yep

im still here.
So I made a list with things that I need to do before my break is over.
it has a decent amount of tasks that need to be done.
Some easy and small and others difficult and time consuming.
They range from things like deep cleaning the inside of my car to redecorating my room.
I shall post my little list soon.
One thing I put on my list was to post on the blog everyday in January.
we'll see how that goes...

I'm suppose to have jury duty this week. I have been excused for the past three days. Praying they don't call me in the next few days. They said that if they do It's probable that I would have to serve on the jury the next week.
who wants to serve on jury duty during there Christmas break?
but then again who wants to serve on jury duty PERIOD.
I guess it would be different if I was paid to be there but I wouldn't be. In fact I really can't afford to miss work. Life is just too darn expensive and I need my paycheck.

Okay okay enough complaining. I really live a truly blessed life and have no reason to complain.

Night loved ones.
xo
-es

christmas boutique

woah.
i need sleep. sweet sleep.
I am so ready for Christmas break.
I can barely contain myself.
I already decided it is going to be lovely.
simply lovely.
today I did a little christmas boutique.
I did alright.
I would love to do one someplace where there are tons of people who have an understanding of handmade.
Some people don't realize all the time and effort that goes into each one of my pieces.
Next Saturday im going to the Renegade Craft Fair. The people there understand handmade. It's such a fun place I can't wait to go.
I think it cost $400 for a booth. Eeeks.
Not ready to invest that much money into my little handmade business.

well I better get to bed.
another early morning ahead of me.
xo
-es

Hello December

I'm not really ready for you but I welcome you with open arms.

Can't wait to celebrate Christmas! It will be so nice to finally have a much needed break.

Merry Christmas friends!

just one more month

that's it.
really 2011 is nearly over?
I can't take it anymore.
Time is slipping through my fingers.
I have one more month in twenty eleven and then it will be gone forever.
unbelievable.

Oh Father I pray that I can embrace life to the absolute fullest. I want to enjoy each day and stopping being so busy that I am always thinking about tomorrow. I feel like my mind is never on now. It's always ahead planning things for school, church, and work. Im learning I really don't like living like that. So please help me to slow down and truly embrace every second of the day. I never want the end of a year to sneak up on me again like that. It's pretty scary. So won't you calm my mind and slow down time.

I love you sweet King
xo
-esther

iPhone

My new favorite app. I love getting to arrange my photos. Happy Monday.

true story

I am pretty sure I'm a 70 year old inside a 21 year old body.

I act like one.
think like one.
talk like one.
we have the same hobbies.
we enjoy the same movies and music

People have been telling me im an "old soul" for as long as I can remember. The older I get the more I start to believe them. I really don't think the same way people my age do. Clearly I am different. I just don't desire the same things as most. The morals I have sound nuts completely to so many young folk. But something tells me they didn't sound so crazy fifty years ago.



I had to post this because of Mimi. Hilarious. Seriously hilarious.


I never tried to be different but I also never tried to be like others. I've always been pretty comfortable being me. I truly thank God for that. I think so many people try to fit a certain role. Whether it be trying to be like everyone else or trying super hard to be different. Of course I have my fair share of struggles in life but thankfully they have not been about fitting in.

p.s. Im currently working on a colorful afghan for my bed. Can't wait to finsih it. Something tells me its going to take a long time...

Night
xo
-esther

good day

yesterday day was a wonderful day.

I had lunch with Jessica and Rynie
Started my new job!!!!
Made some delicious peppermint marshmallows.
and crocheted in the evening.

It was all together lovely.

I definitely want to make some more. Can't wait to play around with different flavors.


Happy Saturday!!
night
-esther

just for fun: part 2

just for fun

Today I took pictures of Jessica and Coryn. It was so much fun getting them all dolled up and snapping some photos of them. They looked lovely, absolutely lovely. Here are a few of them. I will upload the rest tomorrow. If you click on them you can see them better. Especially the vertical shots. They always look really pixelated on blogger.









The one below is one of my favorites. It looks way better when you click on it.

Gah they are beautiful. Inside and out. I love them so much.

Happy Saturday.
p.s. more pictures to come

night
xo
-es

well hello there

It's been forever.
It seems I have forgotten how to blog.
Things have been a bit hectic.
There is never a dull moment.
Long gone are the days of being bored.
I seem to always be busy.
There is always something to be done.

You know what.
I think I need to prioritize a bit better.
For one I waste far too much time on the computer.
I get distracted way too easily.
I mean way too easily.
It's a serious problem.
I just can't stay focused.
Darn the 21st century.
It has made a generation of over stimulated people.
eeeks. I wonder what consequences will be in the future.

o goodness. Im getting distracted again.
Well I better get back to those 100's of little things that need to get done.
2 papers.
an essay.
a room to be cleaned.
a dog in need of a bath.
clothes that need to be washed.
argh the list goes on.

hoping I can set aside some time to blog soon. cross fingers.

FIFTEEN

Yesterday we celebrated my dear cousins fifteenth birthday. She is like a little sister to me. I mean she really is. She even drives me nuts like one ;) I love her so very much. Gosh I remember so well going to see her at the hospital when she was born. She was the cutest. Still is.

Well the party was all together lovely. Family, Friends, Food, and Music. It was perfect. Below are a few of my favorite shots from the day.







Well I better start getting ready for bed. School in the morn... eeks.

night.
xo
-esther

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

today I came home to my brother playing his guitar in the front yard.

I think he is the greatest. Today he is 23. Twenty-three! ahhh...
I hope his day is absolutely lovely. Tonight my sister and I are going to go hear him play at a little restaurant/bar. Can't wait!

I love you dearly John David.

LA County Fair

Yesterday a few friends and I went to the fair. It was so much fun getting to catch up with them.



My favorite part of the day was seeing the elephants. They are so cute. I almost postive the one above knew I was taking pictures of her because she wouldn't stop looking at me. Then when I left I gave her a wave to thank her and she nodded her head a bunch of times. Crazy right? Well that pretty ellie made my day.


On the drive home the sky was absolutely beautiful. It was full of pretty clouds and a setting sun. Gah I love watching the sunset.
Well im off to the dreamcenter.
xo
-es

happiness is

handstands on the beach

and ice cream on the pier

happy Monday
xo
-es

time flies

a year ago today I left for England.
how time flies.
I used to get annoyed when people said that until
I realized it was so true.
and what do you know
now I say it.
Today I reminisced.
It feels good to think about all my blessings.
Getting a chance to "live" in London was defintely one of them.

Night
xo
-es

swing of things

The school year has begun...
I have mixed feelings about the whole thing.
Why I can't I just like school?
It's not too bad.
but it is school.
I have to say that I am so glad that I have the opportunity to get an education.

waking up before five is definitely not my cup of tea.
it's actually pretty terrible.
I have yet again become that girl who goes to bed before 9:30...
gosh I hate it
But if I go to bed late I can't seem to get up in the early morn.

Please pray that I have a positive attitude about school and that I am successful in all that I do at school this year.

Hope to be back soon with more intersting blog posts. I really want to try and blog daily again.

Well Night
xo
-esther.

20

Here I am on the eve of my 21st birthday reflecting on my life (specifically last year) The good Lord has blessed me in so many ways. And the crazy thing is I don't deserve any of it. I count all my joys as blessings from my savior.

To say my 20th year was amazing is a huge understatement. I mean it was by far one of the greatest years of my dear life.
I learned so much.
Serious life lessons that have left a huge impact on me.
I saw so much.
I traveled to four different countries.
England
France
Spain
Italy
I met so many people.
Through the church in England
Through the school here in LA
Through the church in Spain.

What a truly wonderful time in my life.

Now let me begin my "20th year" recap.

A little over a week after my birthday I headed to the United Kingdom to study. How lovely it was to live in a new country. I daydream about England so often. England always seems to creep into my mind. I have nothing but fond thoughts of my time there. I would go back in a heart beat.


delicious meals.
sigh looking through this pictures make me miss London even more. How blessed am I to have had such a wonderful experience?
About a month into my stay in London we took a weekend trip to France. It was so surreal. I mean really a trip to France in a weekend?! One of my favorite things about Europe is that your able to do trips like that. Everything is so close. It's fantastic.


well hello eiffel tower


Versailles was one of the most beautiful places I saw in France.

Versailles was one of the most beautiful places I saw in France.

Notre Dame
After the France trip I headed back to England and stayed for another six weeks.



I fell in love with all the lovely buildings and architecture.

O how I miss the sweet London streets so different from the ones I walk here in the states.

Oh and I forgot to mention one of the reasons this time in my life was so wonderful was because I got to share it with one of my best friends, Gabriela. We have known each other since we were little newborns. (were 3 months apart) It was so great to travel this beautiful world with her.

Coming home certainly wasn't easy both Gaby and I wanted to stay longer. But the joy of knowing we would see our families made it alot better.

For about two months I had no job and I didn't go to school. It was wonderful besides not having any money. I spent a good deal of time at home sewing, baking, and doing some major room re organizing. I just loved it. I'm really not one of those people who has to be doing something. I find it very easy to keep myself occupied. I also was able to volunteer with my little darlings in Jordan Downs.

I adore them.

Then I started school to pursue becoming a pastry chef. I was really excited for this new type of learning. It is so different from the traditional college setting. So much better in my perspective. I started making sooooo many different breads and other baked goods. It was lovely.


A week before school started I decided to cut some bangs. Something I hadn't had since I was in first grade. At first I hated them but now I have come to really like them.


Below are a couple pictures of me and the sister. This past year our relationship has grown a lot stronger. What a blessing that has been. We use to fight so much. It was really terrible. But now not so much. It's great. She is a real gem of a girl and I love her so much.
Thanksgiving pre hair cut

and easter with the bangs.


In March I got a job. Woohooo.......not. Sometimes I just can't stand it. But in all honesty I thank God that I am employed cause I certainly need the money. Life is expensive!


A couple weeks after I finished the school year I headed to New England with the family. It was pretty amazing. I absolutely love family vacations. They make me feel like a little kid all over again.

What happiness my family brings me.

I think he is one of the funniest guys around and im not just saying that cause he's my brother.
why am I such a dessert junkie....

By far they are my favorite blessing^

So seconds after I took the picture above I dropped the camera and broke it. RIP Nikon D70 we saw some great places together New York, London, and Paris. I was devestated. I needed a camera quick. So my father and I went to Sams Club in New Hampshire and bought one. Thank the Lord I had already been saving my pennies for a new one. My parents decided to pay a huge chunk of it too as a early birthday present. Well my devestation quickly turned into happiness when I had my new Nikon D3100 in my hands. I love it.
So far these are my favorite photos I have taken with it.


Gosh it was a great vacation. I forgot to mention we got to spend time with my aunt and cousins who live in New York. We did all sorts of touristy things with them. So fun.

About a week after we came home the sister and I headed to Spain for a mission trip. Ohhh it was so amazing. What a wonderful time we had helping at a preschool and elderly home.



My heart was full of joy throughout the entire trip. I truly miss all the people we met.
After we were done serving in Spain we spent a couple days in Italy (again this is why I love Europe)

amazing.

I still can't believe I saw the collosseum.

After we flew back to Spain and spent the day with the friends we made at the church there, it was really great to spend one last evening with them before we headed home.

So basically I started being 20 in England and ended it in Spain. Woah. Dreams really do come true. For as long as I can remember I have been asking God to give me "many travels." Little did I know that he would be so quick to answer.

There are three things I treasure deeply
1. my savior
2. my family
3. my travels (more like the memories I have of the amazing places I've seen)

These three things are what seem to always be on my mind.

Thank you Lord for each one.
I am so grateful for the relationship I have with you. I pray I always find my strength in you. Once again thank you for my 20th year of life. I will always treasure it. What a great year it was.

I adore you sweet savior.
-esther