Dells Get Away

I went on a much needed Day trip with some great friends to the Dells. It is a tourist town that is town for its water parks. We went on the famous "ducks" which is a boat/bus that can travel on both land and water, hence the name Duck. We also walked the strip, had lunch at a nice diner and did some mini golfing. It was so nice to get away from work and everything else and just have some fun!

Independence Day!

This year my goal for celebrating the 4th of July was to see as many firework shows as possible, I made it to 3! (I was pleased with that!). The first night I went to a show in a very small town but it was a very good show! I went with a dear friend of mine who I am honored to be a bridesmaid in her wedding this September! The second show was in the town I am moving to in a few weeks! It was a very short show and a little disappointing. The third show was by far my favorite because it was with some amazing friends and involved watching the fireworks from a boat!

I hope you all had a wonderful holiday as well!

XoXo,

Valerie

June Visit

So this post is long over due but better late than never! The end of June was a very sweet time for me because my sister came for a visit. My sister and her family moved to Michigan last August so it was almost a year since I had last seen her and her sweet baby boy who is now one! My sister came down for a few days for my cousins wedding and then my mom and I went to see where she lived and stayed with her for a few days. I miss my nephew so much already! Here are some pictures from my cousins wedding.

And a few randoms from the visit, including a picture of all three of my nephews, I love being an Auntie!

What a great way to end June!

I hope you are having a wonderful summer my friends!

XoXo,

Valerie

I love Sundays

This past Sunday was one busy but fun day! I started my day at 5 am! I had to work from until 2:30 pm, I quickly changed after work and went to a friends graduation party, from there I went to Church and then had dinner with two wonderful friends. The weather was in the 60's, still pretty chilly for this time of year! Despite the coolness, we wanted to eat outside. We went to a local restaurant that at one time was a church! It is so beautiful, we sat outside by a fire that they light and stayed until they closed at 10 pm. I then drove home and went to bed because the next day I had to up by 5 am once again! Here is a photo of Anna and me at Trinity's

40 year journey

"It is [only] eleven days' journey from Horeb by the way of Mount Seir to Kadeshbarnea [on Canaan's border; yet Israel took forty years to get beyond it].  

Deuteronomy 1:2

I read this today and thought about how often I have made an eleven day journey into a forty year journey! Sometimes Gods' plan is so simply but I make it so complicated and allow so many distractions get in the way. So many times when reading the old testament, I look at the Israelite's and think "wow, they were so stupid at times, whey didn't they just believe and trust in God." Then I look at my own life and realize I do the exact same thing! Why don't I always trust that God has the best plan for me? Why would I spend 40 years trying to get somewhere that only takes 11 days!! I remember the first time that verse really sunk in, I was so amazed. 

Lately, I have been trying to develop a heart of thankfulness, which isn't always easy. I am trying to thank God for everything He has given me instead of looking to and complaining about what I don't have. It is so much easier to complain than to be thankful, but I despise complainers and I don't want to be one! I want to have a heart of thankfulness, a heart that beats for God. 

Flash to the past

Yesterday was the first Saturday I had off in a long, long time! It was so wonderful to have plans with friends and to truly enjoy a Saturday, also a bonus of sleeping past 5 am! I went with some friends to see the movie Iron Man 3, I really enjoyed the movie, although I have not seen Iron Man or Iron Man 2 so I had nothing to compare it to and no expectations. We went to the 3:45 pm showing so afterwards we went to Red Robin for dinner, YUM!
It also happened to be prom weekend, so the Red Robin was packed with girls in pretty dresses and boys in tux's. They all looked so young! It made me think of my prom and how much fun I had putting on my beautiful dress, getting my hair done. I wasn't dating anyone at that time so I went with a friend, I actually asked him because he was a grade younger and couldn't go unless he was asked by a junior. Oh, the memories. Here is a photo me and some of my friends, oh how long ago that was! I think we were trying to be gangster?!

Sunshine in the Park

It was the first time I had a day off and it wasn't raining, so you know what that means!? I got to experiment with my new camera! I had so much fun enjoying the beautiful sunshine and taking pictures. Spring is finally here in Wisconsin and I am loving it! I can't wait to get my hands on some photo editing software and really experience photography!