getting excited & some instagram pictures!

It has been two weeks since I last posted. Holy buckets. Sorry about that, I guess I've just been pretty busy. Or maybe uninspired. I haven't really gotten my camera out lately. The weather here in Minnesota (as Kiley said..) is not very "christmasy", it's acting more like Spring right now. So there's no beautiful snow, or anything to take pictures of. It's just kind of blah. 

But aside from weather, It's been no inspiration. I mean what do I post about? If you guys have any ideas for me, I would so appreciate it. (:

A couple things that has happened to me since I've posted last: 

Having fun making Christmas cookies and decorating the house for Christmas

Making the top volleyball team for traveling (yay!) 

Making 4.0 honor roll

Saying goodbye to our dog yesterday. We had to put her down because she has some really bad arthritis in her legs. (from all those years of jumping off the deck!) She was 17 and a half years old. We will surely miss you, Holly. ♥

Getting more and more excited for Christmas!

Lately, I have been taking pictures on my ipod. Why don't I share those? (;

// like i said on instagram. scarves make everything so much better. (p.s. if you have an instagram, find me! alimarie97. love to be friends with ya! :)

// I am also loving this belt. (although i think it's broken. :( maybe there's a way to fix it!)

// me and this amazing girl. 

// yummy baked potato soup.

// me trying to be all cool. ;)

// hot chocolate and a hockey game.

// me in a sun dress ready to go to a christmas party. yes. our church is random, weird, but totally awesome! :)

Just four more days to go until winter break! I seriously need a break from school. 

So, you excited for Christmas? (;

walking in a winter wonderland..

Call me crazy, but I love snow. Well, I guess I wouldn't say I love it. I kind of  have a love-hate relationship with it. Snow, you can come anywhere from December 1st to January 31st. Anywhere before or after that, you are not welcome.

On Saturday, we went to go cut down our christmas tree. It's a tradition. We do it every year. And every year it's always snowing-or there's always snow on the ground. But this year, on Saturday there still wasn't snow on the ground. I started to worry, because I love cutting down our tree in the snow. But on our way there, all of a sudden it started to snow. I was so happy! :)

It took us forever to pick out the perfect tree. We parked our car so far away from where we actually found our tree.

all bundled up.

Should we get this one?

We found our tree! :)

Have a great week, friends!

P.S. Like my new holiday blog design? :) 

december love

december. i love the month of december for so many reasons. 

(ipod camera-not the best quality)

the beautiful snow.

winter break.

mugs of hot cocoa.

birthdays.

getting our christmas tree.

decorating the house with all the christmas decor we own.

christmas music. (i am a huge fan of christmas music. i could listen to it year round.)

wrapping presents.

picking out presents.

making christmas cookies.

spending time with family.

christmas eve.

leaving out cookies and milk for santa.

christmas morning.

reading the christmas story.

watching christmas movies. 

everything christmas.

the smell of cookies baking is the best. frosting them. licking your fingers. then sprinkling them with sprinkles, candies, and chocolate. baking them. then adding them to the pile of cookies, we've already made. 

going christmas shopping. finding gifts for people. watching them open it. the best.

today we're going to get our christmas tree. we'll come home, decorate, crank up the christmas music. decorate the rest of the house. take out all our christmas ornaments, and remember back when we were young, and all those old ornaments we made.

only a couple more weeks to go till christmas! i can't wait. but while i'm waiting. i'll be loving december. 

(all of these are ipod pictures. i will get my camera out today! i promise! :)

a rainy day

Hello lovelies! I didn't post on Thanksgiving, but I am thankful for so much! I could go on and on, and list things, but most of all I am thankful for family, friends, and God's unending love for me. Those three things just sum it up! 

I had a wonderful Thanksgiving. Didn't take too many pictures..but I sure had a great day! 

Coffee and some pie? My aunt's favorite. :]

Our first snow of the season was last Saturday. It stayed for about a day, and now it's gone. Completely. :[

Yesterday I got an Ipod touch that I've been saving up for. I am seriously addicted. I love it! There's so much you can do on that little thing! ;]

Today was such a rainy day. It was kind of like one of those "blah" days. I bet you can guess what I did all day! Played on my Ipod. :]

Trying on my dad's boots. 

moi

Have a lovely rest of your weekend!

xoxo

i want to be me.

I'm Alison Marie. Nobody else, but just me. 

Lots of times, I try to be like other people. Why in the world would I do that? God made me exactly the way I am supposed to be, and I don't want to be anyone but myself.

I want to be unique. I want to stand out, and I want people to notice me, and think: "Wow. She is different." I pray every night that I will stand out, and I will be the best me I can be.

I want to do the things that I want to do. If I think what I'm doing is different-I will do it anyways, because I want to be different.

I challenge you, to be different, ordinary, be yourself.


xoxo.

just an update

I'm sitting here, with my mouth dropped open, wondering why in the world I haven't posted on my blog for more than a week.
 As you all probably know, my friend, Amanda, got surgery last Friday. (a week ago!) It's crazy how fast time flies, since then, but it has, and this week was a week full of just craziness. Amanda is doing much better now, but still in so much pain. She is now out of the hospital, and just the other day she got out of bed by herself! (I know that may sound silly--but it's awesome!) She wasn't supposed to come back to school until the 12th of December, but because she's recovering so quickly she might be able to come back on the 5th! I was so excited to hear that! ;]

Last Sunday me and a couple of other girls went to visit Amanda in the hospital! (obviously, Amanda is the one in the hospital bed.) ;]

Thank you all so much for your prayers for Amanda! It means so much to me and her! ♥

Sorry for all my random posts lately! I will try to post normal soon!

Have a great weekend everybody! :]

xoxo

pray for a friend?

As you all probably know..my friend Amanda is getting surgery tomorrow. She has scoliosis (which is very common) and you can go to this website if you want to learn more about scoliosis. I mean technically her back has a huge curve in it, and she needs surgery to fix it. She is getting her surgery at 7 am tomorrow morning.

Soo..prayers would be greatly appreciated, and I know Amanda would love it if you prayed for a safe and healthy surgery tomorrow!

Good luck tomorrow, Amanda! We will all miss you so much! 

xoxo

haven drew me!

Haven [my bestie/cousin..sure you've heard of her] had an assignment in art class to draw someone who inspires you. She drew me. Isn't that sweet? :]

[original--in black and white]

[charcoal drawing of moi--by Haven]

Isn't that pretty good? ;]

Have a great rest of your Tuesday, friends!

P.S. Like the new design? Kiley at Click and Capture designed it! :]

my life.

My life is snapping pictures of flowers whenever I see them. 

My life is having sleepovers every weekend.

My life is hanging out with my bestie. (ahem. haven.)

My life is church Sunday mornings and Wednesday nights.

My life is doing my chores and getting my homework done.

My life is chocolate chip pumpkin muffins and chocolate cupcakes.

My life is three crazy brothers and two awesome parents.

My life is a dog who is seventeen years old, and is getting deaf, but we still love her.

My life is never ending amounts of friends who are amazing if I do say so myself.

[havers.]

[i kinda love you. I LOVE YOU.]
My life is filled with happiness, sadness, craziness, busyness, awesomeness, and much more.

My life is crazy brown eyes, and brown hair.
My life is volleyball, volleyball, and more volleyball.

This is me and my friend Amanda. Amanda is getting surgery in 4 days. In 4 days she will be taller than me (probably). She has scoliosis. That means her spine is curved. Like really curved. Pray for her?

Me and my momma. :)

Soo..how's your life going? ;)

welcome november

Dear November,

I am excited for you, and not so excited for you. 

I mean don't get me wrong, I love your bare trees, the cool weather, the hot cocoa, warm, fuzzy boots, snow, and your yummy meals at Thanksgiving. 

But, I mean November also has some things that I'm not so excited for. Like..

My friend's back surgery,

really, really, really cold weather,

back to winter sports=craziness,

more things that I really can't think of right now.

I'm pretty sure all the beautiful colors of October will soon be gone. All those oranges, reds, yellows, purples (just kidding.) But that's okay. I can say it's going to be harder to take my camera out everyday (which I'm already failing at..), because it will be cold. Yes cold. And I am a wimp. 

But, I love you, November. I guess I am welcoming you to stay. (please not for too long though, because I really, really, reallyy can't wait for Christmas!)

love,

me 

(aka, ali-the owner of this awesome blog with ninety awesome followers. but man. wouldn't it be awesome to get 100 before the month of November ends??)

Are you excited for November, or not so much?