Lovely Lemondrops

buckle down

2012-02-05T19:22:00.000-08:00

It's time to start school again...

no more free time.
Im going to be quite the busy bee.
LATTC in the morning
work after
and classes at TRI til 10 pm
eeks.

At least ill only be doing that 3 days a week.
I think I can handle it.

pray for me please.

I better get ready for bed.
waking up at 5 in the morning is certainly not easy for me.

night
xo
-esther

Cafe Pinot

2012-02-03T20:05:00.000-08:00

Went to eat in downtown with some dear friends I met when I went to Cal Poly Pomona. It was lovely getting to eat and chat with them. We enjoyed a delicious three course meal.

The olive bread was fantastic. I ate way too much of it.

After lunch we went to Bottega Louie for more dessert. Eeeks. I love that place. I reminds me of all the pretty patisseries in Europe.

So many BEAUTIFUL desserts.

Such a lovely day.
night
xo
-esther

video

2012-02-03T10:23:00.000-08:00

Bartle from Esther Carrera on Vimeo.

Just a little recap of my wonderful time with the Bartles.
not the greatest video but it's a perfect way to remember my time there.

LACMA

2012-02-01T20:54:00.000-08:00

A couple weeks ago Lysie invited me and the sister to LACMA with her and Daniel

O how I dream of having an air streamer one day. swoon.

There was a great deal of interesting things to see. My favorite exhibit was full of fifties and sixties decor and clothing.
We didn't get to see everything. I would love to back and wander the museum.

night
xo
-es

the train

2012-01-29T16:58:00.000-08:00

took the train from Union Station to Arroyo Grande.

It was lovely to have some alone time and enjoy the beautiful train ride.

I read

enjoyed the spectacular scenery

and sewed.

Im having the most wonderful time with the Bartles. Life is good.

not again

2012-01-27T21:32:00.000-08:00

so the thought of starting school again has me a bit on edge.
I don't want to go back.
there I said it.
It's not that I don't like it.

hmmm...
well maybe it is.
you see.
I love to learn.
I really do.

it's just the classes.
oh the classes.
the are not my cup of tea.
some of the students make me crazy.
and I'm not to fond of the assignments we have to do.

but if I'm being honest I find these classes far more enjoyable then when I was at university.
School is part of life.
at least it is here in America.
I see it's benefit and will continue to strive to do my best.
I don't need to love it
but you know what
I shouldn't complain about it.

My education is a gift
it truly is
I really should treat it as one.

Praying that my mind doesn't think so negatively about school.
I'm trying to be more positive.
Who knows maybe one day I'll want to be in school again.

night
xo
-esther

breaks almost over :(

2012-01-26T21:32:00.000-08:00

craft
work
sew
that's what my day looked like.

I'm trying really hard to create while I still have time.
It's going pretty well.

I can't believe I start school in less then two weeks.
Not to excited about that.
It's so nice being on break.
I have so much more time to do the things I love.

Things can get so hectic when school starts... :(

On Saturday I'm heading up to Arroyo Grande to visit my dear friends.
It will be so nice to catch up.
It's been a real long time since we have actually got to spend quality time together.

I can't wait.

night
xo
-esther

room redo

2012-01-25T23:25:00.001-08:00

have I mentioned I'm planning on changing up my room.
I'm thinking plain white walls and I'll be sure to use lots of colors in my decor.
That means more pretty maps to hang on my wall. The United States one I have hanging isn't enough. I'd like one of England too.
Also I want to hang some pretty framed photos and art.
Perhaps some plates too.
Right now I need to tidy up the room so I can get started on these changes. I was actually planning on working on this last month but life just gets so busy.
I've order some Cath Kidston fabric to make some big giant pillows for my floor.
I think a nice little corner to sit in will be lovely.

Well I better finish cleaning my room.
xo
-esther

create

2012-01-24T22:30:00.000-08:00

feels good to sit and create.

unfortunately when my school starts I know I won't have the time to do so.
such a shame it will be.
Well I suppose that isn't entirely true.
I will most definitely be creating delicious desserts to eat in class
but will no longer have the time to sew and crochet.

Perhaps I should practice prioritizing and time management.
I really need to plan out my days before they pass me by.

I'm trying to enjoy my last couple weeks before school starts in a couple weeks.
I just love being on break. If only I had more time. So much needs to get done.

Night
xo
-es

inspired and exhausted

2012-01-21T22:39:00.000-08:00

boy am I exhausted.
pretty much all I did this weekend was eat, sew, and sleep.
It was fantastic.

We saw some spectacular quilts at the show.
The one below was my favorite.

oh the detail....
so amazing.
unfortunately I didn't get a good photo of the entire quilt. But it was absolutely stunning.

Some people are so very talented.

Im working on a nice little simple quilt made with vintage fabric scraps from the thirties, forties, and fifties. I'm really excited about this one. I've never made a quilt like this before and can't wait to see how it turns out. I'll be sure to post photos of it.

night xo.
esther

quilting

2012-01-20T23:26:00.000-08:00

How lovely it's been to getaway to quilt.
I just finished sewing the binding on one.

Pictures to come tomorrow.
I can't wait to put it to good use.

goodness it feels good to create.

keeps me sane.

night
xo
-es

Ahhh

2012-01-18T23:42:00.001-08:00

It's just about midnight and I have yet to pack my clothes for my quilting weekend away.
Why do I always do this?
I'm just going to do it tomorrow morn cause I'm exhausted.

Argh. So much to do.
I was busy all day today.
It will be so nice to getaway for a bit.

Well Nightie night. I better hit the hay. We are leaving at eight thirty which means I'll have to wake up real early to get everything ready.

simple photo

2012-01-17T21:35:00.000-08:00

I absolutely love taking pictures.
by far my favorite thing to photograph are people.
I prefer candid.
those always seem to turn out the best.
They freeze time
real time
they are not staged or set up.
they are the perfect photos to document life

I love photos like the one below. The ones that make you remember who you were
what you liked

this is Sam
16
broken wrist
infatuated with Peter Pan
hence the stuffed animal
and leather bands
bright green nail polish
mismatched socks
pretty brown hair
spirit hood

in a few years she will not look like this.
time changes everything.
even when you don't want it to
its nice to capture a piece of it.
at least I think so.

Night
xo

real talk

2012-01-15T10:01:00.001-08:00

frustrated and
slightly annoyed.
sometimes we want things to be perfect.

but they are not
learning to deal with the reality of that is not always easy.

I kind of just want to wrap myself in a bunch of blankets and lay in bed.
That sounds lovely.

But no.
I'm going to get out of bed.
Go to church
and then spend time with people I love.

It will be nice.

I'm going to try to be joyful.
everyday is a gift and id like to treat it and cherish it as one.

xo
-es

happy birthday precious

2012-01-13T22:22:00.001-08:00

I gifted sweet little Liv this dress I made. I'm pretty sure she liked it. She's a sweetheart. I think she looks pretty darn cute in it.

Happy Friday!

dreamer

2012-01-12T23:21:00.000-08:00

Gah I'm always daydreaming. Thinking about the places I've been and the places I have yet to see.

I desperately want to see the world.

For the past few years all I seem to think about is traveling.

England continues to be on my mind.
sigh...

The things I would do to get on a plane and explore the world a bit more....

Oh and water fountains in Spain.

well now I'm going to have a sweet slumber about all the pretty places I want to see.

night
xo
-esther

Blessings

2012-01-11T22:26:00.001-08:00

I tried to count my blessings but I couldn't. There were too many.
A home
Freedom
Clean water
Healthy body
Creative mind
Good food

The list goes on and on.
I mean really, it does not end.

You know what's absolutely crazy.
I still complain.
It's sad.
Quite pathetic actually.
When you live in America you often forget how good you have it.
I mean here even the poor can get a education. Water is free and hope is high.

I think of other countries and want to cry. How can I complain about little things like traffic or my meat being overcooked when there are people sick, hungry, and dying.

My prayer is that when I want to complain my heart remembers how blessed I am.

Thank you Lord for your endless blessings let them be used to glorify your name and bless others.

sister time

2012-01-10T21:06:00.000-08:00

Here are a few silly shots of the sister and I.

even though the photo below is crooked and blurry I still really love it.
It makes me happy.

Thank God for sisters.
xo
-esther

San Elijo

2012-01-09T21:18:00.000-08:00

I was so kindly invited to a spur of the moment overnight beach trip. The weather was absolutely spectacular. Clear blue skies during the day and a gorgeous sunset in the evening. Ahhh I love sunsets.

They of course call for silhouette pictures. I just can not resist a cartwheel or two on the beach. So fun!

This was my second unplanned beach trip in a span of three days. Gosh the the pacific sure makes California a great place to live. Santa Barbara on Friday and San Elijo on Sunday. Perfection.

Happy Monday.
xo
-es

Kid

2012-01-08T20:33:00.001-08:00

dj from Esther Carrera on Vimeo.

This makes me happy.
I love him.
xo
-esther

Saturday

2012-01-07T21:14:00.001-08:00

Spent the day with one of my dearest friends. We went to the projects with the Dreamcenter. It had been such a long time since we both went together. After we went to vegan house. They have some really great lunch specials. Now we are brushing up on our spanish skills while watching La Misma Luna. Swell day.

sister time

2012-01-06T22:21:00.000-08:00

Coryn and I spent the day in Santa Barbara. It was simply wonderful. The weather was perfection.

We ate, shopped, and relaxed by the sea. The sky was so blue!

It was swell.
I just love getting to spend the day in Santa Barbara. It's such a lovely little city.

night
xo
-es

future

2012-01-05T22:59:00.000-08:00

As of late their has been quite a bit on my mind.
I've been thinking about the future and how I don't know what it holds for me.
But you know what.

That's okay.

I believe in a God who loves me and want's the best for me.
Im still trying to learn to give him COMPLETE control of my life.
It's not always easy.
So often I want to be in control of everything.
I worry and cause myself a great deal of stress.

There are things in life I want so badly (many travels and a family of my own)
These things can consume my thoughts.
Oh the constant wondering.
Will the Lord provide these for me.

Honestly as MUCH as I want those things I know I can be content without them for the time being.
My God is in control.
such peace it brings my heart.

Im learning I must enjoy my single hood and time in California.
Every day is truly a gift.

I am blessed.
I thank my sweet savior for that.

-esther

Starbucks and a drive

2012-01-04T12:45:00.000-08:00

Today Gabby and I went to starbucks and then on a drive up Glendora Mountain Road. It was lovely. We had a nice long chat and enjoyed the beautiful scenery on this sunny January day. We talked about life and how much we both have grown and changed. We grew up playing dolls together and now we are both in college. Ahhh it's crazy. It was so nice to catch up. I missed her.

Southern California is such a pretty place to live.

Excuse the grainy photos they were taken with my laptop.

Well I better get ready for work
xo
-es

Ugly?

2012-01-03T22:36:00.001-08:00

She is sooo ugly she's cute. Sometimes im embarrassed to admit the amount of joy she brings me. But let's be honest who else whimpers when she wants to be with me or pees out of pure excitement when I come home? I know! Gross,right? She loves me. She really, really loves me. And you know what. It's nice to be loved.

syblings

2012-01-02T23:14:00.000-08:00

Isn't it funny how the people you love the most seem to be the ones who often drive you crazy. Gosh I love these two so very much but boy oh boy can they get me grumpy. They sure now how to push my buttons.

But life would be pretty dull without them. They sure are precious to me.

Happy Monday
xo
-es

2012

2012-01-01T08:37:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year dear friends!
I can't believe it's already here.
2011 was an absolutely fantastic year. The Lord blessed me with many amazing opportunities.
I think my favorite thing was getting to go Spain to serve the Lord. It was an wonderful experience that I will cherish forever. I would just love to go back.

I hope everyones 2011 was just as lovely as mine.
Below is a little video I made for Thanksgiving. It's pretty basic I'm hoping to learn how to record better video. I really don't know too much. But its sweet to have these little movies to remember past years. Enjoy a peek into a Carrera Thanksgiving.

Thanksgiving 2011 from Esther Carrera on Vimeo.

xo
-esther

yep

2011-12-21T22:05:00.000-08:00

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

2011-12-04T20:46:00.000-08:00

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

2011-12-01T23:40:00.001-08:00

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

2011-11-30T21:17:00.000-08:00

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

2011-11-28T21:00:00.001-08:00

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

true story

2011-11-20T20:08:00.000-08:00

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

2011-11-05T18:57:00.000-07:00

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

2011-10-30T09:06:00.000-07:00

just for fun

2011-10-29T23:33:00.000-07:00

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

2011-10-24T14:47:00.000-07:00

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

2011-10-09T20:30:00.000-07:00

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

2011-09-30T20:07:00.000-07:00

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

2011-09-24T08:09:00.000-07:00

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

2011-09-19T19:23:00.000-07:00

handstands on the beach

and ice cream on the pier

happy Monday
xo
-es

time flies

2011-09-09T23:09:00.001-07:00

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

2011-09-05T20:08:00.000-07:00

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

2011-08-28T21:09:00.001-07:00

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

mimi

2011-08-27T23:41:00.000-07:00

gah she makes my day. If you need some joy in your life. Get a dog. Who doesn't like to be greeted by a super excited animal when you get home. Mimi seriously goes nuts whenever I come through the front door. It's like she hasn't seen me in months. I think she is pretty cute! Big ears and all.

Tomorrow is my last day as a 20 year old!!! Where does the time go. Oh how I wish I knew.

Night
xo
-esther marquis

happiness is

2011-08-25T15:04:00.000-07:00

listening to Glenn Miller on your new record player.

I've been wanting a record player for quite some time now. I was hoping to get a true vintage one but instead settled for a fifties like remake. It was just to hard to find a real old one and I was getting tired of looking. They were expensive and I wasn't even sure if they would work.
Now I just need to add some more records to my teeny tiny collection. Im going to head over to my Grandpas house sometime this week and see what he has.

Well now im off to work.
Happy Thursday.
xo
-es

Lunch with Jackie

2011-08-24T22:25:00.000-07:00

The best part of my day was having lunch with my cousin Jackie. She insisted on telling the waiter that it was my birthday so that I could get a free dessert. I told her not to but she must have told him when I went to the restroom because after we finished our food out came a pizookie with a candle. (thanks jack you shouldn't have..., really!)

Anyways I can hardly believe I'm turning 21?! Where does the time go. All I can say is that the Lord has blessed me in so many ways it's unbelievable. I adore him.

Night
xo
-Esther

sunspots

2011-08-22T21:20:00.000-07:00

I love spending time with these kids. The little guy is hilarious and the older one isn't half bad. Jaqueline you know I love you.

I could spend all day with them. Which is what I did on Saturday. We jumped on the trampoline and I decided to take some pictures. While looking through the lens I discovered some sweet sun spots. I don't know why but I love when my pictures have them. I think it reminds me of old photos. Anywho after I made DJ pose with them. He thought it was the coolest thing. As did I.

I guess you could say the two of us are easily amused.
Anyways I love them.

Happy Monday!
xo
-es

happiness is

2011-08-17T22:38:00.000-07:00

laying on a quilt in the front yard underneath your orange trees while listening to Damien Rice.

I'm going to post little things that bring me happiness every Wednesday. Everyone needs a bit of midweek happiness. I know I'll need it when school begins.

What makes you happy?

19

2011-08-14T21:37:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday to my beautiful baby sister.
Coryn, my mama, and I went out for tea to celebrate. How lovely it is to sit and sip tea with some of your favorite people. We had a grand time.

Delicious sandwiches and pretty little desserts.

Well I certainly hope that Rynie had a lovely 19th birthday with her dearest friends and family.

Im so blessed she is in my life.

I love you little sister.
xo
-emc

finally

2011-08-13T23:02:00.001-07:00

free at last
no more work shirt and apron on the weekends. woohoo
It feels so good having my friday and saturday nights free.
I was able to go to 2 birthday parties this weekend.
pure happiness

now I work wednesday and thursday nights.
I will probably need to find work elsewhere. I really need more hours but the shifts at my job don't really work well with my school schedule.

Im praying I don't have too much homework cause it's going to be tough going to school all day then rushing straight to work, getting off at nine pm, then coming home to schoolwork and having to wake up before five the next morning. Im like a little kid when it comes to sleep. I really need it. Or else I am loopy the rest of the day.

Well I better get some sleep now.
Im exhausted.
night
xo
-es

oh heavens

2011-08-07T16:20:00.000-07:00

I am finally going through my Spain photos so that I can show them to you. There are so many im overwhelmed. How blessed I truly am! My heart is filled with happiness when I look through the hundreds of pictures. The Lord has given me so much I can't help but be in awe of him. He never seizes to amaze me. I am so unworthy of all the blessings. Through him I get to see the world he created.
For now I will leave you with just this one picture until I can figure out how to post all the others.

This is Daniela. Daniela and I became fast friends. She is the daughter of the missionaries we worked with. Such a sweet and joyful child. I love her dearly.

Gosh, I miss all my friends in Spain!

xo
-esther

jet lag

2011-08-02T19:48:00.000-07:00

Oh adjusting to a nine hour time change is seriously tough. I have been back from Spain for nearly 4 days and am still expeirencing terrible jet lag. I just want to sleep all day. I should have known it was going to be this bad. I was reading over some of the blogs that I wrote after returning from England. Recovering from being gone for over 2 months is way worse then 2 weeks. But still if feel lethargic and just plain bad. Hoping I can completely adjust to the time soon.

Since I have been waking up so early I have taken advantage of the cool morning air.

This morning I got up and picked some tomatos from my garden. Such happiness it brings me.

I love that I can find joy in little things like this.

Tomorrow I am going to try to get the photos from the rest of my trip in order. I have SO MUCH to show you.

I took 1000 of pictures that all need to be uploaded and given discriptions.

But for now I must go to bed.
Night
xo
-es

The kind of place you see in your dreams

2011-07-23T15:20:00.000-07:00

Be still my heart. Today we went to a castle. It was stunning. Seriously a dream come true. I'm pretty sure it's the oldest thing I have ever been in. (built 300 B.C.) It was just breathtaking. How blessed I am to see so many beauties of the world. Im so grateful and will treasure the memories I made today and the past week always. Enjoy the photos.

Well my day was all together lovely. I hope yours was too!

xo
-esther

2011-07-21T23:58:00.000-07:00

more time with the children

Below Alex and I are telling them the story of Jonah.

more time with the elderly

This is Iris. I have spent hours with her this week. She is as sweet as they come.

I just adore her. I realy cherish talking to her, feeding here, singing with her, and reading to her. She doesn't remember much so she gets very frustrated with herself and it breaks me heart. Simple questions like "what is your daughter's name?" can be so difficult fo her to answer. Which leaves her angry and feeling "stupid". She is one of the few people in the home who speaks English. It's also hard for her to communicate with the staff at the nursing home because she gets very frustrated due to the language barrier. So please pray that she has peace in the home. Oh I just adore her.

The guys continued working on a fence for the nursing home.

We ended the day with a dinner at the home. More delicious ice cream. My favorite. We also went to a twenties themed birthday party last night. It was so fun. I'll post pictures of that later.

Adios.
xo
-esther

Yo Amo Espana

2011-07-19T22:34:00.000-07:00

We are continuing our work both with the children and with the elderly at the nursing home. We are really starting to build relationships with the people here. It's so exciting.

We even did a bit of yard work outside the nursing home and will continue to do so tomorrow.

After a day full of work we went to fill our water bottles with fresh spring water in this pretty fountain.

Then we came back to the church and spent some time with the youth. It was so fun. The group is so sweet. I even got to take a short ride on a motorcycle with one of them. Riding on the back of a "moto" is something I have always wanted to do. And doing it in Spain only made it ten times better.

Well that's my day in a nutshell.
I can't wait to see what else the Lord has in store for me.

My heart is so full.

xo
-esther

wonderful

2011-07-18T15:09:00.000-07:00

We are having so much fun here in Spain. It makes me sad thinking that I only have a little over a week left to spend in Spain. But I am SO grateful that the Lord sent me serve him in this beautiful country.

Today we spent time in the morning with the children at the church school and the evening with the elderly. I just love people, so being able to spend time with such a wide range of wonderful people is truly amazing. I got to start my day loving on one year olds and ended it chatting with someone a hundred! My heart is so content!
Below are a few photos from our day. I can't wait to do it all again tomorrow.

Happy Monday dear friends.
xo
-esther

We have arrived

2011-07-16T14:15:00.000-07:00

After an extremely long day of traveling(3 flights). We have arrived in the beautiful country of Spain. I am already starting to fall in love with this place. The people are lovely and really affectionate (anyone that knows me knows that I am someone who loves affection) So this country suits me well. We have toured the church that we will be working out and have already enjoyed to delicious meals with the people of the church. Enjoy the photos!

^paella

^the team

^make your own ice cream sandwhich

^Coryn and her new friends.

^our second meal. The meat was so good!

^peanuts and olives were served before both meals.

^Gaby, Alyse, and I

^Thank you Lord for new friendships.

Sorry most of the photos were of food... But we spent a lot of time around the table enjoying a meal and getting to know each other. Tomorrow im sure we will be doing lots more. Thanks again for all your prayers.

xo
-es

EXCITED

2011-07-14T21:08:00.001-07:00

I am absolutely thrilled that I am heading to Spain for a mission trip tomorrow. I can't wait to see how the Lord will use me and the team to honor his name in a nation foreign to us. I feel so blessed that he has provided me with yet another opportunity to travel. He has gone above and beyond in answereing my prayers to travel this world that he made. He knows that my heart longs to see all the nations and I love that he is allowing me to do so.

Oh and something even more amazing is that after the mission trip a few of us are going to take a trip to Italy. ITALY!!! A dream come true. On my list of places to travel, England was my number one and Italy my number two. Oh my heart is full of happiness.

Please pray for the Spain Mission Team. I'm hoping I'll be able to blog a couple of times on the trip but im not quite sure if I will have internet. If not I'll be back in a couple weeks with tons of pictures.

xo
-esther

a little late

2011-07-12T20:39:00.000-07:00

I wanted to post a few more pictures from our lovely family vacation. I don't know what I would do without a camera. Photos are the perfect things to capture all my memories. The following pictures are from the 4Th of July.

^David's new glasses + the Boston sky line = amazing

^ My mother and father, the people who took us to the east coast and spoiled us with delicious seafood dinners and nice little road trips in the east coast. We went to Massachusetts, New York, New Hampshire, Vermont, Rhode Island and Connecticut.
^Walkling around in Salem. Their was so much neat history there. I wish we could have seen more of the little city.

^mother and daughters <3

^Lastly a picture of the whole family before the fireworks in Boston.
I love them all so much. Words can not express.

xo
-esther

Flea Market

2011-07-11T21:22:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I went to the Rose Bowl Flea Market. It's one of my favorite places to go. I really look forward to it each month. Often I go with my dear friend Julian but she is currently out of state.

The market is by far the biggest I have ever been too. I just love looking through all the beautiful vintage goods. Who doesn't like to hunt for vintage treasures? This time I found a real gem. An absolutely perfect hand pieced hexagon quilt top. I can't even imagine how long it must have taken the maker to stitch up. I'm planning on completing the quilt it soon.

I'm kind of in love with the two pink dresses. Gah beautiful vintage formal wear makes me weak in the knees.

xoxo
-esther

please slow down

2011-07-08T22:59:00.000-07:00

ohhh life..
you go so fast.

sometimes I can hardly stand it.
In fact most of the time I can't stand it.

Why wont you slow down so I can just soak it in.
but no
quickly you go often leaving me a bit frustrated.

am i the only one who feels like they are not living in the moment because their mind is on a 1000 other things.

unlikely

this must be a common problem.
right?

I pray that I can always live in the moment.
May the Lord help me to focus on now.
Not tomorrow or next week but NOW.

To breathe it all in.

Each day is a blessing and should be treated as one.

DAVID

2011-07-05T18:18:00.000-07:00

The weather was absolutely lovely yesterday. Pretty blue skies called for lots of pictures.
p.s. the two photos in the middle look a lot clearer when you click on them. I can't seem to figure out why they are blurry...

Cannoli's

2011-07-05T17:59:00.000-07:00

Yesterday Coryn and I went to Mike's Pastry shop and got some delicious cannoli's. I had wanted to try them a couple a days ago but the line for the place was extremely long so I decided to pass. Luckily yesterday the line wasn't nearly as bad so I just had to pick up a pistacio cannoli for myself and a lemoncello for my mama. They were the biggest cannolis we have ever had. Goodness they tasted wonderful.

xo
-es

Ups and Downs

2011-07-02T20:12:00.000-07:00

Today started out lovely until my camera broke... It was terribly sad. I accidentally dropped it on the brick floor and it stopped working. I was so mad. Not only would I not be able to take anymore pictures on this trip but I wouldn't have a good camera to take to Spain. Well when I got back to the hotel I immediately started looking for a SLR camera online. I had actually been saving for a new camera for a little over six months. My current camera had been giving me quite a few problems. I didn't think I had enough money for the camera I wanted but Sam's Club had a $100 discount on a Nikon D3100. So my dad and I drove on over to New Hampshire (no sales tax) to pick up the camera. I absolutely love it. It's 10 times better then my old D70. This whole thing turned into a unexpected blessing. Now I have a wonderful camera that records HD video and is so much easier to use. I can't wait to take pictures with it tomorrow.

Well below are a few pictures I took before I broke the D70.

xo
-esther

Boston Photos

2011-07-01T20:13:00.000-07:00

Ahh family vacation is wonderful. Thanking the Lord for so many undeserved blessings.

We spent the day all around Boston. We shopped, had tea, and explored the city. It was all together lovely. There is so much to see and do here. I can't wait for tomorrow.
xo
-esther

testing

2011-06-30T19:33:00.000-07:00

Im trying to make some changes to my blog layout... It's turning out to be trickier then I thought :(

I want my photos to appear larger on the page so I may upload them to flickr first and then post them. Im testing it out right now. So for the time being the page may seem a bit wonky.

I'll post lots of pictures tomorrow!
night
xo
-es

Saratoga Photos

2011-06-29T20:15:00.000-07:00

This first one is hilarious. We were at the Saratoga visiting center and David decided to get rather chummy with the mannequin.

Below are some more serious shots of the brother and sister. I just love all the green.

I just had to take a picture with the union jack.

Oh British love. By the way I know that Saratoga isn't exactly a place the British would think of fondly. I love the UK dearly but I am so glad that the Americans were victorious in the battles against England.
Heading to Boston in the morning. So excited.
xo
-esther

New York

2011-06-28T14:46:00.000-07:00

We arrived in New York late last night after a busy day of traveling. My aunt and cousins met us at the airport. It was so good to see them. I hadn't seen Misael and Xotchil for over a year.

Today we walked all around Albany and I took tons of pictures but sadly they got deleted. I was so mad. My camera did this exact same thing in London and I was practically in tears. It's terribly sad to know that all the pictures you have taken have mysteriously disappeared. It did save a couple though. Here is a picture of the pizza Coryn and I shared. It was delicious and the slices were quite huge.

Below is me in the Albany capitol building. It had the most beautiful stairway.
Well those are the only photos I have... Hopefully the camera will be reliable for the rest of the trip. I better not act up in Boston cause I don't want to carry that heavy thing around if it's not going to work.

Okay it's about time for dinner. I think we are going to go to a burger joint.
xo
-es

Boston baby

2011-06-26T14:14:00.000-07:00

Woohoo! Tomorrow I leave for Boston with the familia! I am so very excited I can hardly contain myself. Im definitely going to try and blog during the trip. Cause we all know that I have been pretty terrible in the blogging department the past few months. Well thats going to change. Ahhhh I can't wait. Well I better start packing.
xo
-es

tomorrow

2011-06-21T23:23:00.000-07:00

I will be doing yet another amateur photo shoot of this lovely lady. Her best friend is coming to visit from out of state. So some nice pictures were defintely in order. Im excited, we usually have a really great time. Hopefully the weather will be nice and I can snap some good photos.

Isn't she lovely? I sure think so.
night
xo
-esther

working weekend

2011-06-18T23:11:00.000-07:00

this is my saturday night...

that's right
work :(
I've worked every weekend for the past 3 months.
To say I'm tired of it is a huge understatement.
Gah. I just want one Friday or Saturday night off so I can do something nice with my friends.
I'm tired of missing all sorts of fun stuff.
But you know what.
That's life.
I mean really it is.
I got to get to Spain some way right?
So thank you Lord for putting this job opportunity in my life.
Although it brings much frustration I'm grateful I'm employed.

Ahh now to enjoy my days off!

night
xo
-esther

dreamer

2011-06-14T21:05:00.000-07:00

This place was on my mind all day long. I couldn't seem to shake it off. I think of england far too much. I'm just dying to go back. Oh if I only could. sigh.

complain.

2011-06-03T22:57:00.000-07:00

Right now all I want to do is complain...
complain about work.
complain about how I felt sick all day.
complain about how overwhelming everything is.

But
instead I'm going to thank God.
Thank him for giving me the opportunity to work well so many others are in desperate need of a job.
Thank him for giving me a healthy body.
Thank him for giving me so much in life. Yes it can be overwhelming at times but I love that my life is full of friendships, church, school and other activities.

I'm blessed.
really, I am.

-es

John David

2011-06-02T21:53:00.000-07:00

I wish I really knew how to take pictures. I mean like really good ones. If only I had some knowledge of what my Nikon 270 can actually do. Perhaps I should read the manual this summer...

Anyways sometime last week I snapped some photos of my brother. He is one of my favorite people in the world.

Oh and of course his instruments had to be in the photos because who is David with out a guitar or even a lap steel?
Gah I just love him to pieces.
Happy Thursday!
night
-es

June

2011-06-01T21:46:00.000-07:00

June!
really...it's June?
the sixth month of the year.
2011 just started!
Good heavens I have been so busy lately...
Time seems to pass by without me noticing.
Oh how I wish it would slow down.
If I could only have one week to do absolutely nothing.
No school, no work, no fundraising, and no church responsibilities.
Don't get me wrong I love all these things dearly (except for working...)
It's just that when they are all happening at the same time things tend to get a little messy.
And Im a little tired of the mess.

Lord please help me to "straighten" things out.

Well Im almost out of school!! Which means more steady blogging. Yay!
Cause I have been the most terrible blogger the last few months.

ahhh I just realized what time it is. I really should go to bed so I can wake up in less then 7 hours to go to school. eeeks.
night
xo
esther

pancake breakfast

2011-05-23T08:11:00.000-07:00

The pancake breakfast went really well. I sold lots of the rose flower clips.

^These girls along with Lorisa really helped me out.
Right now I am saving all the money I make for my mission trip to Spain. I still need to rasie about $900. It's a bit overwhelming but I am praying the Lord gives me peace about it and I'm trusting that he will provide.
xo
-es

right now

2011-05-19T22:25:00.000-07:00

I am just loving being a baking student. I am learning so much each day.

Just this week we made beautiful fruit tarts.

I love all projects that allow me to put my own creativity into them.
Next week we will be working on cakes. I am so excited. I just can't wait.

night
xo
-esther

soon

2011-05-16T20:29:00.000-07:00

Ahhh soon I shall have a break. A nice long summer vacation with my favorite people in the world. My dear family. We will be heading to Boston for a bit. I can hardly wait. Im sure it will be all kinds of lovely. We leave in a little over a month! Then I come back for a few days before I head off to Spain with the sister and some of my very best friends for our mission trip. Sooo exciting!

My savior has blessed me in so many ways I can't even explain it. Blessing after blessing. He is do good to me. I adore him in every way.

Happy Monday!

xo
-esther

macarons

2011-05-09T14:07:00.000-07:00

So I think I'm going to attemt making macarons once again. Why must these cookies be so darn tricky. But they are so delicious. I think they are the most pretty cookies in the world.

The picture above was taken in bohemian Paris. So lovely. Oh to go back again. That would be amazing. I am forever grateful that I had the opportunity to go and explore pretty Paris.

xo
-esther

Sweet Easter Photos

2011-04-30T23:07:00.000-07:00

I love them all to pieces. Thank you Lord for putting them into my life.

Seriously??

2011-04-24T21:51:00.000-07:00

Why can't my cousins take a nice picture with me?

I had the most lovely day with my family. We have so much fun just getting together and hanging out. I adore each and everyone of them and am so grateful we all got to spend the day together.
More Easter pictures to come tomorrow...
night
xo
-Esther

business

2011-04-22T22:36:00.000-07:00

Okay right now I have the most boring blog ever. I have been quite busy with stuff that is not fun to blog about. Hence the lack of entries.

I have actually been spending a great deal of time sewing which has been lovely. I truly love making things whether it be for myself or the people I love. Recently I have been focusing on creating with business in mind. I think it would be ever so lovely to be able to make a decent amount of money from selling the things that I enjoy making. I have written a bit about my little business before but now I really want to make this happen. There is no reason I shouldn't now that I have the money I need to invest into supplies. I'm getting so excited about the whole thing. I am praying that I am successful and wise with the decisions I make concerning my little business.
I will have to post pictures of my items soon. I have really made quite a bit.

Night
xo
-esther

crazies

2011-04-16T22:43:00.001-07:00

I just love my boys to pieces.

I want them to stay little forever.But as time goes by they continue to grow and grow.

Right now they love to take silly pictures. In six or seven years I bet the won't even let me take there photo...

Well I guess I'll just have to enjoy this time well it last.
I hope everyone had a lovely week. Mine was quite busy but now I am on spring break so things should start to slow down. Praise the Lord!

Happy Saturday!
xo
-esther

Baking

2011-04-15T23:06:00.000-07:00

I've been baking!

I'm learning so much and having a lot of fun while doing so. I just can't wait to start making all the delicious desserts. Hopefully we will start making some sweet stuff within the next few weeks.

Happy Friday!
xo
-esther

pretty girls

2011-04-11T21:19:00.000-07:00

I did yet another amateur photo shoot with my absolutely beautiful cousins.

We had lots of fun and got some lovely shots. Many more to come I just need to upload them all!

happy monday
xo
-es

browsing

2011-04-10T21:04:00.000-07:00

I was just looking through all the pictures on my computer.
Can I just say that I am overwhelmed by all my sweet Savior has blessed me with.
I mean seriously O V E R W H E l M E D.
to the point where my heart can't contain the joy.
I just don't understand why my Lord would give me so much.
I must. I mean really really must give back to him and those he loves.
Lord let me never forget my blessings.
Came across this little photo.

I love my baby sister. She's lovely.
xo
-esther

flowers

2011-04-04T21:31:00.000-07:00

Today I worked on felt flowers for the booth I'm planning on having at the pancake breakfast this May. I'm getting super excited for it! I just hope I can make enough stuff in time. I have become quite the busy bee with school, work, and church.

Today in the midst of babysitting this little cutie I decided to have a mini photo shoot with some of the floral headbands I made. Hopefully I can make and photograph more of them before May.

Isn't she a doll. She is just way too cute.

Well I better get some sleep I have to be out of bed before five.
night
xo
-esther

Catch up

2011-03-30T22:00:00.000-07:00

So I really need to start playing catch up with this little blog of mine. I have so much to say but just not enough time to write or say it. I really want to tell you about how school, work, Spain preparation and any other little things I've been doing. Hopefully I will get around to it after I run some errands.
Below are a few photos (sorry they are blurry I quickly snapped them with my phone)of the delightful feast we enjoyed last week in my culinary 111 class. Oh and I got an A in it!! Praise God I'm so happy!

Night
-esther

busy bee

2011-03-27T15:51:00.000-07:00

Right now this is what life looks like.

On Monday I go to school and take a sanitation and safety class.
Tuesdays and Wednesdays I leave to school early in the morning for my culinary course. Then I try to do all my studying for my weekly test on Thursday.
On Thursday I wake up early again and go to class then I rush off to work.
On Friday I run little errands for the week and try to squeeze in sewing time which usually doesn't happen :( Then I head to work til about 8:30. (there is just not enough time in the day)
On Saturday I head down to the dream center and hang out with my lovely kiddos over there. Then I rush back to Covina to work til closing
On Sunday I watch the babies in the nursery and then go to service. After church I just try to relax before the whole thing repeats again the next morning.

Sadly this leaves me with barely anytime to blog.
So please forgive me for the lack of blog posts. I really enjoy blogging. I mean I right in my journal everynight but I also like to have and online account with videos and photos to document my day to day life.

I do have good news though. Starting April 4Th I will only be going to school 3 days a week! Which means I won't be driving to downtown five times a week and I'll have some free time to be creative. Only I want to do is cook and sew. If I just had some time.

Happy Sunday!
xo

Sweet

2011-03-20T21:19:00.000-07:00

This little miracle made my day.

She is as sweet as they come.

Thank you Lord for her life. Let her story bring glory to your name.

-es

slow

2011-03-17T22:41:00.000-07:00

life
will you please
oh please
slow down a bit
your going a little to fast
and word on the street is you only get faster...
So do me a favor and take it easy.
Cause I'm really trying to keep up.
It's been kinda hectic this past week
Between doing stuff for
school
job
volunteer
Spain
upcoming Lovely Lemondrops booth
I rarely find the time to just relax and take it all in.
Oh life, nobody said you would be easy...
you are certainly wearing me out.

But I see bright days ahead.
Days of not waking up before five!
Yay.
Now that I can't wait for.

woah

2011-03-13T22:02:00.000-07:00

Life is getting a little messy right now.
I just feel like there is sooooooo much to do and not enough time in the world to do it all.
And adding a new job to the mix doesn't make it any easier.
I have to admit that I am so grateful that I got the job but it can be a bit stressful at times.
I having a hard time dealing with some people at work who aren't so nice. It's just really not fun. But I have learned in my little life that when someone is mean/rude/unkind you just be as sweet as you can to them. Then they just don't know what to think. And let me tell you that ain't easy. But it is far better then firing back some nasty words.

So dear friends will you please pray for my work situation. I mean I really like my job but I don't know how long I can deal with this certain someone. Pray that I wont stress and will enjoy getting to meet and talk to everyone who comes into my little workplace.

Im also busy with school and trying to find ways to fund my Spain Mission Trip. I am absolutely thrilled. I pray the Lord uses me to lead hurt hearts to him. So wont you please pray that I can fund ALL the money for the trip. That would be lovely! I don't want to have to worry about not coming up with enough cash.

Boy am I glad I have no work tomorrow. After five days of working straight a little break will do me good. There is much to be done. I have an essay to write and errands to run.

I hope you all had a blessed Sunday.
xoxo
-es

Thankful

2011-03-09T20:54:00.000-08:00

Today was such a beautiful day. The sun was shining and the sky was the prettiest blue. I had a great time at school and I'm so thankful that the Lord is making all my school stuff go so smoothly. I was really worried about it and now I have so much peace knowing that I'm in a good program.

Another lovely thing about today was that I finally started work and I love it. I'm working at a little ice cream parlor. Is that not the perfect job for me right now when I'm in school? It's seriously fantastic and it will be oh so wonderful to finally be making some money. I mean I babysit often but I needed some more stability. I had been praying for a good job for a long time and the Lord went above and beyond with his answer. He never seizes to amaze me. I just adore him.

Night
xo
-es

miss it.

2011-03-07T21:14:00.000-08:00

oh how I miss this pretty place.

The past two nights I had dreams of being in England. I still think of it quite often. Boy, did I have some wonderful times there.

Thank you Lord for that amazing expeirence.
Night.
xo
-es

Thrilled

2011-02-28T20:14:00.000-08:00

It feels as though I haven't blogged in ages. School and babysitting have begun to consume much of my time. But I'm grateful for both of those things. Especially the babysitting jobs. It's a great little source of income for the time being. So I have some super exciting news. I can't hardly contain myself. I'll be heading to for Spain for a mission trip. I can't wait to see how the Lord will use us there.
God has really put it on my heart to serve others and I feel like he may be calling me on a long term mission trip in the next few years. I really don't know what to think about it. It excites me a great deal but it makes me a tad nervous all at the same time. Well whatever happens it will be in my heavenly fathers hands and that gives me so much peace.

Well enough about the future. Ahh I still can't believe I'm going to Spain. I mean I just got back from Europe a few months ago. Our team will be heading out there mid July. Oh and my sister,Alyse and Gaby are going too! Right now I need to focus on raising money to cover the cost of the trip. Please pray that we can all raise our money in time. Thanks friends.
xo
-esther

felt

2011-02-23T20:29:00.001-08:00

I've been cutting up some more felt to make lots of these darling little flowers.

They are my new favorite things to clip in my hair.
I plan on selling them at the pancake breakfast this year for seven dollars each.
I have also been making some adorable headbands. I will have to find someone to model thems so I can take a few photos and show ya'll.

Well I have to wake up super early so I better get ready for bed.
Night.
xo
-esther

Happy Birthday Mama

2011-02-22T20:37:00.001-08:00

I adore you.
xo
esther marquis

school

2011-02-16T20:22:00.001-08:00

The Lord knows that the desire of my heart is to be loving wife and a stay at home mama but until that happens (Lord willing) I find myself on the road to becoming a chef. I do think this skill will make a happy husband and many happy children as well. People often ask me what I want to do with my culinary endeavors. Honestly I really am not quite certain. Sometimes people will ask me what is my dream job and I will simply say that I would love more then anything to marry and look after my husband and kids. This is when those bewildered looks come in. I don't know if they are confused by the fact that I would want to stay home and raise my children or if they just don't understand why I'm going to school at all. But it's not like im going to sit around and do nothing. Besides what if I don't ever have a family of my own and God has different plans for me. Or what if I want to be a chef before and after I have and raise my children.

Anyways I would just like to set the record straight and say that I truly love cooking. But I adore the idea of taking care of a family so much more. So in the meantime I will continue to be in love with cooking. I am learning so much in school right now and I love it. I really am enjoying the style of learning at my school. It's so different fromw what I am use to. I can't wait to apply these skills I am picking up to my everyday cooking.

I am so excited about all the baking I will be learning in April! I can't wait to make all the yummy breads and pretty cakes. Today we made stuffed chicken and two sides (carrots and potates) It was a pretty delicious meal. Tomorrow we will be working on chicken pot pies and quiche.

So the only bad part about my new school is that the classes start super early. I have to wake up a little before five to beat the traffic. This results in me going to school sans make up and messy hair. Good thing I have to wear my hat.

See no one really can tell. Haha.

Well I better start studying for my quiz tonight.
Night Night!
xo
-esther

Life

2011-02-11T21:39:00.000-08:00

What a nice day it was. Beautiful blue skies and nice warm weather. I spent it running a few errands, making a red velvet cake and having dinner/playing games with dear friends. Oh and of course getting a delicious strawberry donut from donutman.

I really must write about school soon. I want to document this time as best I can. I'm having quite the experience at my new school. Well more on that later. As for now I'm ready for bed. I know it's early but I am entirely exhausted from waking up early for class. Night!