In Which I Present Something Funny and Muse On Christmas Shopping

I haven't posted something funny for absolutely yonks. So here you go, with my sincerest apologies and hopes that the funnies won't be so far apart in future.

Sophie and I are going Christmas shopping tomorrow. I have long known that it is extremely wise to do Christmas presents real early in our household, for several reasons that I can think of right now.

Firstly, because all the nicest wrapping paper gets used up speedily and if you want to give away pretty presents you need to get in quick. ;) Secondly, because there's nothing worse than coming up to Christmas with no presents and 11 people to get presents for.... that's a terrible place to be in and no mistake!! :D Hence why I'm super prepared this year.

I tidied up my 'valuable junk' drawer on Labour weekend. A whole lot of stuff that I didn't want/didn't need/could do without has been commandeered for Christmas presents for family members. That's just one more really good thing about having lots of siblings - there's always someone who will want what you don't anymore! Besides, it saves me money!! :D :D :D ;D

And all the people I didn't find presents for in my valuable junk drawer will hopefully be covered by tomorrow's shopping expedition. Then I can sit back and relax until Christmas, knowing all my presents are sorted. Ah, how nice it is to be prepared early! :)

Re-reading this post, there seems to be a lot of smiley faces. :P Sorry! (Actually, definitely not sorry.) I'm sure you, dear reader, won't mind terribly much, and even if you do, I don't care terribly much.

Can't wait for Christmas! Are you getting prepared for it early?

Saturday Snapshots // Clematis + Fun on the Trampoline

Two weeks ago I trialled a new kind of post, one which I titled Saturday Snapshots (original post here). It seemed to be received quite well, with lots of views and even some comments. :)

So here's another one for you, featuring lots of beautiful flowers, lots of my siblings and even me appearing in one of the photos. All the photos were taken by me unless I say otherwise. :P

Apple blossoms. I love this time of year! Photo credit to Danella

Jana investigating the rosebush. Note the wisteria in the background. Photo credit to Danella

Wisteria - this is probably my favourite photo out of them all

Looking out onto the backyard from underneath the trellis covered by wisteria

From left: Ben, Johnny, Lydia, Caleb and Jacob

Ben trying to ride this absolutely tiny bike :)

He actually managed a wheelie on it. I was so impressed!

Rabbit hutch and clematis

Lydia and Caleb playing on the trampoline

Me with clematis in the background. (I included this photo because I spent simply ages doing my hair in a kind of twisty, pin-rolled bun thing and I wanted to actually get something back from all my hard work. It doesn't look nearly as good as it should, given how much time I spent on it but that's just how it is sometimes!) Photo credit to Lydia.

Lydia wanted me to take a photo of the flower in her hair. So hair (here, get it??? That was a pun) you go.

And that's all of them! I spent about half an hour uploading all these photos to my blog. We have a new camera and it's uploading time is painfully slow! I think I'm going to have to seriously cut down on the number of photos I use in future. :(

Oh, and by the way, the date setting on the camera is wrong. Most of the pics were taken on the 23rd of October but the setting says 21st. Just bear in mind that it is two days late!

Which photo was your favourite?

Bonnie's Top Ten Life Tips

My top ten life tips.


1. Read your Bible every day, meditate on what you read and pray every day.

2. Always make your bed in the morning. If you don't, and you get surprise visitors, you'll wish you had.

3. Always put the jug on before you start doing the dishes. You'll find some use for the hot water.

4. When taking photos, it pays to tell everyone in the shot to smile.

5. Never allow yourself a number different from five pieces of chocolate at once. Any less and it's depriving. Any more and you start to feel annoyed at yourself for eating too much.

6. Always smile at strangers. They might turn out to be a famous person in disguise. Also, always smile when you see yourself in a mirror.

7. When putting a sharp knife in the dishwasher, make sure you put it blade-down, handle-up. Otherwise you might reach in to grab it (when the dishwasher is finished) and cut yourself.

8. Practice writing your signature then stick to it. Don't be like me, who has a different signature every time I sign something.

9. Sing (or whistle, if your family can stand it) when you're doing the dishes. It makes the time go quicker.

10. Always comment on blog posts. It makes the blogger's day.


What are your life tips?

A + A // Bonnie the Spy

Because I just know you love reading all my awkward moments. Besides, you're intrigued by the title.

Awkward:

- Creeping up on someone, not intentionally, just accidentally. She turned around, saw me right behind her and screamed. I didn't realize she didn't know I was there. I think I would make a good spy.
- Me to a customer: "Would you like your sub fresh or toasted?" Customer: "Yes."
- When your sister literally knows what you are thinking. Literally. Kind of creepy but cool at the same time.
- Doing a cartwheel and accidentally banging a piece of furniture with your leg as you come down. I totally did not mean to do that. It was a shame, because it had been a particularly good specimen of a cartwheel before I donked my leg on the furniture and gave myself a bruise. :(
- Pegging people. It's quite a fun thing to do and very addictive. However, it can backfire.
- Injuring yourself when you're trying to escape from someone who is trying to peg you. I mean, seriously?
- I even managed to break the door handle on one of our doors during a game of Gladiators (my brothers invented this game - it's basically just ruff-and-tumble but with sheets and blankets you try to 'trap' people in). This happened in the same day as the previous pegging injury. I have come to the conclusion that I am accident prone.
- Discovering that someone was near you when you were obliviously talking to yourself. "Oh no, I hope they didn't hear me say anything silly!" Too bad if they did....
- Standing on lego in the dark... more awful than awkward, I guess!
- Getting cramp in your leg because you were squished in a tiny cardboard house for too long at a friend's birthday party, then having a really sore leg for the rest of the day, including at a dance that evening.
- Feeling guilty about stalking someone on Facebook. Please tell me everyone does it at some point.
- When you're on offering and communion at Church but you don't end up sitting at the end of the aisle, so every time you have to leave the row to fulfill your offering and communion duties you have to push past the person on the end of the row.


Awesome:

- Squirty bottles full of water. Makes doing hair so much easier when you can just kind of spray water at it to tame the flyaways!
- Finding all about a camp that I didn't get to on from friends who did go. Thanks, guys! If I couldn't go myself, the next best thing is you telling me every little detail about it. :)
- Lemon and lime icecream on a super hot day. Best. Thing. Ever.
- Thinking up a really genius name for a game a friend created. It was actually really awesome. I was so pleased with myself for the whole rest of the day. :P
- 'Roses are red, violets are blue' poems. The number of poems that can be created out of this model is virtually limitless, and they can be made to fit almost any situation.
- Laurel and Hardy. Those guys are incredible actors and quite hilarious.
- Winning first prize at a local A and P show for a drawing I drew.
- Finishing an exam. That "Finally, done!" feeling.
- Really good orchestra rehearsals when you spend most of the time working on a hard piece and get a really accomplished feeling afterwards because it sounds a whole lot better than how it did at first!
- Family inside jokes.
- Cherry blossoms. Aren't they just so beautiful?


What's been awkward or awesome about your weekend?

A Conglomeration of Awesomeness

1. This song. (Particularly the chorus!)




2. Psalm 116

I love the Lord, for he heard my voice;
he heard my cry for mercy.
Because he turned his ear to me,
I will call on him as long as I live.
The cords of death entangled me,
the anguish of the grave came over me;
I was overcome by distress and sorrow.
Then I called on the name of the Lord:
“Lord, save me!”
The Lord is gracious and righteous;
our God is full of compassion.
The Lord protects the unwary;
when I was brought low, he saved me.
Return to your rest, my soul,
for the Lord has been good to you.
For you, Lord, have delivered me from death,
my eyes from tears,
my feet from stumbling,
that I may walk before the Lord
in the land of the living.
I trusted in the Lord when I said,
“I am greatly afflicted”;
in my alarm I said,
“Everyone is a liar.”
What shall I return to the Lord
for all his goodness to me?
 I will lift up the cup of salvation
and call on the name of the Lord.
I will fulfill my vows to the Lord
in the presence of all his people.
Precious in the sight of the Lord
is the death of his faithful servants.
Truly I am your servant, Lord;
I serve you just as my mother did;
you have freed me from my chains.
 I will sacrifice a thank offering to you
and call on the name of the Lord.
I will fulfill my vows to the Lord
in the presence of all his people,
 in the courts of the house of the Lord—
in your midst, Jerusalem.
Praise the Lord.



3. Caleb and the police cap and badge he made. Excuse the funny squinty face he's making, this is the best photo I've got!

4.This medley. I love Andre Rieu and both of these songs. This performance really is amazing.




5. The nerine. I hadn't actually known much about this beautiful flower until I liked a friend's facebook status and got told to post a photo of the nerine to break up all the negativity that goes on on social media. :) Here's the photo I posted. I wanted to share it with you because I think it's such a beautiful flower!

“nerine” (http://goo.gl/4zJwLT) by Juni (http://goo.gl/YGP14J) is licensed under CC BY 2.0 (bit.ly/1vel1Y0)

  Hoping all my lovely blog readers have an awesome weekend!

Chocolate Book Tag

Hi everyone! I found this pretty neat tag over at Eve's blog. It combines some of my favorite things in life. Reading and chocolate!!!

I've tried to think of a whole wide range of books that I love to feature in this post. Maybe some of the books I read will surprise you, maybe some won't!


1. Dark Chocolate (A book that covers a dark topic)

I Am David by Anne Holm. The story of a boy who escapes from a concentration camp in Bulgaria and tries to find his long lost mother. He finds her in the end, so there is a happy ending. This book really makes you think and gives you compassion for those less well off than yourself.

2. White Chocolate (Favorite light-hearted/humorous read)
Cheaper by the Dozen (and the sequel, Belles on Their Toes) by Frank Bunker Gilbreth and Ernestine Gilbreth Carey. A great story with lots of funny bits. :)

3. Milk Chocolate (A book with a lot of hype that you're dying to read)
Murder on the Orient Express, probably one of Agatha Christie's most famous stories. I still haven't managed to find it in the library, but someday I shall read it. Agatha Christie really is an amazing writer.

4. Caramel-filled Chocolate (A book that makes you feel all gooey inside)
The Anne of Green Gables series always makes me feel all gooey inside, especially when Anne makes up with Gilbert and then they eventually (spoiler!) get married. :) I love happy endings, and the Anne of Green Gables series never fails to make me feel gooey no matter the number of times I read it.

5. Wafer-less KitKat (A book that has surprised you)
Battlefield of the Mind by Joyce Meyer. I can honestly say that it is a brilliant book! :) I wasn't sure what to think when I first started reading it but now I think that it's so good, everyone should read it.

6. Snickers (A book you're going nuts about)

The Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren... I've only read almost half of it but it. Is Seriously. Amazing. It will change your life! Honestly, I can't say enough good things about it. :D If you want a closer relationship with God or wonder what the purpose for your life is or even just want to read a really good book I recommend, this is a great one. Seriously. Definitely read it.

7. Hot Chocolate With Mini Marshmallows (A book you turn to for a comfort read)
Biggles books by W E Johns!! This may come as a surprise, but I love reading about flying planes in World War II! It's actually really interesting stuff. Some are better than others, but one of my favourites just has to be Biggles of the Special Air Police. That's a good one.

8. Box of Chocolates (A series you feel has something for everyone)
The Barn Chronicles, by Rosie Boom. Our family has really enjoyed reading them! We actually know Rosie Boom personally and on the back of the book Where Arrows Fly (no.2) is me endorsing it and telling you the book is awesome. :) They are great, family stories with lots of funny bits.

I hereby tag the following bloggers -

- Matthew, who loves books and hoards chocolate
- Sarah, who I'm pretty sure loves both, and
- Rhoda, who I'm pretty sure loves books and hopefully loves chocolate.
(You guys don't have to do it if you don't want to.)

I also tag whoever comments either "I love chocolate!" Or "I love reading!" Or even both, if you want. :D

Which of my 'chocolate' books have you read?

The Importance of Integrity

My family rewatched the movie Courageous on Saturday night. (Just in case you haven't seen it, it's really good and you definitely should!!)

What I really wanted to talk to you today about was one of the bits in the movie when Javier Martinez, one of the characters in the movie, gets offered a promotion. The conditions of the promotion are such that he gets more responsibility, gets paid more (he and his family are really struggling financially in the movie) but he has to be dishonest on his report about the number of crates that come into the warehouse.
His dilemma is this: does he do what his boss wants and report dishonestly and get the promotion he needs so badly, or does he do what is right and tell his boss he won't report dishonestly and risk losing his job?

In the end he decides to do the right thing and his boss tells him he was being tested all along to see whether he would be a man of integrity because they needed a man of integrity in that promoted position. So Javier Martinez gets promoted and it all ends happily ever after. :)

But here's the thing: What would you do?

Would you act honestly or dishonestly? Would you risk losing your job and act honestly, or would you try to get a needed promotion and just change one figure slightly?

It's a hard question, isn't it. But an important one. Because integrity is important. We need to do the right thing no matter what the cost.

God values integrity-

Jeremiah 5:1
Go up and down the streets of Jerusalem, look around and consider, search through her squares. If you can find but one person who deals honestly and seeks the truth, I will forgive this city.

If Jeremiah could find one person who dealt honestly and sought the truth, God would forgive the entire city. Surely that shows that integrity and honesty and truthfulness is important to Him! 

And if integrity and honesty are important to God, surely they should be important to us?

Saturday Snapshots

Since I haven't posted some recent-ish photos of my family in a while, I thought I might take the opportunity to do that today. These photos were all taken within the last month. Click on any photo to see them bigger.

Enjoy!

Baby Jana, not quite such a baby anymore! She's eight months old now. Isn't she cute in her walker!

Beautiful Lydia all dressed up for Church in front of the blossom tree by our driveway.

Lydia took this photo of me in front of the same blossom tree

Guess who's just turned four?

Ben, Johnny and a neighbour on their ripsticks enjoying themselves. These boys absolutely love their new toys (the ripsticks) and derive a lot of enjoyment from them!

Ben

Some pretty hair-raising hijinks going on there, Ben!

From left: a neighbour, Sophie, a neighbour, Ben and Johnny doing a ripstick chain

Jacob opening his birthday presents. See this post.

Johnny in front of the marble run he made. All those random paper rolls and popsicle sticks are actually useful for something, folks! :) Johnny did a great job making this. There are about 5 completely different tracks in this one big marble run.

     How's your weekend going?

A + A // Sausage Rolls and {Cute} Little Yellow Cars

So I thought it must be just about time for another Awkward and Awesome post. While these posts spend days (even weeks!) in the draft pile waiting for me to think of more awkward and awesome points, I do enjoy writing them and hope you enjoy reading them. :)

Awkward:
- Trying to eat a sausage roll while friends were over for lunch. I tried to put the silly thing on my fork but I missed and accidentally pushed it off my plate on to the table. That was bad enough, but then a guest who happened to be sitting beside me commented "I do that all the time.", obviously trying to lighten up the awkward moment. Oh bother. I had hoped nobody saw what had happened...
- Member of our family: "I don't know nothing." If he doesn't know nothing, then surely that means he must know something?!?
- Struggling to put my thoughts into words. There is so much I want to say to you lovely blog readers but I just can't get it out sensibly on paper (or in this case, on post).
- Meeting someone for the second time. I totally could not for the life of me remember his name, although he knew me instantly and said my name straight off the bat. Me: "Sorry, what was your name again?" He told me. That was a couple of days ago. Sitting here at the computer right now I can not remember his name. Meeting him for the third time is going to be really awkward.
- At work today. A customer walks in with a whole gang of his mates and asks "What's in the ham sub?" I answer, perfectly straight faced, "Ham". His mates all burst into hysterical laughter and the poor chap goes bright red. I felt a bit bad for helping embarrass him in front of his friends but it was quite funny... (Turned out he actually wanted to know what was in the pizza sub, which, just in case you were wondering, is salami and pepperoni. He just said ham without thinking.)
- Leaving some roses chocolates on the bench at work for my workmates. I was just finishing my shift and one of my workmates was just starting. She walked in, saw the chocolates straight away and said immediately "Awww, that's so sweet! Who left these??" I couldn't say "I don't know" or "nobody" because I did know. It was me. But I had wanted her to notice them when I had gone and was safely away. It was such a shame. I had to blow my cover and tell her I left them when I had wanted it to be a random act of kindness that nobody knew who had done.
- Telling my family that a little yellow car we saw in a car sales yard "looks really cute". I have a feeling my family just thought that was so weird. It was cute though.


Awesome:
- Sausage rolls, embarrassing as they are :P
- Seeing the delighted grin on the face of your four year old brother as he excitedly opens his presents on his birthday. He is just so thrilled, which makes me happy.
- Theological debates with awesome friends who can pose some tough questions. It's all good, I actually really love it.
- Sitting behind the wheel of the car. Although I've done it quite a few times now, I am still nowhere near very good at all and am quite the terror on the road! It gives one such a feeling of power... rather scary though.
- Cute little yellow cars
- Workmates who tell you you're wonderful
- Finding out that people you know are expecting a baby. So exciting... the miracle of new life! :D
- The warmer weather. Yay for barefeet and shorts!
- Getting home from work and smelling tea cooking.
- Sparkly nail polish
- Chatting to a random customer and finding out what it's like being a pilot and flying planes. It was actually really interesting. You learn a lot in a job like mine. :D
- Discovering about an old family heirloom that I never knew existed in the family connection

- I then asked several people around me what they think is awesome -

- A pogo stick, according to Jacob
- Grilled streaky bacon, God's love, new socks, a cold drink on a hot day, friendship and companionship, a great dinner and a warm duvet, according to a friend I was chatting to while writing up this blog post
- My sisters, sunny weather to ride horses in and measuring horses, according to Abbie
- Me, according to Sophie (Thanks Sophie, this made my day!)
- Nerf guns, archery, ICONZ, swimming, Lego and chocolate, according to Ben


What would you say if I asked you what you think is awkward or awesome?

Today's Someone's Birthday!

Let's just take a moment to pause what we are doing and wish my youngest brother Jacob a very happy 4th birthday. :)

Happy birthday, Jacob!

You are a wonderful brother and a delight to have around. I love you so much and hope you have a lovely day and lots of fun being 4. May the Lord bless you!

(I'd better go now and watch him open his presents...)

Check To See If There Are Submerged Logs

I was talking to someone recently who told me something that they were about to do. It was quite a big decision and I mentioned that they must have prayed about it a lot for them to arrive at that conclusion! They then told me that they hadn't actually... but that they probably should have. I got the feeling that they had the approach "God, this is what I'm going to do - please bless it!" rather than "God, what would you like me to do?"

Do you see the difference here? Now, I'm not saying that what this person did was wrong.... I just feel that that kind of approach is very dangerous. If what they had decided to do was not what God would have wanted for them - oh boy, that's such a shame!

It's always best to ask God for direction in your life. He is the one who made you, after all! He loves you so much and wants the best for you. If you go hooning off doing your own thing, I'm sure he must be so sad! He loves to be asked for advice.

Jeremiah 29:11
For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

God has plans for us. :) But how are we going to know what they are if we don't ask him?

I'm going to be perfectly honest with you today - I have recently become involved in something that I have never done before. It's new, quite scary but very exciting! I've been praying A LOT about it because although I really want it to go ahead, there are a couple of things that I'm not sure of that make me a bit wary!

I know that I would absolutely love it to go ahead. It's very exciting. :) But the thing is, only God knows what is best for me and above all, I want His will to be done, not mine! 

It's very dangerous jumping into murky water without stopping first to check to see if there are any submerged logs hiding just below the surface. 

In life it's just the same. We should always check first (with God) before jumping in because He might say "Don't jump in there! There are submerged logs!" and then you will be awfully glad you checked first!

So yeah, I think that was all I wanted to say. :D Do let me know your thoughts in the comments. I can't wait to find out what you think.

Anyway, I hope this has given you something to think about!

Blessings,