Christmas Time Pretty Thrifty

  Hi everybody! Happy New Year! I have great news! I passed my driver's test Monday! It was great. I got everything right except turning my wheels to the left parking up the hill. I even parallel parked! This was the second time I tried to pass, and I got 97%. YEAH!

  Sunday was the last day of the season for the restaurant. Please be praying for guidance for my parents and God's peace to permeate our family. Good news is my Dad is finally going to get much deserved R&R. 

 I wanted to say something about forgiveness. I've been dealing with a lot of it lately. The way that I have been dealing with it is this. I thought about the people I needed to forgive, and then I chose to forgive them. I told God I forgive them, and I am depending on Him to change my hurt feelings. Trust me, if I waited for the feelings to get healed on their own, I would die with them. The Bible says if we don't forgive others, God won't forgive us.

   Here's my Pretty Thrifty for this month.
   Emily

    Cardigan (thrift store): $3

    Skirt (garage sale): $1

    Boots (garage sale): $2

    Necklace (Precious Moments): gift

    Total: $6.00

 

 

What is Christmas all about?

 Hi everybody!
 I was thinking about something today, and I'd like to share it with you.
 I think most of us know the basic story of Christmas, so I won't bother narrating it. If you haven't read it, check it out. Here's a link.
 I also think a lot of us have had a few choice words to say concerning the "commercialization" of Christmas. True, businesses have taken the marketing of Christmas to an extreme. And some people do celebrate just for pleasure, but the simple truth is we can't force people to stop celebrating. If we did, it would cause more harm than good. Christmas, just the way it is, is good for most people.
  What if we didn't focus on trying to fix everything about Christmas and instead focused on enhancing the concepts that God was trying to communicate to us through Christ's birth. Concepts like these:
Love: John 3:16
Faithfulness: Fulfilling the prophecies of a virgin birth (Isaiah 7:14) and Herod's execution of the baby boys (Jeremiah 31:15).
Omnipotence: Infinite power that goes beyond the natural (Matthew 1:23).
Protection: From Herod's bloodthirsty orders (Matthew 2:13).
Providence: The census brought Joseph and Mary to Bethlehem (Luke 2:1-7) fulfilling the prophecy (Micah 5:1-2).
Provision: Even when there was no room for them, God provided a place for Mary to deliver her baby (even if it was a stable) (Luke 2:6-7).

  These are only a few, but they are remarkable. If we focus on trying to honor God with our giving, love for people, or just anything we do this season, we will be celebrating the goodness of God and bringing glory and honor to Him.
  So instead of being a Debbie Downer about Christmas, choose to enjoy it. You can still enjoy something while giving glory to God, can't you? I think you can!

  Merry Christmas to you all!
  Emily

Pretty Thrifty He Carries Us Through

   Hi everybody! I know I haven't written (again) in a long time. We are so busy with school and our restaurant, I just don't have a lot of time to blog. Today being Halloween, and us being so tired, Mom declared a school holiday! So we're watching Love comes Softly. I haven't watched it in a long time and this scene struck me. The reason being, we've been having a really hard time. And I have been angry. The only person I can find to blame is God. As I've said before, I know this isn't right. But I sometimes feel exactly like Marty. Clark is right though. Just because we fall when we are walking with God, it doesn't mean that HE tripped us. We just hit a bump in the road. Sometimes it takes longer to get up when you fall, but no matter how long it takes, we can count on God to pick us up and carry us through. Who knew a Hallmark channel TV show could be so deep? ~smile~

 Amy                                                      Matthew                            Michael                    M

T-shirt: $1.00
Skirt:$3.00
Flip flops:$1.00
Necklace: free
Total: $5.00


Emily
Teen for the Lord





 Essential Fridays - Faith Filled Fridays - Show and Tell Friday - Mom's the Word - Modest Mondays -  The Art of Homemaking   
Thursday
This Week in My Kitchen -  Home and Garden Thursday - I Choose Joy -  Imparting Grace - Hearts for Home Thursdays - All Things Thursday -  Share Your Cup Thursday - Serving Joyfully   - Shine

Pretty Thrifty and God's Amazing Blessings

Hi everybody! Here's a new outfit. I just went to Kansas City with my grandparents this week and acquired a few new pieces for my wardrobe. Can't wait to utilize them. What do you think of this outfit? I found the skirt a garage sale and hadn't used it yet. It's just really different and I felt a little awkward in it. But I think it worked out for a fairly nice outfit.

Scarf (thrift store): $0.50
T-shirt : $3.00
Skirt (garage sale): $1.00
Boots (garage sale): $1.00
Total: $5.50

Also I made a mint chocolate chip Oreo ice cream cake for Michael's birthday awhile back. I used an angel food cake pan so that it would be thicker. That worked out, but I forgot to put wax paper under the Oreo crust so it didn't flip out of the pan like it was supposed to. I cut and served it. It turned out wonderful! I was so excited that Michael said, "I think you're more excited than I am!" He was right. I was very pleased with the results. And everyone liked it. Chock one up for DIYs!

Click photo for link to Pin.

  Penny, our half Dachshund puppy, is learning and growing rapidly. She is beautiful and sweet... when she's asleep.

  As some of you know, my family has been going through a challenging time. Certain events have been very unfavorable, and being completely human, I have been searching for someone to blame. The only answer seems like God. I realize my anger is wrong. If I don't trust God, who can I trust, you know? But I really needed something from God. Honestly, I don't even remember what I had been asking Him for, but it was nothing like what I received.
  For quite some time I have seen a comforter at the store that I really liked and wanted. I couldn't afford it and put it in the back of my mind. Well, yesterday I found a beautiful comforter at a garage sale. They wanted at the lowest $15 for it. They said it was pretty much brand new. I didn't have the money with me and we went home where I found enough for it. I got a little excited and Mom took me back later in the afternoon. I was able to get the comforter and the sheets to go with it for $17 dollars! Saving me $8 from the written price on it. I was very happy with it! We went to the store this morning, and I happened to see the exact same set. Originally $45. Blessing of the Lord.
   Also this morning, a friend of ours called us up and asked if I would like a refurbished electric acoustic guitar. Of course!
   So, the moral is that God's love doesn't run out on us even when we feel like running out on Him. Praise God!
   May God bless you all and guide you on your path.
   Emily
   Teen for the Lord

~~~~~

This post was featured!

Monday -  Mom's the Word - - Homestead Barn Hop -  -  A Mama's Story - A Return to Loveliness 
Tuesday - Titus Tuesdays  - Take a Look Tuesday  - You're Gonna Love it Tuesday - Tuesdays at Our Home -  Backyard Farming  Connection
Wednesday-  Raising Homemakers - Wholehearted Wednesdays - A Wise Woman Builds Her Home -  So Much at Home - Wake Up Wednesday - What you wish Wednesdays - A Little R & R - Wow Us Wednesday - Wonderful Wednesdays - - Fluster's Creative Muster - Making a Home 

Today... A Post from Emily's Mom

She's seventeen.

She's beautiful.

She's mine.

At least for now.

Happy Birthday Sweetheart!

Love,
Mom

Pretty Thrifty: My Brand New Flexi Clip

Hi Everybody!

I got a new Flexi clip! 

My mom won it from one of her blog friends, Judith at Whole Hearted Home, as a birthday present for me.

She was about a month early! : ) 

She let me choose which one I wanted and what size. The affiliate links are for Judith's Lilla Rose business.   I considered which size  I needed. The Medium often is too small to hold twisted hairstyles, and the Large is frequently challenged by the thickness of the many different styles of bun that I use. So I went for an Extra Large.

 When I received the Flexi, it was beautiful!! I love the colors. It matches my hair so well, my sister had a hard time getting a good picture of it. 

 But do you want to know what I found out?

Either I have some big hair, or my hair is a different texture than that of the girls in the sizing video. Probably a little bit of both. Still, I can't get even the X large to go over my full bun. What do you know!

I don't show this hairstyle with much pride. I simply wanted to show how much of my hair is contained in the XL. Granted, I was simply trying to get my hair up and not too worried about getting it to look pretty, secure, or neat. In any case, I think I could probably use the Mega Flexi. 

My goal is to give you an idea of how Flexis fit in my hair. Everyone's hair is a different, texture, and style. 

I hope this has been helpful to anyone considering purchasing a new Flexi. I love mine and I hope you will love yours, too. Click any of the links to visit their website. Have a great week and God bless you all!

Teen for the Lord

Earrings: $0.00

T-shirt (clearance Wal-Mart):$3.00

Necklace:$0.00

Skirt (made by me): $1.00

Flexi clip: $0.00

Total: $4.00

Pretty Thrifty and Camp 2014

   Hi everybody! I have been EXTREMELY apathetic in my posting. I'm sorry and I will try to better.
The truth is I haven't had a lot of free time and posting hasn't been a top priority.
Church camp was great this year! I had a lot of fun. I learned that I have to know God's love and I have to learn to love Him truly. In loving Him I will be trying to please Him, so I will love others, and righteousness will fall into place.
  As for the fair projects, my cake made it to the state fair as did one of Amy's pictures.We haven't gotten them back yet, but I believe we will soon.
  These are pictures of a couple of my summer outfits.
  Please be praying for our family. We are expecting A LOT of people at our restaurant this week and need prayer that the people will come and that we will simply have a good week.

  God bless you all. I thank you for continuing to read my blog even when I'm not faithful to post very often. That reminds me of a post I wrote a year or two ago. Click here to read it.

Jewelry: $0.00
Skirt( Given to me): $0.00
Jacket: $1.00
Sandals(thrift store bag sale): $0.25
Total: $1.25

Earrings:$0.00
Necklace:$0.10
Blouse (garage sale):$0.50
Jeans (thrift store):$3.00
Shoes (thrift store):$2.00
Total:$5.60
    Here are a few of my camp photos.
   My sister is telling me I look Asian at the moment. Weird.
 

2013. Yeah, I know it says 2008.

2014. I was proud of myself. I was able to get all my stuff into one suitcase, a backpack, and a sleeping bag. No extra purse and pillow. Yeah!

   My youth counselor, Karissa. She just got married this summer. Yeah!

    My best friend at camp. This was her last year as a camper. Snff,Snff!
Love you, Jenna!

                                             Camp theme was #NEXT LEVEL.
   We had so many campers this year that we ended up with two extra dorms. We were teamed up with the girls in Dorm 7 and we were in Dorm 1. Thus is the origin of Dorm 17.

   Well, talk to you later!
Emily
Teen for the Lord

Pretty Thrifty: Mother's day... twice.

  Yes, my mother gets two Mother's Day's. Her birthday is today and Mother's day was yesterday. She deserves to days about her. She's wonderful and a beautiful woman. I thank God for her!
  But, why the Frozen song? Just like about half of America, Frozen has attacked our house with a fierce vengeance for the two months that it was out and we didn't go to see it in theaters. So the reprise of  For the First Time in Forever has been going through my head for the last day and a half. I hope you guys love it half as much as I do when they are singing entirely different parts near the end in the build! LOVE IT!!


  Here's my Pretty Thrifty for this week. Sorry it's been so long!

Posting! Finally!

  Hi guys! I haven't fallen off the face of the planet. But I owe you all an apology. My negligence towards my blog has been horrific. I'm sorry. It's not fair of me to expect you to follow my blog if I don't post anything.
  So, why have I been so distracted?
 #1. Penny

 #2. Father's Day
 #3. The Heroes of Olympus by Rick Riordan
 (pictures courtesy of Rick Riordan.com )

 #4. Deep cleaning the house
 #5. 4-H Photography and Cake Decorating

#6. Work
and
#7. Stay in company
  The rest of my summer is going to consist of the 4-H fair, our official grand  opening at our restaurant, youth camp, and Freeman Health Camp.

  Well, I got to go. I hope you enjoyed this update on my life!
  Emily

Pretty Thrifty: Amy, 4-H, and Pride and Prejudice

Hi, everybody. This week I decided to take pictures of my sister Amy for my Pretty Thrifty post. It worked out well. Her outfit was much better than mine anyway.

 ~ She made her skirt ~

"LET IT GOOOOOO!"

The truth is this: I was too lazy to get pictures of myself. Amy looked great Sunday, so I simply announced we were going to take pictures of  her instead of me. Good thing she isn't too camera shy. :)
                                       

This week is the 4-H fair, so we worked hard to get our cakes and photographs finished Thursday and Friday. By working hard, I mean two hours of practicing on Thursday and four on Friday. I think I probably made somewhere around eight batches of icing. Yep, all icing. No fondant. But I got a blue ribbon. Yay!

In Photography I earned:

Blue!

Red

and Blue! 

So overall not bad for my first year.

I've been reading House of Hades. It's not as creepy as it sounds. Just the next installment of the Heroes of Olympus series, in which the next, and I believe the last installment, doesn't come out until this fall! UGHHH!

I rented the old Pride and Prejudice this week at the movie store and watched it Sunday afternoon. It wasn't bad, but kind of boring. It put Amy to sleep. That doesn't happen often at all. But I was determined to see it through, and I did. I do like Elizabeth's character. I actually took a "Which Austen character are you?" quiz and came out as Elizabeth. I think I do prefer the new version of Pride and Prejudice with Keira Knightley as Elizabeth, but I haven't seen it in a long time. I think I'll try to borrow it from my friend this week to watch it.

Well I'm going let y'all go. We're having chili tonight and we're going to watch Superman: Man of Steel. Ought to be interesting!
God bless!
Teen for the Lord

Season Skirt Hop Summer
Show & Share - Take a Look Tuesday  - You're Gonna Love it Tuesday -Titus Tuesdays -  Tuesdays with a Twist - Tuesdays at Our Home -  Backyard Farming  Connection - Totally Talented Tuesdays - 

Disney Q & A !

  I am sorry I haven't posted anything since Easter.  We've been a little distracted and busy at my house as of late. I am finally posting again, and I hope you enjoy it.
  These questions were part of a blog party that Anna hosted on her blog. Check it out. Also, my friend Natalie posted her answers on her blog. I was too late to join the party, but I decided to answer them anyway. The ones that took the longest to decide? Favorite male character and favorite prince.

So I invite to pull up a chair, as Blogger  proudly presents...
My answers.


1. Why do you love Disney?
    The music.

2. Who is your favorite Disney princess?
    I have been trying to decide. It comes down to Belle and Pocahontas.
 

3. Who is your favorite Disney female character?
    The Wardrobe in Beauty and the Beast. I love her to pieces! She'd be the perfect lady in waiting.

4. Who is your favorite Disney prince?
    Wow. Ummmmmm..... I'd have to say Edward from Enchanted. He's handsome, sings incredibly, loves passionately... he just needed an adventure to help him find his "beautiful lady".

5. Who is your favorite Disney male character?
    I don't know.  But if all else fails...
 
6. Who is your favorite Disney Villain?
     Captain Hook. We used to watch Peter Pan ALL THE TIME when I was little. So he holds a special place in my heart.~smile~
.
7. What is/are your favorite Disney Song(s)?
    I reserve judgement. I've Got a Dream from Tangled is VERY high on the list, but I won't declare a favorite. But here are few more:  Savages, Just around the River Bend, Hakuna Matata (LOVE IT!), Mother Knows Best ( and Reprise), Mine, Mine, Belle, Trashin' the Camp, and the list goes on and on.

8. What is your favorite Disney Movie?
     Pocahontas. It has my favorite soundtrack.

9. What was the first Disney movie that you saw (or remember for that matter!)?
     I don't know. I have a really old memory of Snow White, but I don't think it was the first one I ever saw.


10. Do you prefer the older Disney movies or the newer ones?
     In the middle ones?? : ) Tangled, Beauty and the Beast, Pocahontas, Pirates of the Caribbean...

11. Tangled or Frozen? (Mwaaahhhaaahhaaa! ;))
     TANGLED!!!! Sorry! Please, if you start a Frozen v.s. Tangled revolt on me, I may end up looking like this...

 permanently.

12. Favorite Disney Pixar Movie?
     "He took the name Metroman. I chose something a little more humble...
                               MEGAMIND!

 Incredibly handsome master of all villainy!"
(Truthfully, he's my favorite "villain". But really, does he even count?)


Disney pictures from Google Images.