gingerbread + the longest 24 minutes of the year}}

it's officially new years y'all, and with only 14 minutes left of 2017 i'm thinking about adventures and everything we'll do in 2018. ya know, this year wasn't the easiest or best year. it's hard to say it was 'fantastic' or 'wonderful', but a lot of parts were. things have been difficult and the Lord is showing me that that's when we still just need to praise Him. it's easy to be grateful when everything around you is working out, but it's five thousand times harder to when you look around and everything is seeming to be falling apart. i feel like 2018 is going to be a great year though...the Lord has given me so much peace about it, which i can be eternally grateful just for that. <3  

and ya know how those last 30ish minutes from new years are THE HARDEST??!? crazy how slow it suddenly gets xD (aka 24 longest minutes of the year :D )

well, in just 9 minutes now we're going to make a toast to the New Year and drink Sparkling grape juice or whatever it's called. ;) hope y'all have a great time tonight and a year full of blessings xx

happy 2018 y'all xxx

DECEMBER. last month of the year = [lots of randomness + just craziness]

for some reason this is my favorite favorite picture *heart eyes*

For me, December was a pretty hectic month. So many changes and I'm still adjusting and trying to get a new normal going. My babysitting job is wonderful, and I'm getting money every 2 weeks which is really nice. But yeah, sooooo much changing and adjusting and figuring out stuff. Or at least trying to. ;)

EVERYTHING || D E C M B E R 

Lilli: Paige, do i have bones in my lips????

Butter Pecan ice cream = MONTH MADE. xD

A really sweet guy teaching us all how to make origami fortune tellers  :D <3

When you are crocheting and uploading pics and doing French and replying to emails all at the same time. xD #supermultitasker 

Caden: this night was SO big!!!

Celebrating Dylan's birthdayyyyy =D

Getting the back porch nearly done, turning it into an extra bedroom and laundry room ;)

Seeing my breath in the air!!!!! <3 <3 (lol do only i get excited bout this??)

Lilli: Hey, even your shadow is walking!!! *points at my shadow*

DOING OATMEAL FACE MASKS WITH ASHLEY!!!!! #somuchfun #crazyus

literally cutting myself with uncooked spaghetti. don't ask. 

THE FALL PARTY HAPPENED. YAY!!! 

hosting a baby shower for Ash's friend from McDonalds <33 (there were a few babies and i loved holding them #preciousness) 

Mom: You're not gonna get a single drop more outta that.
Me: Watch me! *takes toothpaste*  *squeezes with all my might* finally gets a drop* HA HA!!

Playing 'Indians' with all of the little siblings #sofun #nevertoobigtoplaypretend

+bonfires+smores+apple cider+chilli+brownies

Playing Yahtzee a super lot. With friends and like everybody.

putting together 128 pairs of socks... #largefamilystuff

Participating in a Bible verse exchange <333

Picking up hundreds of rocks from our neighbor's/adopted Grandpa's house, only he can make it 
fun XDD

Facetiming with Amelia <3333333 (love you girl!!)

Going gift shopping for hours and hours and hours. :) 

Getting new clothes and lipstick and WOW I ACTUALLY HAVE SOME MONEY! #lol

Me: aww you're adorable levi <33
Levi: UH! I'm not adorable, I'm just handsome....well, maybe a little bit cuter then handsome, but just call me handsome!!! 

finding the most adorable note from Josh completely randomly <3 <3 <3 

Dylan surprising me with the sweetest thank  you card + and bag of candy ^.^   xD

Lilliana: the sun is just...everywhere...there's like, 7 suns!!!

Does anybody else miss the Project Love posts???? [I'm thinking about doing some type of posts like that monthly....TELL ME WHAT YA THINK] 

IT FINALLY SNOWED YASSSSSS!!!!! #suchhappiness

37% FLUENT!!! ~french

Buying stuff for the baby bundles (!!!!!!) <33

driving to town with the bro and seeing all the snow covered trees and listening to christian 
country xx

....having a roadkill adventure....yes we are slightly hillbilly....(BUT WE FOUND A FRESH BOBCAT  and we're gonna use it for a taxidermy project!!!!!!!!!) 

holding babies is always a highlight, lol!!! (they are da best <333)

Rylan: Mom said we could have a sip, and a sip is thissss much. *does finger measurement*

Making gingerbread houses- me and Caden made a train and it was a blast :D

THINGS I'VE LEARNED :

This month I've been making a huge effort to be a better sister. God did reward me with some amazing things, until now it has been such a struggle. I am feeling so much better now, even though I still have my hard days, God has been really helping me. <33
I  have learned this month, that God is my strength, and I've grown so much more since knowing this. "God will be my strength when I no longer have any." God gave this to me late at night and I sat up and wrote it down, ever since I felt so much more peace and guidance. And though we're still in a rough spot, I can rest in that. 
I tried to learn how to French Braid...but that didn't work. :( It was wayyyy confusing. 
About jobs and money and online buying and online protection and jobs and oh, how to spend money too, and not stress out about it. XD 


And WHOAH this is going to be my next to last post with the label 2017, and that just blows my mind. 

last pictures of this year, kinda. {Theodore Jackson photo shoot & pics of my room!!}

                               

mini photoshoot we had the other day :)

jiffy bun dough

PROBABLY MY FAVORITEST WALL. *hearts*

okay, those are the pics of my room. yay :) 

yes i am wearing my brothers hoodie but it was soooo comfy!!!

 {Joshua & Lilliana} these were around 12-23-17 or something :P

end of october when i took these <3

I feel like people won't really understand how much I miss this little guy or why, since we only had him for a couple days. I guess I just get really attached to people (babies especially <3) and then it's hard to 'let go.' For a little tiny bit of your life we were an important part- now you're growing up, little Theodore Jackson. <333 Miss you Theo. <3

So yes I would love to give all these different groups of pictures they're own little post...I wanted to finish posting 2017 pictures before 2018. Ya know? Idk, I guess I'm just a weird kind of person with stuff like that, but anyways. Here are lots of pictures, be prepared for some more!! There's tons of pictures of gingerbread houses, lots of object photography, and random everyday pictures. 

Life has been busy. I'm trying to finish school before the new year, finish other goals + making new ones. Got 4 orders just in this month, so that's awesome!! I feel like the Lord has been blessing me with these orders, of course it's work, but I'm raising the money I need for the baby bundles!!! Super excited xD We almost have the back porch completely turned into a living space. We need to figure a way to keep more heat in, but it's almost there! When it's finished we'll officially have, an extra 2-person room, more storage, a laundry room and pantry. Which will also open up our dining room. I can't wait for everything to be done :D 

sooooo, there's my little rant for the day. If you finished this post, then you should go get some ice cream. If you don't have ice cream then just eat homemade pizza. ;D 

see ya peoples!!!