Warm Days

Yesterday was an unusually warm day here for January and we enjoyed the warm air and sunshine with a boating excursion that included a delicious lunch.

Warm air and a breeze calls for open windows

And thus we headed out

We stopped by our favorite seaside restaurant only to find that it was undergoing renovations

So we continued on with the wind in our hair

And tried to avoid coming in contact with the freezing cold water

We came to another water side restaurant only to find that one was closed as well.

So we continued on once again and admired boats we could never buy

And houses we will never live in. 

(Rumor has it that Sandra Bullock was going to buy this house but she backed out at the last minute because the realtor let it out that she was going to buy it)

Moms need lots of pictures of their kids

We finally made it to a restaurant that was open. We only came here because it was the only place opened, but it turned out to be delicious.

Then we walked across the street to the beautiful ocean. I will never get over the fact that I actually live here!

After living here for 15 years and going to the beach hundreds of times. I do believe this is the first family picture we have ever taken on the beach.
 Our family has been to the beach. It has now been documented. 

The only way to take a picture of Carter is when he can't see you

We finished off our lunch and dock girl here cast us off (editor's note: this picture was actually taken when we first arrived at the restaurant. Anna has a terrible tendency to skew truth for artistic purposes)

But not before I took more pictures 

2013

When I look at the year 2013 I look at it as a blank slate. Other than a trip to Congo at the end of this month, I have no idea what will happen. Frankly, I don't really have any plans either. My nutrition course is coming to end and I'm prayerfully considering some more studies. Yet, I'm not worried. 

"Strength and dignity are her clothing,
    and she laughs at the time to come."
Proverbs 31:25

Whatever I decide, I have parents who are going to counsel and pray with me through the decisions. Even though I don't have a "plan" with set dates, I'm not planning to be lazy and do nothing. 

Some verses I keep coming back to are in Proverbs 31

"She considers a field and buys it;
    with the fruit of her hands she plants a vineyard." 

"She makes linen garments and sells them;
    she delivers sashes to the merchant."

This woman is making money, not so she can be independent but so she can help her family. Currently, I'm trying to figure out how this applies to my life. 

But there are some smaller things that I know will be a part of it. 

Running.
For the last couple of years I have told my self I will run a half marathon, so far I've only made it to a 10k, we'll see what this year brings. 

Pictures. 

If you can't tell by my blog yet, I take a lot of pictures and I take great delight in doing so. Recently, I've been trying to convey more emotion through my pictures. Pictures that tell a story and capture a moment in time. Time travel. They take you to the moment so you can hear the laughter, feel the warm sunshine, and taste the delicious food. Pictures that have depth. Instead of just a face, it's a face with a background and a story.

Co-op
I will still help out with our homeschool co-op. I help watch some of the cutest four year olds ever.

Read more
 I love books but I never seem to get around to reading very often. I said last year that I would read more frequently, and I didn't... I'll try again this year. So far I've read What Every Body Is Saying by Joe Navarro. It's all about what people say through their body language. I used some principles just yesterday in a chess game against my sister, her body language told me that she was about to make a move she was excited about before she told me about it and consequently I stopped her. Editor's note: This was very cruel of Anna to use such trickery, for the record, I beat her anyway.

What will come this year? I have no idea. : )