Winter Once Again

Sometimes, I get tired of the snow because the only time I'm out in it is when I'm doing chores.  The snow does make those about twice as difficult to accomplish, and I forget how beautiful the snow is.  That's when I grab Jack and the Bonnie dog and go for a walk.  With a fresh blanket of snow covering everything, it's a magical new world out there.  Want to come with me?

Did you enjoy our walk?  I did. *smile*

Miscellany

Hello there, peoples! *smile*  I haven't done a Miscellany post for a while, so get ready...

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There's a chance that Pastor Saeed Abedini could be granted clemency and released from prison!  Sign the petition and find out more at the BeHeard Project!

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The second video in the YouTube series The Monaco Files filmed, created, and edited by my talented bro and his production crew!

Follow their YouTube channel and stay tuned to see what Jack and Jason will be trying next!

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This week at Bible study, I invented the Hymnal Game.  The object of the game is to carry on a conversation using only the titles of hymns.  Try it sometime.  The results are hilarious and awesome!  For about 5 minutes, everyone at the study were looking through the index and shouting out titles while laughing until we couldn't breath. *grin*

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We watched Monsters University finally.  I was prepared for it to be good, but I wasn't prepared for it to be every bit as good as everyone said it was!  And it was!!  Little Mike was completely adorable, and Art made me laugh so hard.  Definitely a win, in my book.

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Well, we have snow again.  The first big snow of the year, finally!  We usually have over a foot of snow on the ground from just after Thanksgiving until sometime between March and the end of April.  So it was highly unusual to have no snow all through January.  But we have it now!

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Wednesday morning, I drove downtown to attend a volunteer orientation at the Open Arms Real Choices clinic.  It was snowing like crazy, the roads were bad, everyone was going about 35 mph on the highway, and I was so scared that my legs were shaking.  But, I made it, found the clinic, and was only 20 minutes late.  *grin*  I am so, SO excited about volunteering at Open Arms!  I've known that it was something the Lord wanted me to do for about 4 years now, but everything was so crazy at home that I couldn't until now.  Now, I just need to finish filling out the volunteer application, get some references, turn them in, have my interview, and start training.  So EXCITED!!!  You'll definitely be hearing more about this in the future!

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I've been so encouraged by this song lately.  The Lord does some of His most powerful and effective work in our lives when we've come to the point of giving up.  When we are weak, He is strong.

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What have you been doing this week?  I want to know!

Sunday Style // Zebras & Lace

o u t f i t

denim jacket, lace blouse, brown tank, & brown flats // thrifted // Goodwill

zebra print skirt // thrifted // Dazzle

necklace // stolen borrowed from my mom

nail polish // sample from Birchbox // Color Club

Styling my zebra skirt a different way today...and I kind of love it!  This skirt is just begging to go to the next swing dance.  It's perfect for spinning!  And I think it looks great with the lace and denim combo.  What do you think?

Today I'm linking up to...

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What a fabulous Sunday!  The beginning of a new study, sweet fellowship with my church family, and getting to hold my favorite 4-year-old on my lap through the entire service.  She's almost too big for that, so I'm getting in as much snuggle time as possible. *smile*

We've just started going through the book of John.  After Pastor's outline of the book today, I am so excited to get started!!  Not what we normally do, but today he had 21 people get up front and hold up signs with the different chapters on them while he explained what was going on in each chapter and divided the book into sections.  Prologue, Public Ministry, Private Ministry, Passion Ministry, and Post Script.  Very cool and easier to remember.  Yep, totally excited about this!

How about you?  What was your sermon about?  

What are you looking forward to this week?  I want to know!

Photo a Day // January // Week Four

{One} The Bonnie dog with her new over-sized tennis ball.  I haven't given her a new toy in a long time, and she was so excited! :)

{Two} Fawn went to her new home at my friend Sarah's alpaca ranch this Monday.  She's now doing guard duty over a herd of alpacas!  And Sarah gets major points for driving the truck and trailer on our icy driveway!

{Three} We put the winter tires on the Suburban this week.  I now know how to change a car tire!  Hooray for me!! Check that off the list! :D

{Four} Car window reflection.  Love reflection pictures.

{Five} Personalized mugs for my friend's birthday.  They're twins. :)

{Six} Friday night, we feasted on Jelly Beans while watching Monty Python and the Holy Grail.  I can't recommend that film because of some objectionable content, but we sure had a good time! *grin*

{Seven} This afternoon, Amanda threw a surprise party for her twin, Abigail.  We had way to much fun signing the cake...we don't know a Tedd (two d's??), but signed his name anyway. *smile*  And yes, that is a camouflage cake with a (small) deer antler on it.  Amanda is awesome. :)

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My goodness, this week was busy!  Especially today.  I went to Abigail's surprise party, and then went to pick up my bro from the wedding he was helping to film.  Guys and gals, I have officially crashed a wedding/party.  Woot!!  Checking that off my 101 Things list...  And there was dancing!  My bro and I were awesome...just sayin'. *grin*

How about you all?  What have you been doing these days?  I want to know!

Photo a Day // January // Week Three

{One} Watching the 60s Batman TV show with your bro while you're sick.  If you can watch it one episode after the other without a break, it means you're really sick.  Trust me on that.

{Two} Some of the better films I watched while staying in bed.  Finally got to have that Star Wars marathon!!  And I watched While You Were Sleeping over four times.  Love it!!

{Three} My bestie brought us "magic" chicken noodle soup and this pineapple complete with our own Psych buttons.  You are the BEST, Kellie dear!!

{Four} My second Birchbox - my awesome cousin signed me up and gave this as my Christmas present!!

{Five} Everybody happy, happy, happy!  Especially now that I'm wearing my Duck Commander t-shirt and feeling better. *grin*

{Six} Experimenting with nail polish.  Mint Candy Apple and No Place Like Chrome by Essie.

I hope you all had a great week!  I'm so excited to start living again!!  Feels like I lost a week of my life...oh, right...I basically did. *grin*  Have a blessed Sunday tomorrow!

Photo a Day // January // Week Two

{One} My purity ring, which is also my birthstone, aquamarine.

{Two} "This could really be more sonic..." Christopher gave me a sonic screwdriver key chain for Christmas! Thanks, bro! :)

{Three} After tidying the mudroom.  That's always a pretty thankless job, as it stays clean for about a day.

{Four} Mitts, the incredible seven-toes-on-each-foot cat.

{Five} Hand embroidered dishtowels from a friend.  Aren't they lovely??

{Six} Isaiah 54:11-15 A friend shared this chapter with me last week, and I've been pondering it.

{Seven} There is no picture for day seven, because by then I was sick, sick, sick with the flu!  Yuck!  A week later and I'm finally starting to feel normal...if I ever do feel "normal", which is doubtful. *grin*

Dream a little bigger.

Awhile back, I was talking to two very dear sisters in Christ.   We covered many topics, including desiring God's will above all in your life.  And then we started talking farming, and I said, "Someday, when I have my own place, I'd like a covered walkway from the house to the barn!"  It's kind of a joke I have with myself, although it certainly would be nice!  But they responded with, "Be careful not to let your dreams interfere with God's plan!"  They were half joking, half serious.  I know they meant it well, but I kind of felt like someone had pulled the rug out from under me.  Like all of my dreams had just fallen to the ground in a broken heap.

If you are truly desiring His will and seeking Him in your life, then your dreams will line up with that.  Girls, don't let anyone make you afraid to dream big, to hope!  There is nothing wrong with dreaming about your future home, hoping that someday you'll be a wife and mother, wishing for that dream farm, or whatever it is that you're dreaming of.  The danger is not in the dreaming, it's in your focus.  Are you focused on Jesus?  Is drawing closer to Him your hearts desire?  Is He first in your life?  Yes?  Then dream on!  

Trust in the Lord, and do good; so shalt though dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed.

Delight thyself also in the Lord; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.

Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.

Psalm 37:3-5

And never discourage one of your sisters from dreaming.  Sometimes, they're doing everything they can just to keep the tears back and that smile on their face.  Don't take away their dreams.  Don't bring those tears to the surface.  I'm just as guilty as anyone of doing that.  It's so easy to tear someone down, even when our intentions are good.

One more thing.  Don't be afraid to let go of dreams when God tells you to.

What are some of your dreams?  I want to know!

Photo a Day // January // Week One

{One} Prim the goat, eagerly awaiting her breakfast!

{Two} Coming home from a friend's house in the rain, I was fiddling with manual focus and got this.  Also, my bro was doing the driving. ;)

{Three} My well worn cowboy boots.  There is nothing more comfortable on this earth.

{Four} Mirror shots will never not be cool...especially when you're wearing sunglasses.

I liked Kristin's idea of sharing her photos for the entire week at the end of the week (or maybe that was just the way the challenge worked...idk), so I decided to do the same.  I'm planning on sharing my photos from the week on Saturdays, which is why this post represents a half week. I already take a lot of photos, but this gives me the incentive to try new things and learn to use my camera more efficiently.  Any tips from my photographer friends are welcome!

I found some of these challenge ideas on Pinterest.  

I'm not following it exactly, but if I get stuck, it provides some inspiration.

What do you like to take pictures of?  I want to know!

Twenty Fourteen // Goals

Hello lovelies!  I am so, SO excited about this new year!!  It's a clean slate, a chance to build on the foundations of the past year, to cast off the excess baggage, to embrace the future with joy!  I do love a fresh beginning, and after some thought and prayer, I've come up with a few goals for this new year.

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On this blog, I'd like to be a bit more dedicated to a few weekly posts.  I always begin well, but fizzle out half way through the year...if I even make it that far!  This year, I'd like to follow through.  Now that I have Jack, I'd like to try doing the Photo-a-Day challenge.  I certainly take enough pictures for that to happen!  I know you all love it when I share a video, so I'm hoping to film more vlogs this year, too.

I've also been wanting to set up the blog for paid for ad spots on the sidebar.  In fact, I wanted to do that this time last year, and it still hasn't happened.  Along those same lines, I'd very much like to begin reviewing products on here.  With so much of my time devoted to my little corner of the internet, it would be quite nice to get a little something in return.  Never fear, my dear readers, I will not be turning Day by Day into a billboard!  You probably won't even notice the changes.

And while I'm talking about the blog, I want to thank each and everyone of you, my wonderful readers and friends, for continuing to read!  It still astonishes me that people actually enjoy hearing about my life, and I am so thankful for each of you.  If you ever need anything or have a question, please drop me an email!

edithmacalpine{at}gmail{dot}com

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In my life, I've decided that I want to embroider more.   There are so many crafts that I enjoy, and embroidery always seems to be on the back burner, even though I enjoy it very much!  So, I've set a goal for myself.  I'm going to pick something to embroider/cross stitch every month.  That way, I'll have twelve done by the end of the year, and I can frame them in embroidery hoops and put them all on one wall together.

I'm going to reinstate my "movie fasting" plan this year.  Only instead of doing it for an entire week once a month, I'm only going to do Sundays.  I typically watch films while I'm working on a project, and since I don't work on Sundays, I don't need to be sitting and watching movies.  Instead, I'll use the time to dive deeper into God's Word.  Please pray for me on this, that I won't start down the "well, just this once won't hurt..." path!  Once that's begins, it's all downhill from there.

Something I really need to work on, is not buying so many clothes.  I have everything I need and more.  I do not need more clothes.  The only thing I will be buying come summer is a pair of grey Converse and a new swimsuit.  That's it!  Pinky promise.

Instead of buy clothes, I'd like to collect more items for my hope chest.  Something I really want to begin collecting is vintage pyrex.  Love the lazy daisy pattern!  I'd also like to invest in a grain mill and a mixer.

I'd like to be more diligent to practice my mandolin this year.  I do love playing it so much, but I forget...

Also, I'd like to be more faithful to my house cleaning schedule.  It's so much easier when you're keeping up on everything weekly and not letting it slide.  That's when it begins to feel overwhelming.

Most importantly, I want to spend more time with my heavenly Father.  More time in the Word, more time in specific prayer for my family and friends.  Please pray for me in this area, too.  It's so easy to let life get in the way.

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Here's to 2014!
May it be the best year of our lives as we seek to do His will and enjoy the lives He has given us!!
God bless you all.

What are some of your goals for this year?  I want to know!