Morning Milkshake

 

Hey!    It's summer time and fruits are definitely sound good with all that sunshine going around.    So here's a recipe for what my family calls "licuado de platano"  in English, banana milkshake. 

Ingredients
-   eggs
-   milk
-   bananas!
-   protein powder, vanilla, sugar (opt)


So to make this delicious milkshake you need a blender.   Then you just pile up all the ingredients in, no order in particular.  The measurements vary from time to time for me lol  More milk for more cups, more eggs for more fluffiness, more bananas for more flavor, sugar and vanilla if you don't think it's sweet enough, etc.  Though if you don't want to much milkshake I'd recommend about one cup of milk.   If you don't like bananas or want a different flavor feel free to switch up the fruits.  You can do strawberry, apple, cantaloupe, anything!  (Note: The older the bananas = the sweeter)  You can even add some Nesquik chocolate if you want chocolate flavor.   When you're done adding the ingredients just blend it up and ENJOY!

Psalms 20:4 & Jeremiah 29:11

"May He give you the desire of your heart and make all your plans succeed."

Psalms 20:4

Wow, now I've really been gone for forever.  Not really, but from the blogging world, yes.  Mostly because we lost the network code for the wifi access at my home and all my pics are on my laptop. lol

Anyways on top of that I was practically gone all June.  I got to go to Disneyland (for the very first time ever!), and after one week at home I went to two Bible camps back to back.  On top of all of this I finally got a job.  It doesn't pay a lot, but it is definitely life-changing.   I'm serving at my home church as the youth intern. Meaning I help in the church office, accompany the students to all their events and camps, and serve as well on Sunday mornings with the middle-schoolers.  I LOVE MY JOB!  Not only do I get to be involved in the lives of our students, but I've gotten to grow so much in my own faith, and connect with the other church leaders.  

Another thing, my music is finally starting to take off.  While I was at the MS camp as a counselor I got to use some of my original compositions as a ministry, and when I went to AWANA camp the week after I got to share my music with fellow campers, and just last Friday I got to record the piano for 3 of my songs :)  God's definitely granting me the desire of my heart.

Lastly, God definitely rerouted my life, once again.  I had finally gotten to a point where I felt I knew where life was headed and had kind of stopped looking to God for guidance.   So he threw a curve ball in my path.  As usual.   The AWANA camp theme this year was "In God We Trust."  He was sure trying to tell me something.  So anyways God finally saw this as the suited time to bring romance in my life. After my commitment last summer to not date anyone for my first year of college so I could focus on Him and school, He decided now was the appropriate time.   Never in my life had I ever gone out with a guy and I had given up on the whole dating game, thanks to Joshua Harris ;)  However now I'm entering a new phase in life, where through God's guidance and direction I've decided to enter into a relationship with one of my good guyfriends I met at AWANA camp 7 years ago.  Though I must admit I was very nervous at first and wasn't sure how to react, this brought me back to the reality that we must learn to Trust God!  Since my guyfriend asked me out, I've been faithfully diving into God's Word and asking advice from Godly mentors, trying to hear God's decision on the matter.   And since last Tuesday after he met my family, he officially become my first boyfriend ever. 

I must say, few years ago I never thought I would be anywhere close to where I am in life right now.  God's blessings have just been raining down on me.  Trusting God is definitely not an easy task, but one well worth it.  

"For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

Jeremiah 29:11

 

Medford, Oregon

Hey Everyone, it feels like it's been forever since my last post.  First there was finals, then choir tour, and since gotten home for summer, I've barely even touched my computer.  I've been up to a lot.  So anyhow here are some pics from our Choir Tour in Oregon.

While on our way there, we got to stop for lunch in front of Lake Shasta.

 Our first concert was at Westminster Presbyterian Church in Medford, Oregon!

It had some of the prettiest plants ever. I loved their gardens.

 

The host home three of my girlfriends and I got to stay at was gorgeous as well.

More pics to come soon!

School's Out! Summer Is Here!

Wow, this entire year has blown by so fast!  I can't believe 9 months ago I walked into this dorm room, a frightened young sixteen year old.  The people were new, the rooms empty, and there I stood not sure what would come.   This year was not what I expected but better than I hoped for.  I thought I'd be best friends with my roommates, score perfect grades, be super fit, and just love every moment of college.  Haha Yeah right.  I definitely had room troubles, lowered my GPA a bit, gained the freshmen-15 (thankfully I lost it too!), and went through many hard times.  Though in the end, I'm very glad to be able to look back and say I don't regret a moment of it!  Through all these experiences, I've learned and grown so much.  I'm a completely different person than who I was, but I can say it's me. I've made true friends, developed new passions/hobbies, learned to love and forgive, and how to be myself.

My Wing Family :)  My year would never be the same without them.

My Roommates and I

My Big Sister, Elika <3

My Best Friend, Kayla

My Big Brother, Dalton

L-O-V-E

So I know Easter was on Sunday, and now it's Friday, but I really felt that as a strong believer of Christ His death on the cross and then His resurrection.  I should write something about this.

"Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends."  John 15:13

Christ's death on the cross was a symbol of His love for us. L-O-V-E. Something of what I have definitely needed lately.  School is finally coming to an end.  We have one last week of classes and a week of finals followed by a five-day choir tour to Washington.  Though some of this may sound fun and exciting. It's really not.  I have been so stressed, and on top of that, things at home have been pretty tough too.

Spring break was completely different from what I planned.  I hoped to organize my room, take stuff back home, rest, practice for my music classes, complete some homework, finish the research for my music paper, etc.  Well lot's just say pretty much none of this happened.  As we were driving home we got a phone calling saying my grandma (from my dad's side) had fallen and had to be taken to the hospital.  Not good.  We got home Friday night, went out of town for my 3-yr-old cousin's b-day Saturday and then returned Sunday evening.  Things were okay at this point.  But Monday evening my grandpa moved in with us, and we didn't know for how long.  I had spent all Monday finally unpacking and doing laundry I had procrastinated on while at college.  Our house is just barely big enough for us and my room is the only one available for guests and as much as my parents wanted me to be able to sleep in my own room we didn't have anywhere else for my grandpa to stay.  So I switched back and forth between sleeping on the spare mattress in my little brother's room and sleeping on the floor in my older brother's music studio.  This was okay, but it was a pain in the butt to be dragging around my stuff. I couldn't just leave it in my room, my little brother didn't have space in his room, and the music studio had to be used for my brother's music lessons he taught.  I felt like a nomad.... in my own house.  Not very relaxing.  Plus I realized smart me had left my entire music folder in my dorm room.  So much for that.

Overall it wasn't bad. I really enjoyed spending time with my family.  Especially getting to know my little brother more.  He has grown up so much over the past year, he's a little man now.   The real hard part was returning to school.  The group I was carpooling with decided we should just drive up Tuesday morning in time for our 9:30am class, instead of Monday so we could spend the extra day at home.   Monday was probably my favorite day of Spring Break, but why did I agree to this?  6am is too early to be awake.   I was so exhausted by the middle of the day, and I was already not feeling my best since I had gotten sick over break (no voice, stuffy nose, sore throat, cough. eek!)  So I was standing in the risers during choir when I felt so tired I was about to fall asleep standing up while singing, is that even possible???  I finally decided to sit cause I seriously almost fell from the second row of the risers.... probably not too safe.  Then my eye started to itch... really bad.   Yep, I had gotten pink eye.  This pretty much ruined my week.   No one warned my that my little cousin we had visited at the beginning of spring break was sick and had pink eye.   Argh!!!!  

Thus I haven't blogging a lot recently since I could barely stand using my eyes, they'd been itching and stinging so bad all week.  And living in the dorms is not as fun as everyone makes it out to be.  They NEVER shut-up!!!  All the girls have seriously since I got back have been screaming and giggling non-stop, and it's not helping my mood at all. I feel like crap.... (excuse my language.) and am not myself right now.  and I can't tell you how sad I was last night when I was sitting in our living room doing homework when I heard them running and screaming after quiet hours "OMG!!! We're going to pull an all-nighter and watch the Royal Wedding."

So in the end back to Easter.  I just feel like I need a big dose of God's Love.  Some patience, energy, and strength.   but a lot of love.  I hate living with girls.  They're such back-stabbers, noisy, and annoying, and I am definitely looking forward to moving into the apartments with the upper class-men.  instead of 16 girls we will only have 8.   Praise The Lord!

I honestly thank the Lord for His sacrifice for us.  He gave up His only son Jesus, cause He loved us, despite our hatred or anger toward Him, despite our faults and failures.  He Loved Us.  He Died For Us.  I don't know if I will ever be able to come close to the way He loves us.   But Easter is not about His death but the fact that Jesus defeated death by coming back to life.  So we can be assured a free gift of life in heaven with Him if we only accept it.   God is love.

"Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.  It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.  Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.  It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres."  

1 Corinthians 13:4-7

Slice of Summer

Me with the band "Slice of Summer" after the concert
Daniel, Grayson, Jared, Dalton
& Me!

So I don't know if you've heard of "Slice of Summer" but if you haven't you need to check them out!   After our open mic night, two of our fellow colleagues and their band put on a concert for all of the students.  Wow! I had heard of them, but I did not know how amazing they were.  Not only did they rock, but they are all excellent performers, there was even one point where their lead singer/guitarist jumped off the drumset, unfortunately I didn't catch it on cam :(  



So Daniel, the drummer of the band is actually one of my friends on-campus.  He's super cool, and he's probably one of the best drummers I've seen.  He rocks.  Plus he was singing vocals at the same time.

So I don't know too much about their band yet, though I think I will very soon ;)   but I'm pretty sure they're gonna be one of the bands playing at Warp Tour this year.   LEGIT!

KNCI's X Factor Finalists - Vote for Dalton!

One of my best friends, and most amazing voices I have heard, has made it to the top four finalists for the KNCI's X Factor.  So we're trying to get as many votes for him.  That's why I'm asking you to

VOTE FOR DALTON MCNEELY!! 

 

Just click below to vote.

http://kncifm.radio.com/2011/04/04/videos-kncis-x-factor-finalists-vote-for-your-favorite/#comment-5624