these are a few of my favorite things // at this moment

 

// My nearly every morning smoothie //

 

// my official favorite mug (I  feel very strange inside when a guest takes my cup, all I can think is

“that’s my cup!!”)  //

// my bible // 

// adorable cuteness, yes? //

// pretty pink nails, and canon; it doesn’t get much better than that //

// an up-to-date portrait of me, complements of John //

// dark chocolate kisses; life would be so boring without dark chocolate kisses, yes? // 

 

// macro water droplets //

// I am downright obsessed with clouds //

// I love this boy // 

// water // 

// it’s a berry. J //

 



// and this is water too, it just doesn’t look like it. It looks more like melting crushed plastic. But that’s beside the point. //

 

I love familiar things.

      Like waking up in your own bed after being gone on vacation, and the way it just feels normal. Making myself a cup of tea on a crisp cold fall day. Picking my camera up and snapping photos of James. Reading Caleb books that were my favorite when I was his age (3), or watching Bambi with the little ones, and laughing hysterically, and ohhing and ahhing over the cuteness that the produces managed to pack into it. The smell of rain, coming in the distance,  for the first time in the fall. Looking up at the stars, and realizing that they are the same stars I’ve always looked up at, and the awesomeness and majesty doesn’t change at all; I am just as impressed every time I look up at the sky on a clear night as I was the very first time. Listening to my favorite Christmas CD, that we’ve had practically all my life. Seeing shapes in the clouds.

    I love familiar things and I hate change, so I guess that’s why I hate the thought of moving. I am comfortable where I am, and this is where I want to stay. I have friends here, memories here, and this is my hometown. The thought of leaving makes my throat get tight, and my chest hurt. I’m a shy girl, but once I make friends with people, which takes me a while, I’m fine, and the thought of having to start all over again seems impossible.

 

     This isn’t what this post was going to be. It was just going to be a happy post, but I guess I just needed to ramble for a moment. And I’ll take a moment to explain while I’m rambling.

     My dad got a job up in the Coulee Dam area of Washington, driving a bread truck for Franz Bakery. Grand Coulee is about 4 hours from here, and when you drive big trucks and a fifteen-passenger van (like we do. J) it costs a lot to drive back and forth. So as a result dad is only able to come home (most of the time) for twenty-four hours once a week. So my parents are looking for a house, and hoping to move up there as soon as possible, which could mean the end of next month.  And I needed a moment to ramble about what’s been on my mind for the last while. Sorry. J

     Anyway… back to the happy I was planning.

     Can you believe that it is the Christmas season already?! I am terribly excited. Christmas is my very favoritest (Microsoft Word doesn’t like this favoritest. I don’t understand it… it’s a word I use all the time!? :) time of year. I love the smells, the colors, the snow, the cookies  and candies, the festive spirit that flies through the air and magically makes everyone cheery and happy, the music, and the whole meaning of Christmas. It is just a special time of year, and it’s my favorite. I am really hoping that we get snow soon. That is just an essential for Christmas, yes?

     What are you doing to prepare for the Christmas season? Are you baking anything yet? (I am planning to kick off my holiday cooking by making Peanut butter cookies, to send to Thomas’s roommate, Caleb. It’s an attempt to prove to him that I’m not the creep he must think I am. I’ve been on speaker phone, unknowingly, and said things several times that I wouldn’t have said if I had known he was listening in.J) 

     What are some of your favorite familiar things? Things that are a part of your daily life, and you’d feel like there was something missing if it wasn’t there.

xo,

Becca

Thankfulness // a to z

I have a confession… I didn’t take a single photo of anything today (except a mini photo-shoot with my older brother, but I ‘m gonna post about that sometime in the future.) So, this post is going to have to be Thanksgiving photo free. That seems sad. J

     I decided to do a Thankful A to Z list, because I think that lists are so much fun, and this was something that would be entertaining as well as a wonderful reminder about things I am grateful for.

~ ~ ~ ~

Linking up with Hannah at Aspire

 

 

  Another lovely Thanksgiving with my family. I love Thanksgiving, people.

Birthdays—my sixteenth is fast approaching and I am so excited this year.

C- Christmas—is official the very best season of all. Fall is close in second, but Christmas is so beautiful and fun and amazing. J Coffee— Chocolate—

Dickens—Because he is the very best author (besides GOD, of course) who ever sat down at a desk,  picked up a pen, dipped it, with care, into ink, and proceeded to write a novel. He was brilliant, and his books are so amazing.

Everything-- That was my Gramndpa's answer to the question "what are you thankful for. :)

Family and friends, people that love me.

Goldendale—I love my little hometown, and the people here. I live in a very beautiful place, although I just discovered that recently, about six months ago actually. I realized that I live in a beautiful area, and I love it here. J

Home – My house holds all my memories, and that is so amazing to think about.

Inside a warm home, watching the rain fall in sheets outside the windows, and being cozy inside reading. That is the beauty of fall right there, people.

Jesus. I am so grateful for the salvation that he gave to me.

Kisses from my little brother. Even though he offers them only after much coaxing.

Letters—I love writing and receiving letters. There is something extremely exciting about opening an envelope and reading the words someone wrote on the page. Love—because it’s such a lovely thing.

Music—something that I truly could not live without.

November – It’s been a wonderful month so far. I think that November is going to end beautifully, and although I will be sad to see it go, I will be extremely excited to see December again.

Opening an old book for the first time, and smelling that delicious old book smell and just knowing this is going to be a good book.

P- Piano—In my humble opinion, the piano (and the violin. J) is the most beautiful instrument of all. A pianist can do so much on that amazing instrument. Photography—because this is my other passion. I expect Maria and I will have a lot of beautiful experiences this next year together.

Quiet—the beauty of stillness in a chaotic world.

Rings—I am finally getting my purity ring sized, it’s gonna be a size and a half smaller!!! I am so lucky I didn’t lose it.

Starbucks runs with friends after church. Salt—I know it’s weird, but I seriously love lots of salt on my food

Tea – Because it is warm and delicious—Technology—because it makes life oh so convenient. (Gotta admit it does. J)

United States of America – I am so proud to be an American.

Valking in the woods with my little sister. (you gotta say that with a German accent. ‘Kay? Okay.)

Waking up late in the morning, and laying there for a while longer, because my bed is just so warm and lovely.

X-- I can honestly not think of a single thing beginning with X. This is the sad reality.

Yesterday’s dinner. It was that good. J

Zany little siblings. They’re the best. J

I hope you had a lovely Thanksgiving, lovelies.

xo

julia kaye // girly girl

 

 

 

 

Thomas sent Julia this dress. It is a traditional South Korean outfit, and it is cute, no?

awww…

 

 

  

 

     This little girl is so much fun. She is completely girly, and has the cutest smile. She loves dolls, the color pink, bunny rabbits, vanilla ice cream, and dress-up. She giggles all the time, and is learning how to read and write. And she is managing to grow up way too fast.  She and Mary are tea party experts, and when it comes to play mobiles, they are complete enthusiasts. I believe that is basically all they play anymore.

     Sometimes when I see them playing together and having all that fun, it makes me wish that I had a sister my age. But then I remember all the fun I had with my older brothers, and I wouldn’t have it any other way for the world! J

 

Couldn’t you stay little forever, honey?

xo,

Becca

 

this is Maria...

 

This is Maria, and she is four days old. And I am in absolutely complete bliss. 

     My brother was finally able to send her off to me, and I am so happy with her. I haven’t told him yet that I named the camera. I have a feeling that he’s gonna laugh when I tell him that. 

Speaking of Thomas… he sent all of us girls these lovely roses. I have the sweetest brothers ever, yes?

James is so photogenic, and  I suppose that is why most of my photos lately are of him. J

I told him to smell the roses Dad broght mom this weekend. And this is what  I got from David. I took one look at the photo, and told him it was going on the blog. That's when he started freaking out and trying to convince me that it was not going on the blog. Apparently I was not convinced. :)

 She takes lovely photos, and I seriously finally feel ready to start attempting portraits. I took Julia out on a real photo shoot with a couple props and dressed her up pretty, and even curled her hair, and realized that it was just plain fun. I can’t wait until I can convince someone else to go out  for a photoshoot with me. J

 xo,
Becca

Luke Abraham // cute, yes?

This is Luke…

 

 

We’re gonna have trouble keeping the girls away from this one when he grows up.

 

I told him to make a funny face, and got an adorable one. :)

 

Photo-shoots are exhausting. lol

          This is Luke, my five-year-old cute brother. He’s fun, and cute, and so much fun to take out on a photo shoot! I do believe that he is the only one of my family that really enjoys getting their picture taken. J He was running around the woods posing himself yelling “Come take one over here” just about every thirty seconds, while I attempted to keep up with him.  He was sad to stop when I finally decided I was gonna keel over from lack of food, and probably could have gone on posing himself all day long.

          We constantly have to deal with problems between Caleb and Luke, “He hit me,” and “He ripped the book out of my hands” kind of stuff, in fact, I even had to do that while I was typing this post, but they have so much fun together too. You should hear the noise in the car as we travel anywhere. They are way back in the van, each yelling for mom’s attention every two minutes; I’m serious, and trying to outshout the other. It gets really chaotic. J

         

I just love this little guy, isn’t he cute?!

xo,

my musical journey

          Music is a  big part of my life. I've taken piano lessons for eight years, flute for two years, and voice for one summer. I've always been fascinated with the way instruments sound, and could sit for hours just listening to an orchestra or symphony. Music is so well loved becasue it is so diverse! There are thousands of 'different' styles, (in fact, every artist ou tthere has heir own praticular style.) so people have so many different options to choose from to fit their lifestles, belifes and tastes.

 

          Classical music is mostly what I play, along with other things occasionally, (to stretch my ability's. :), and I love being able to play music composed by Master Pianists from hundreds of years ago. There is something absolutely amazing about trying to play the songs the way they must have, and knowing, deep down in my heart, that most modern pianists must fail miserably at recreating the mood and feel the composer meant for a piece.

 

          But I'm getting WAY off the post I was intending to write! :) (Which happens quite frequently.)

 

          I was going to tell you about how I got to the level I'm at, musically. :)

 

          I began taking piano lessons when i was about 7 1/2. I was positive that I was gonna be amazing in about 2 weeks. lol Boy did I learn better! I've been playing for a little over eight years now, and I'm so far from amazing it's not even funny~!

          i guess everybody think they'll be great at something when their little, and then suddenly realize when they get a little older that they will probably not every be amazing at it. Or was that just me?! :)

 

          Anyway, I was a slow beginner. In fact, I was a beginner for probably close to 5 years... I really have no natural talent for music.

 

          My teacher had to become creative in ways to help me learn better, especially because I didn't really learn to read music until I had played for almost six years. (I know, that's bad!) My teacher, Mrs. H. finally started writing the note names beside the actual notes, so that I could see the name and the note together, learning to recognise them as I played. that way I wasn't held back to Mary had a little Lamb" type songs forever. My teacher reminds me often that I was her very hardest student every., :) I am so grateful that she stuck with me, and persevered, because otherwise I probably wouldn't be musical if she hadn't. She did, however decided not to take any other students after me, so I am her last student.3. (That  ought to tell you how hard I was. lol) She has become very close to y older brother Andrew (19) and I over the years. We were the only ones from my family to take lessons from her, and she has almost became an aunt to us.

 

          Piano will always be a huge part of my life. It's the way I vent pent up emotions, express myself when I am happy, and a way to worship God. I am very grateful to my parents for making me practice, and to Mrs. H. for her patience, encouragement, and creativity.

 

 

 

And I'll leave you with this video. ^ I thought it was adorable, and sweet, and the music is lovely too. :)

 

Love,

 

Almond Poppyseed Muffins

I think it is high time that I started sharing some recipes around here! Especially since cooking is something that I really enjoy.

     This recipe is one we make often. Muffins are a huge favorite around my house, because they are a perfect size snack for everyone, including the little ones, plus there are so many different delicious recipes to choose from, and they are so easy.

     And so, without further ado, I present,

Almond Poppy seed Muffins

 

 

The cast of characters: Honey, butter (or olive oil. That’s what I used.), eggs, milk, vanilla, almond extract, flour (which I cleverly forgot to include in this photo. Aren’t I just wonderful?!) baking powder, baking soda, salt, and poppy seeds.

Combine all wet ingredients:

1 ½ cup honey

1 cup melted butter (or equal amount of oil)

3 eggs

1 ¾ cup milk

2 tsp. vanilla

2 ½ tsp. Almond extract 

 

Mix these ^together, and then add dry ingredients:

4½ cups flour

2 Tbs. baking powder

1 ½ tsp. salt

1 tsp. baking soda

¼ cup poppy seeds.

Pour the batter into greased muffin pans, (or use paper cups. It’s easier, people!)

Bake at: 350 degrees for 22-25 minuets

Makes about 1 ½-2 dozen muffins.

          Enjoy!
          These are simply delicious! My family’s always a little disappointed when they find we are out of poppy seeds, ‘cause they’re just not the same without them.

     You can replace the Almond extract with lemon if you prefer lemon favoring. We do that in a pinch (i.e. when we start making these muffins without checking to be sure that we have all the ingredients. :) but we defiantly prefer the almond.

 

Have a lovely saturday!

xo,

Becca