given;
Angels to beckon me nearer, my God, to Thee.

Refrain

Then, with my waking thoughts bright with Thy praise,
Out of my stony griefs Bethel I’ll raise;
So by my woes to be nearer, my God, to Thee.

Refrain

Or, if on joyful wing cleaving the sky,
Sun, moon, and stars forgot, upward I’ll fly,
Still all my song shall be, nearer, my God, to Thee.

Refrain

There in my Father’s home, safe and at rest,
There in my Savior’s love, perfectly blest;
Age after age to be, nearer my God to Thee.

Refrain

I am extremely happy because today I got to go back in to the Church office to work for the morning. Last year I helped out in the Church office once a week, and I've been wanting to do that again this year. And finally today I was asked to, so hopefully in the coming year I will get to do that more often.

Call me weird if you like, but I just love working in the office! I'd like to be a legal executive or something when I grow up.... we'll see what God wants and what will end up happening! Life is never boring with God!

I am really glad that the ballet show is now over. Yes, I loved ballet an awful lot, but now we have stopped and life is kind of stopping it's crazy pace. Yup- who in their right mind would want to do ballet FOUR times a week?!

There are lots of reasons we stopped ballet, one of them is just that we don't have time anymore! Four times a week for one and a half hours each time is... let me see.... (doing mental maths here...)... I know! It's SIX hours a week! That is colossal.

See what I mean?

Have a joy-filled week!
Bonnie