Hammocks

I just found some amazing hammocks on google images. I know they must cost a heck of a lot of money, but they are really fun to look at! ENJOY!!!

My week

***Warning*** Boring post

Babysitting, watching Americas Got Talent, hanging out with my grandparents- thats what i've been up to! I just got back from babysitting about 30 minutes ago, and I am now watching Americas Got Talent. I really Like Nate Kenyon, Future Funk, RNG, and Debra Romer. I was sad when RNG got out, although I didn't really like their last audition.

Family. I brought my best friend with me to my grandmas house. My Aunt Cyndi was also there. She is the coolest but really out there! She is kind of the "Hippie" of the family. She is hilarious, and my friend and I had a good time with her.

So thats what I have been up to. That and.... Well... Dreading school. What about you?

Magic Sparklies

I found this fun little thing off of Let the Tide Pull Your Dreams Ashore, who found it off of Queen Bee Swains blog!

Magic Sparklies: random things that make you happy

Tiramisu

Running outside in the rain

Singing in the car

Eating raspberries

Clean sheets

Mascara

Building things with my Dad

Cooking

Cake decorating

Starbuck's water cups (random, I know!)

Reading Anne of Green Gables

Getting dressed up

Getting a package in the mail, or sending one

Peonies

Nutella

My turquoise ring

Finding a great deal

My attempt at photography

Watching Dancing with the Stars, and Foyle's War

Writing list

Spray painting

Bunnies

Finding a robins egg

Reading Ina Garten cook books, cover to cover

Getting tons of books at the library

Accomplishing something you think that you could not do

Missions trips

Art

The Ocean

My little faux pearl earrings

Tote bags

What are your "Magic Sparklies?" ;)

CCR

Happy Belated Birthday, America!

Since I took a blog break, I never told about my 4th of July! So here goes......

My family and I went to my Great Aunt Shirley's house. She is the coolest great aunt ever!

She lives in a really old town, that was actually named after my relatives. When we got there on the third, she took us to a little cook out, at a park where we listened to some people talk about Independence Day, and our Founding Father's. There was also a tea sampling, quilts people had made, and a drawing. I won some muscadine cider, (Muscadines are a type of grape) it was.... Interesting. :)

After that we went swimming in a gorgeous lake. Some of my relatives own a house on it, and we called to ask if we could go swimming off of their dock. I would LOVE to live there! It is a gorgeous place, and you can see to the bottom because it is so clear. (Except for where all the algae is) We got ice cream cones and sat out there the whole day. We took tons of pictures of us jumping off of the dock- My profile picture is one of them.

On the 4th we went to church with her, went back to the lake, and that night, watched fireworks from her house. We also did some sparklers. We were all very sad to leave her, but we will definitely be going down there again!

What did you do on the 4th?

-Caroline

Giveaway

The Messy Apron is giving away a Vera Bradley box filled with recipes from her blog- be sure to check it out!! Ends Friday, July 16th.

-Caroline

My favorite Bible verse

Here is my favorite Bible verse, and it really helped me when I was traveling to the Dominican Republic

"When you pass through the waters,

I will be with you;

and when you pass through the rivers,

they will not sweep over you.

When you walk through the fire,

you will not be burned;

the flames will not set you ablaze.

For I am the LORD, your God,

the Holy One of Israel, your Savior."

-Isaiah 43:2-3

⁹ If I rise on the wings of the dawn,
if I settle on the far side of the sea,

¹⁰ even there your hand will guide me,
your right hand will hold me fast.

¹¹ If I say, "Surely the darkness will hide me
and the light become night around me,"

¹² even the darkness will not be dark to you;
the night will shine like the day,
for darkness is as light to you.

¹³ For you created my inmost being;
you knit me together in my mother's womb.

¹⁴ I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful,
I know that full well.

~ Psalm 139: 9-14

Go To Kellys Korner to see more

My trip

I got back from a missions trip to the Dominican Republic on June 27th. It was wonderful! I am so glad I went. I feel like I have gotten closer to the Lord and that I have made lots of new friends.

My group met up at my church (At 2:00 in the morning!!), and then we took a bus ride to the airport. We had a 4 hour and 45 minute lay over, and everyone was so tired that we all slept in the airport.

My group was working on landscaping. We worked in mud, and mixed it with horse manure- yum. We also planted lots of grass. Unlike here in the USA, they pull up grass and then cut it into small pieces with a machete, and stick it into the ground. When I was not needed doing landscaping, I helped build stone steps.

(Some Dominican money- Pesos)

Another thing I really enjoyed was having a cut out time each morning for devotions. One of the team leaders would give a brief lesson and then send us off by ourselves to read our Bibles or write in our journals. They also served hot chocolate and coffee every morning, and their hot chocolate was the best that I have ever tasted. It was basically like drinking a melted chocolate bar with half and half in it. :)

We had lots of rice & beans, as well as tons of fresh fruits & vegetables. Here was our schedule-

Get up at 6:00

Devotions at 6:30

Breakfast at 7:00

Working until 10:00

Pineapple break at 10:00

Working until lunch

Lunch at 12:00

Working from 1:00-3:00

Cookie break at 3:00

Working until 5:00

Showers & free time at 5:00

Dinner at 6:00

Group devotions at about 7:30

Free time

It wasn't all hard work though. One time they took us shopping at some little stores, another time out to eat, to get ice cream,(I got coconut ice cream) and to go buy snacks. The place was absolutely beautiful.

On June 24th they took us to stay with a Dominican family. (Who was a Christian and worked with the camp) Our whole group (23 of us) was paired with a buddy and taken to a house. The people I stayed with were really sweet. We basically just slept there and ate breakfast with them, then our whole group met up at one house. On the last few days we worked in the city picking up trash, and building a roof. We left the Dominican on the 27th and got home on the 28th at 1:00 AM. I was sad to come home, even though I had missed my family. I still feel weird in America. There are no roosters who crow at 2 AM. No mosquito netting to sleep under. No crazy bus rides. I don't know... Its just so different here. I know there are good and bad things about both, but I really miss the Dominican.

When I got back I also found out that Ginger, my rabbit had died. I miss her so much. We think that she ate some of her shavings, but we are not quite sure. I am definitely getting another rabbit, but I doubt any rabbit can ever replace her. I loved her so much. I find myself missing her so much, and even though I only had her for a little under a month, I felt like I had had her for forever. Please pray for me about that- I would really, really appreciate it.

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Its good to be back. Hopefully I will be blogging regularly.

CCR