Recap: Massachusetts vacation part 1.

I'm back!!! We've been back for a week, and I'm so sorry I haven't posted about our vacation earlier. My life has just been so busy. For those of you who didn't know where I went, this post is going to be all about it. :) My family took an eleven day vacation to Massachusetts, and we had lots of fun adventures. It all started on Wednesday, May 20th. Our family boarded a jet, and off we went. This was the first time that any of us girls had been on a jet; the takeoff was smooth, and the landing was...not so smooth.  We stayed with our sweet cousin in Grafton. (Before I get into the touring and sightseeing that we did, let me just tell you this: I took 954 pictures and videos altogether. So if I divide 954 by 11 days, that means I roughly took about 86 pictures a day. Well, a couple days I hardly captured any pictures.) So without further ado, here is a massive overload of pictures (times two). 
                                     What I saw when I looked out the window of the plane.

                                                          Flowers in our cousin's yard.

                      Bella is the dog's name. My cousin has 3 Shelties, and Bella is the oldest.

                                                         Here's a better picture of Bella.

 After we arrived in Grafton on Wednesday, our cousin drove us around the town and showed us where some cool places were. :) That evening she introduced us to Gelato, which is like ice cream, and it was so scrumptious.
On day 2, Thursday, our family got lost trying to find the Welcome Center in Boston. Finally, we made it to the city, and was able to enjoy a wonderful Duck Tour ride. We rode in a bus like this one, but ours was white. Our driver did a fabulous job at explaining what all the buildings were. I got to drive this bus in the water when it became a boat. It was pretty neat. Sarah and Deborah drove it as well. :)

    Here are some of the sights we saw while on the tour. 

 Here's a bus in the water. Now it's a boat. Here's something I learned from the tour guide. 

In 1919, on January 15th, there was a Boston Molassacre. A huge molasses tank had risen above 40 degrees F.  The tank was 50 ft. tall, and 90 ft. wide. It collapsed, and 2,300,000 gallons gushed out, creating a wave 25 ft. high, and 2-3 ft. in depth. Twenty-one people were killed in that sweet syrup. Isn't that awful?

 The next stop was intended to be Swan boat rides, but we never made it there. Instead, we walked through Trinity Church. 

 The inside of the church.

 You can see the pipe organs in the back of the church.

 

 After the duck tour, we rushed back to the car in the parking garage, because we had to leave by a certain time. Daddy was going to drive us back home, but then mommy suggested that we visit the USS Constitution. So we found our way there, only to find that the ship was closed and in dry dock due to construction. So we were content to walk around in the museum.

(You can click on any of the pictures to enlarge them, if you wish.)

The 2 pictures above go together.

 

This little goat made noises when you walked on the staircase.

Mommy and the 2 girls walked back towards the car, while daddy, Sarah, and I took a little walk to see the Destroyer.

Friday morning we visited the Science Museum. It was 3 stories and very entertaining to walk through. In one section of the Hall of Life, there was a cage with chicken eggs in it. Two babies hatched and they were so cute!!!

We watched a lighting show. It was pretty cool.

 Beware: Giant Mosquito.

Platypus
 
Ostrich egg
 
 Guess what kind of animal this cute little guy is? 
A Pack Rat. I didn't even know these animals existed.

Here's what the sign said next to his home. (This is a stuffed Pack Rat. Just letting ya'll know that it wasn't running around the cage. :) 
 While packrats are found all over the country, those that live in the desert create very unusual nests. Because these rodents also use their home as their bathroom, the excretions form the structure of their dens, which eventually harden into solid masses called middens. Anything that the packrats collect; such as shotgun shells, fish hooks, and bones of other animals, can also become part of their homes. Generations of packrats build on to the same midden while living in the most recent sections. 

 This is petrified wood.

 

Deborah and I had the privilege of going inside the butterfly garden. There were so many different kinds of butterflies, and we got to look through this super small microscope and see a dead butterfly in magnification. That was so cool! 

I do believe this is a powder puff.

This is a giant moth that has laid lots of eggs, which won't ever hatch because they were never fertilized. She had to be locked up in a glass cage because she would fly all over the butterfly garden, and lay eggs everywhere she landed.

These butterflies were mating. I was watching one butterfly hover over another one, so I asked a man in there what they were doing. He said the one that was hovering was the male, and he put off this special scent that demobilized the female. I'm going to end this post with a creation moment about the Swallotail butterfly. They are truly amazing, God glorifing critters. :) Hope you enjoy it. 
The Light-Emitting Swallotail
Genesis 1:3 "And God said, 'Let there be light;' and there was light." 
Though tiny, the scales of the swallowtail butterfly's wing are similar in design to light-emitting diodes. We say similar because the design is closwer to a specialized light-emitting diode that puts out six times as much light as a standard LED.

The blue-green wing of the swallowtail is covered with millions of tiny scales. Each microscopic scale has three layers. The top layer is made up of thousands of hollow cylinders shaped in a honeycomb pattern. There is fluorescent pigment within the sides of those cells. The second layer adds the blue-green color to entering light, and the bottom layer reflects it back out. As the light enters, the top layer focuses and reflects all the blue-green light that enters it. The second layer turns any other color entering light – including ultraviolet light – blue-green, and the bottom layer reflects it back out.
The efficiency of the delicate structure has been compared to LEDs that have two-dimensional photonic crystals that put out six times as much light as regular LED. As one scientist put it, they had no idea that the design would be so "precise" and "refined." Of course it's precise and refined, showing an understanding of light! It was designed by the same Creator Who created light in the first place.
creationmoments.com

I will be writing another post soon. And don't worry! This time I won't take as long to post that one as I did this part 1. :) 
Have a fabulous week everyone, and I hope you enjoyed viewing the pictures and reading about our trip. 
Love,
Ashley

Recent Happenings

On Friday, mommy took us girls to Clearwater. My little sister went to a FACCS competiton last month, and won 2nd place, which means she had the opportunity to go to state. So this year the state competition was held at Clearwater Christian College. After we arrived, mommy registered Deborah, and Sarah practiced with her before they had to perform. Sarah was accompying Deborah on the piano. They did an awesome job when it came time for them to perform. The awards started at 3:00, and took about an hour to announce all the names and awards. We were so excited to hear that Deborah won 2nd place in state!!!! Congratulations Deborah on all your hard work! I'm so proud of you. :D 
While driving home, it started raining.. There were a numerous amount of opsrey nests that we encountered up to Clearwater and back. There was a telephone pole with a nest resting on the top and the nest was on fire. It wasn't a huge fire, but it was smoking quite a bit. We were hoping the rain would put it out.  As we journeyed closer to home, we stopped to fill up on gas and grabbed some supper. Sarah, mommy, and I were singing with the Bontragger Family singers cd while some of the windows were down, and we had a hillarious time the rest of the way home, because we were laughing so hard. (The milkshakes we had may or may not have had an effect on us. lol ;) So that was the end of our small one-day trip. There were alot of memories made, and I did not take any pictures while we were in Clearwater, except at the competition. Sorry guys! 

Daddy, Sarah and I visited the beach again this morning to watch the sun rise, but once again the clouds were covering the sun. We did see it peeking above the clouds though, and it was so beautiful. 

Saying of the week: 
"Where does your security lie? Is God your refuge, your hiding place, your 
stronghold, your shepherd, your counselor, your friend, your redeemer, your 
saviour, your guide? if He is, you don't need to search any further for security."
~Elisabeth Elliot

Bible verse of the week: 1 Corinthians 3:9-13
For we are labourers together with God: ye are God's husbandry, ye are God's building. According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon. For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's works of what sort it is. 

Song of the week: The Church's One Foundation 
The Church’s one foundation
Is Jesus Christ her Lord,
She is His new creation
By water and the Word.
From Heav’n He came and sought her
To be His holy bride;
With His own blood He bought her
And for her life He died.

I hope you all have a wonderful week! 
In the grace and love of Jesus,
Ashley

Giveaway winners!!!!!!

I'm so excited to announce the giveaway winners!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The winners are.......................................................................................   

Gabby and Mikayla!!!!!!!! :) Congratulations girls!!!!!! Gabby, you won the book Against the Tide, and Mikayla won the journal. Please email me by using the contact form on the side and include your address. I will send your gifts to you very soon!

Thank you to the rest of you all that entered. I hope you all have a fantastic week! 

Love,
Ashley

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY TO MY SPECIAL MOMMY AND TO ALL THE OTHER MOMS OUT THERE! :) I HOPE YOU ALL ARE HAVING A FABULOUS DAY. 

TO MY MOMMY: THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING SUCH A WONDERFUL MOTHER AND A GODLY EXAMPLE TO YOUR CHILDREN. THANK YOU FOR ALL THE THINGS YOU DO FOR US. I LOVE YOU SOOOOOOOOO MUCH AND AM EXTREMLY THANKFUL YOU'RE MY MOMMA. MAY GOD BLESS YOU ALWAYS. 

LOVINGLY, YOUR DAUGHTER, 

ASHLEY 

PROVERBS 31:10 "WHO CAN FIND A VIRTUOUS WOMAN? FOR HER PRICE IS FAR ABOVE RUBIES."

YESTERDAY, OUR FAMILY WENT KYAKING FOR THE FIRST TIME FOR MY MOMMY'S BIRTHDAY. IT WAS MOST ENJOYABLE. :) 

THERE'S ONLY 1 MORE DAY LEFT TO ENTER THE GIVEAWAY, SO HURRY! I CAN'T WAIT TO SEE WHO WILL WIN TOMORROW. :) 

HERE'S THE SAYING OF THE WEEK:                                                                                    

BIBLE VERSE OF THE WEEK:                                                                                                

1 CORINTHIANS 1:30-31

BUT OF HIM ARE YE IN CHRIST JESUS, WHO OF GOD IS MADE UNTO US WISDOM, AND RIGHTEOUSNESS, AND SANCTIFICATION, AND REDEMPTION: THAT, ACCORDING AS IT IS WRITTEN, HE THAT GLORIETH, LET HIM GLORY IN THE LORD.

SONG OF THE WEEK:  DOWN AT THE CROSS                                                                    

DOWN AT THE CROSS WHERE MY SAVIOR DIED, 

DOWN WHERE FOR CLEANSING FROM SIN I CRIED,

THERE TO MY HEART WAS THE BLOOD APPLIED; 

GLORY TO HIS NAME!

I AM SO WONDROUSLY SAVED FROM SIN,

JESUS SO SWEETLY ABIDES WITHIN;

THERE AT THE CROSS WHERE HE TOOK ME IN;

GLORY TO HIS NAME!

GLORY TO HIS NAME,

GLORY TO HIS NAME:

THERE TO MY HEART WAS THE BLOOD APPLIED; 

GLORY TO HIS NAME! 

IN JESUS' LOVE,

ASHLEY

MY BLOGIVERSARY GIVEAWAY!!!!!!!!!!!

Hello everyone!!!!!!!!!!!!
I have some exciting new to share with you all! :) Today is my 1st year blogiversary! Can you believe I've had my blog for a whole year? I can't! Thank you to all those who follow my blog!!!! I've made many friends, and for that, I am so thankful. So today, in honor of my blog being up and going 1 year, I am having a giveaway, which I am super duper excited about!!!!! (I have been looking forward to this for a while. A long long time. :)  And here's what I'm giving away:

• This beautiful journal: It has some really cool features in it! In the back it has room for prayer requests, answered requests, and your testimony! :) 

• 1 of 3 books: I've read them all, and I couldn't decide which one to give away because they're all so fabulously written, so I decided to let the winner pick which book they want. :)

           

           
                                   
Below is a synopsis of each book, so you can know what they're about.

In Path's of Righteousness: By Keri Nicole (She is my friend and she also has a blog too. You can check it out here.)

David Riley is a typical, hard-working farm boy of the late 1800s, growing up in a Midwest community where religion was a tradition that none dared to challenge. He and his friend Jill set out to explore the “Old Man’s Path,” to uncover the mystery of an old wives’ tale, and it turns into more of an adventure than they bargained for. When they discoverlong-held secrets in the town of Detweiler, David is determined to find the truth—regardless of the cost.

As he faces opposition in his search for the truth, David also finds a battle waging within.

He and his friends struggle to be kind to Henry, a cruel bully, and his mother, a widow bitter toward God. But as his hatred for Henry grows, so does the darkness in his own heart. With an emptiness that threatens to consume him, David despairs of ever pleasing God. When all prospects of finding peace appear lost, he meets a strange old recluse, thought to be long dead, who offers him both friendship and hope.

David discovers something in common with the mysterious stranger—but what binds them together threatens to tear his family and community apart. Will he have the courage and determination to stand for what is right? Facing rejection in the greatest decision of his life, David must choose which path to follow: a religious tradition to live by or a faith to die for.

Samuel Zwemer: By Janet and Geoff Benge
Sam felt his heart thumping as the two Bedouin men walked toward him. The men's menacing spears were pulled back over their shoulders, ready to thrust at Sam at any moment. From the grim look on their faces, the men seemed intent on killing someone. 

The spiritual needs of the Muslim world, long neglected by Christian missionaries, came to the world's attention again when Samuel Zwemer dedicated himself to the advancement of the gospel in Arabia. It was a tremendous task, but a pledge the young American kept despite opposition, difficulty, and death.

Zwemer founded the Arabian Mission in Bahrain to serve Muslims through medical care, Christian literature, and the preaching of the gospel. With a heart on fire for Muslim people, he was relentless in sharing a vision worldwide, calling many to action. Zwemer's legacy of opening a long-closed door is a challenge for Christians today, inspiring us to love and respect Muslims and to proclaim Jesus' name in the homeland of Islam.

Against the Tide: By Hope Irvin Marston
With a setting in 17th-century Scotland, a place of cruel intolerance for the Covenanters, this young, earnest disciple - Margaret Wilson - finds her pledged loyalty to Christ challenged by King Charles II's demand for her absolute obedience. Will Margaret choose to defy the authorities who call for what only God has a right to? 

There will be 2 winners: 1 person will win the book, and one will win the journal. 
Please be sure to designate which item you would like to win in the comments. And if you would like to win a book, please tell me which one. 

So, here are multiple ways you can earn a number of entries. Every time you do one of the following things, your name gets added into the bag. 

• Leave a comment with your name and tell me whether you would like to win the books or journal. (If you would like the book, write which one.) 
• Share on facebook. (Put the link where you shared in a comment to get the entry.) 
• Write a post on your blog about it. (Please put a link in the comment box if you do so to earn a point.) 
• Tell me what your favorite candy is. 
• Follow my blog. If you would like to earn and extra point, you can follow my blog if you don't already. If you do follow my blog already, please tell me in the comment box and you will earn an extra entry. :) Make sure you click the confirmation email from Feedburner if you sign up to follow my blog by email. 
• Share this post on Google Plus. 
• Share on an other social site. ( i.e instagram, twitter, etc.) Leave a link in the comments if you do to earn an entry.

*Remember: Please leave your first name and last name initial in the comments. If you do not write your name in the comments, you will not be entered.* If anyone needs help commenting, please leave me a note in the contact box on the side. I would be so happy to help you. :)  

THIS GIVEAWAY WILL END ON MONDAY,  MAY 11TH AT 10:00 AM. Eastern Time.

Love,
Ashley

Nature Post.

This morning, daddy, Sarah and I visited the beach, hoping to watch the sun rise. The sun rose partly behind the clouds, but it was still very beautiful. Below are pictures I captured.

Here are the pretty shells that were collected. 

                                   Here are 2 other pictures that I got on Friday and Saturday.

              Isn't this precious?! Here's a mom and dad Sandhill Crane with their 2 little babies. :)

Saying of the week: A THANKFUL HEART IS A HAPPY HEART! 

Bible verse of the week: As you know, we finished Romans last week as the Bible verses of the week. Now we're going to go through 1st and 2nd Corinthians.
1 Corinthians 1:4-9
I thank my God always on your behalf, for the grace of God, which is given you by Jesus Christ; That in every thing ye are enriched by him, in all utterance, and in all knowledge; Even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you: So that ye come behind in no gift; waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall also confrim you unto the end, that ye may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord.

Song of the week: Thank You
Thank you for waking me this morning,
Thank you for giving me today.
Thank you, for ev're new day dawning.
I'll be thanking you.

Thank you for ev'rthing you give me,
Thank you for ev'rything we share.
Thank you for simply being with me,
Thanks for being there.

The exciting anouncement is coming tomorrow  morning! :)
(I noticed that some of the pictures of the previous sayings of the week are not showing up. I figured out why they disappeared after I posted them, and sadly, I can't remember what they all were so I can't fix them. :(  )

Love,
Ashley

Pictures from life

Good afternoon!

A few nights ago I crocheted a baby hat- the first hat I ever made! It turned out superbly, and I love it!!!  :) Here's a couple pictures:




Yesterday, we visited the beach, and I took a small amount of pictures of the waves. I saw probably 10 birds flying, and I wish I could have captured their picture!!! The birds started flying out in the shape of a tiny v, and then they spanned out till it looked like a large and wide V. It was so neat!!!! But sadly, my camera lens somehow had sand in it, and my camera would not even turn off. I stuck a vaccuum on the lens, the sand was sucked up, and now it works. YAY!!!! :) Below are a few pictures I took yesterday. 

   Love how you can see 3 different colors of the water in this picture. 

                                                    I love this picture of this sunflower!!! 

I also wanted to mention that next week (which I can't wait for) I'm going to write about something super exciting!!!!!!!!! :) So ya'll can be looking forward to that. :) 
                                              Which picture is your favorite? 

Saying of the week: Man's way lead to hopeless end...God's way leads to an endless hope.  

Scripture of the week: Romans 16:24-27
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen. Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began, But now is made manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith: To God only wise, be glory through Jesus Christ for ever. Amen. 

Song of the week: Grace! Tis a Charming Sound. 
Grace ! 'tis a charming sound, 
Harmonious to the ear ; 
Heaven with the echo shall resound, 
And all the earth shall hear. 

Saved by grace along;
This is all my plea-
Jesus died for all mankind,
And Jesus died for me. 

Twas grace that wrote my name 
In life's eternal book: 
'Twas grace that gave me to the Lamb,
Who all my sorrows took.

Grace taught my wandering feet
To tread the heavenly road:
And new supplies each hour I meet,
While pressing on to God.

Grace taught my soul to pray,
And made mine eyes o'erflow:
Twas grace which kept me to this day,
And will not let me go.

Oh, let Thy grace inspire
My soul with strength divine
May all my powers to Thee aspire,
And all my days be Thine.

Saved by grace alone;
This is all my plea-
Jesus died for all mankind,
And Jesus died for me.


In Jesus' love,
Ashley

My new blog // peanut plant // flowers

Hello everyone, 
I decided to make a new blog for my store so I could keep it separate from this blog. Please visit it and tell your family and friends about it too. :) You can click on the following link and it will take you to the blog: Ashley's Crochet Corner

 And, I also wanted to show you all my peanut plant! I planted it a couple weeks ago, and it must have sprouted either yesterday or the day before, because it's not a new sprout anymore. :) Here's a picture of it. 

Our Gardenia bush started blooming yesterday, and the gorgeous flowers have a sweet scent to them. Here are some pictures I captured today of the flowers. :) 

 

 

Have you ever grown a peanut plant? If so, leave a comment and tell me what your experience was like.

Psalms 180:3-5
I will praise thee, O Lord, among the people: and I will sing praises unto thee among the nations. For thy mercy is great above the heavens: and thy truth reacheth unto the clouds.
Be thou exalted, O God, above the heavens: and thy glory above all the earth; 

Love,
Ashley