A VISIT FROM FAMILY || PHOTO DUMP

Last week my sister (Katy) and her husband (Jason) and their kids (Chloe, Bella, Emma, + Levi) and Jason's brother (Elijah) came for a visit. 
They got in on Saturday afternoon and they left the next Saturday morning. It was such a good visit!! We made so many memories together and I'm just sad that it's over. It went by so fast.

But like I said, it was a great visit!! And I got TONS of pictures. Enjoy :)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

photo credits also go to my sisters + my brother

 

snapping tons of pictures. eating lots of good food. playing mario kart + mario tennis. getting colds and a stomach bug. going out to eat mexican. coloring pictures with the girls. swinging on the playground. watching movies together. being goofy. relaxing on the porch. making and eating homemade ice cream. playing dutch blitz + pit + spoons. chloe reading to me. kayaking on the lake and getting drenched by ben + elijah. playing round robin. snuggling on the sofa with the girls. eating lots of popcorn. riding the gulf kart. blowing bubbles. laughing together. listening to funny songs on the way home from church. emma telling me she wants to "stay with me forever." having jason + katy + elijah all play in our church orchestra on sunday. watching the girls running around outside trying to find lizards and frogs. seeing levi smile. drinking milkshakes. surprising kris with a quick visit at her job. doing the girls hair. levi falling asleep in my arms. playing elijah a game of chess and winning *grins*. playing in the playhouse with the girls. holding Levi. sitting around the dinner table as a family. getting caught in the rain and getting soaked. playing the piano with chloe. late night sister chats.

 

HELLO SEPTEMBER BLOG TAG

It is so hard to believe that it's already September. We're in the ninth month of the year. And to me, it feels like 2018 is just getting started. But it's almost over and I find that very hard to believe.

Anyway, Paige over at Paiges Pages tagged me for this fun tag. Thanks, Paige!

THE RULES

 

Answer the questions and then nominate at least three other bloggers. Write out at least ten new questions or just copy these. Include the guidelines in your post, use the tag picture, and try to avoid nominating bloggers who have already been nominated.

 

 

THE QUESTIONS

WINDY OR RAINY DAYS?

 

rainy

 

DO YOU LIKE CHAI TEA?

 

I've actually never tried it o_o

 

TEA OR COFFEE?

 

coffee.

 

IF YOU COULD GO TO ONE STATE IN THE USA JUST FOR THE AUTUMN SCENERY, WHERE WOULD YOU GO?

 

I LOVE going on the Blue Ridge Parkway here in Virginia in the Fall. It's absolutely beautiful!

 

DO YOU LIKE ANY KIND OF SOUP IN THE AUTUMN? WHAT'S ONE OF YOUR FAVORITES?

 

Oh yes! I love soups! One of my favorites is a ham and corn potato chowder. It's so good!!

WHAT COLOR LEAVES DO YOU LIKE BEST?

 

It's between yellow and red.

 

IF YOU COULD GO TO ANOTHER COUNTRY JUST FOR THE AUTUMN SCENERY, WHERE WOULD YOU GO?

 

It would be between China and Prince Edward Island in Canada.

 

 

^^  just look at this beautiful photo of China in the Fall!! *sighs happily*

 

SWEATER OR HOODIE?

 

hoodie.

 

A HAZLENUT OR APPLE CINNAMON CANDLE?

 

apple cinnamon.

 

COOKIES OR BROWNIES?

 

cookies.

 

 

 

So that wraps up Paiges questions. Now it's my turn.

 

 

MY QUESTIONS
(I stole a few questions from Paige xD)

fall or autumn?
 

favorite fall activity?

 



sweaters or hoodies?

how would you describe the perfect fall day?

windy or rainy days?

apple pie or pumpkin pie?

do you like apple cider donuts?

favorite fall time drink?

if you could go to one state in the USA, just for the fall scenery, where would you go?

what color leaf do you like best?

And there are my questions. Whew. *wipes sweat from forehead*. Now it's your turn :)

 



I TAG

Shalom || a farm girls randomness

Daminika || walking in the sonshine

Bri || forget not his benefits

Laura || flowers in my basket

Lily || Lily Mae's Days

That was a lot of fun!! Thanks again for tagging me, Paige!

 

I hope y'all all have a lovely September!

 



How about you? Do you say Fall or Autumn? What's your favorite fall activity? Would you rather wear a sweater or a hoodie? Let's talk in the comments :)



 



MY THOUGHTS ON "FOLLOW YOUR HEART"

 

 

 

"Just follow your heart."

"Your heart will guide you."

"Do what you think your heart is telling you."

 

We hear this quite a lot. The world is constantly drilling this into our heads, whether it be from Disney movies or songs on the radio. Everybody is always telling us to believe in ourselves. To follow our hearts. If it FEELS right, then it must be right.

 

I think this sort of thinking is wrong. Let me explain myself.
 

The Bible says:

 

For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness: All these evil things come from within, and defile the man.
Mark 7:21-23

 

 

The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?
Jeremiah 17:9

 

The Bible is saying that our hearts are wicked and deceitful and that we don't even know our own hearts.  

 

Why would we want to follow something that God calls deceitful?

 Nothing good comes out of our hearts. They lie to us and they trick us. They tell us to go after what we want, but they don't show the consequences. They blind us to the truth.
All of our choices and decisions should be based on God's Word and what it says and not how we feel or what we think our heart is telling us.

 

So if we do anything with our hearts, we should give them to the Lord. 
 

 My son, give me thine heart, and let thine eyes observe my ways.
Proverbs 23:26

Sometimes it's hard to submit to God's Word and not give into our feelings. And while we may be thinking that we're doing the best thing for ourselves, we're missing out on something much more greater than we could imagine. We're wishy-washy, imperfect souls that don't see the big picture like God does. He knows best. God's Word is perfect. His Word will never steer us the wrong way, unlike our hearts.