December is over and so is 2018! Yikes

HAPPY NEW YEAR! 

for the past year i've posted 87 times! i really, really love blogging! it inspires me and i truly feel comfortable sharing and being myself. 

THE NEW STUFF THAT HAPPENED 
So like 2018 was a fantastic year. (I think my favorite so far) but I can’t wait to see what new memories 2019 will hold. Looking back it’s crazy to see all the change that has happened. Dude life is crazy... 

I went to Africa. AFRICA Ugh I can’t even believe all of the crazy things we experienced. The stories I could tell lolol. But it was so good for me! 
I took over our garden this year and planted everything myself. It was awesome. I can’t wait till spring! 
All of the amazing memories I made this year with my fave people. (Sometimes I just scroll through my pictures and want to cry lol)
I GRADUATED!!!! DID A POST ABOUT IT HERE I CAN’T EVEN EXPRESS HOW GREAT IS IS TO BE FINISHED WITH SCHOOL!!!

My baby sis was born this summer (that makes 7 of us) and she has stolen our hearts ♥️ 
AND TOP OF THAT i spent a weekend camping out on the beach with friends 

And there was so much more.. days. Summer. Laughter. Moments. Driving with the windows open. Blasting a good song. 

       
So I guess this post is saying that I’m really excited about 2019 i read some of this past year’s blog post and realized that my style has changed. I’m much more lifestyle than I used to be. It’s kind of crazy to see the change in my thoughts and perspective. Though I’ll still be child at heart. Just ask any of my friends. Lolol DREAMLAND IS STILL MY HOME. 

 what I’m trying to say is that my eyes have opened up and I’m seeing a bit more of what’s in what. I’m finding out what 19 year old Janelle is and what she likes doing. Its pretty cool, but a little scary at the same time.  I had a lot of bad things in 2018 but a lot of beautiful things too. I’ve been learning to readjust my priorities a bit and LOVE THE LITTLE MOMENTS. 

2019 is going to be lit. 

                            
WHAT UNEXPECTED BUT AMAZING THING HAPPENED TO YOU THIS YEAR? ALSO YOUR TOP FAVE POST OF MINE THIS YEAR?

CHRISTMAS HAPPENING + FEELS

Merry Christmas folks!!

Ahh the day we celebrate Jesus, Family and, just the joy of being able to do life with the people we love best. The snow that falls lazily down. Capturing moments. Wrapping the gifts. Seeing the look on little siblings faces as they open their presents. My new record player it’s amazingggggg. ^^ new books. Christmas morning playlist. Fresh coffee in the morning. Baking all the yummy goodness. The house filling up with family. Laughter. 

I’d like to leave you with the thought I had after watching It’s a Wonderful Life. 

“No man is truly poor as long as he has friends.”

I’m off to go stuff myself with delicious food *cough* but basically I just wanted to say MERRY CHRISTMAS  EVERYONE!!!!!!!!!!!!



What are you doing for Christmas// fave Christmas song// Christmas Memory??

LIFE LATELY

                   

So.....

I haven’t done a life update in quite a while, I’ve been pretty busy with life. so here a few things ive been up to the past few weeks 

  1) I’ve been super busy with work. It’s crazy how you look at your week and think there’s not much planed.. but then suddenly its like okay awesome! i actually have time to take a shower!

2) um Christmas shopping 🙈 dude I’ve hardly started lolol I guess I’ll probably be one of those desperate last minuet shoppers. But srly I’ve been trying to make it a priority to focus this month especially on the birth of Jesus and what that really means for us. 

3) we had our first real cold weather. The other day it was -3 when I got up. Okay bye now I’m moving somewhere warmer. 

4) I’ve been drinking wayyyyy to many Starbucks Christmas coffees. Please send help. 

5) I saw the sunrise last week andddd I seriously was so inspired to wake up early every morning.... until my alarm went off at 6:00 the next morning. I was much less inspired at that moment. lolol 

6) Iv'e Been binge reading (is that a thing) the Anne of Green Gables and Emily of New Moon Books. and I'm pretty sure that they ARE THE GREATEST BOOKS OF ALL TIMES. sorry for shouting but srly so luch love for L.M.Montgomery 

  7)  Trying to cuddle with the baby sis before she gets any bigger. why do they have to grow up so fast!?!?

 8) let the Christmas movie binge watching begin. and by Christmas binge movie watching, I mean watching all my regular shows that I've been to busy to see. XD I'm not a huge Christmas movie fan but I am a sucker for the classics. 

9) Journaling and writing down thoughts. I am by no means the best hand writer, but i find it refreshing and releasing to sit and write my thoughts or "draw" a picture. also I've been thinking how therapeutic it is to keep  a journal. writing down our hopes, dreams, sorrows, pain, joy  all recorded in the pages of a book. 

10) i am in loveeeee with the song Control by For King And Country. if you haven't heard their new album check it out. srly its amazing.

how is your Christmas season going? Its really flying by for me. tell me one of your fave Christmas movies.   

p.s. I'm part of Twelve Days of Christmas blog tag starting this Friday. so be sure to check back here for a new post XD XD

Hey kid, let’s celebrate

Heyyyy all. I miss you.

I’m driving home today (as I write this) from one of my many cousins weddings  & I’ve just been thinking about how amazing it is to be surrounded by people you love celebrating a beautiful event. We had so much fun simply talking and laughing together. Seeing cousins and fam I hadn’t seen in months. Oh and I PRACTICALLY DRANK COFFEE ALLL WEEKEND so there’s that too. It was so renewing to have late night  laughter and conversations and just get caught up on each others lives. ALSO I HAD BUBBLE TEA FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER. (btw it was delicious) 

I came away with a full heart and a joyful spirit. And so thankful for the memories I’ve made.

  But I’ve been thinking how I want to celebrate people on a daily basis. Notice the little things. Simple things. Coming and praying along side someone . Take time out of your life and spend it with a friend. These soul moments are the times you will remember and cherish for the rest of your life, I promise xxxx

ps. How do you relate? What joyful moments have experienced recently?

                  

Three War Romance Clichés That Get Old

               

In the past few years I’ve become a lot more particular with the Romance books I read. Don’t get me wrong there is nothing I like better than sitting down and reading a good novel. (although they seem harder and harder to find)

 I love War stories, the bravery and strength that the people who lived through and experienced such atrocities and yet can somehow still survive is interesting to me. 

It’s been hard finding authors that don’t over romanticize these stories though. i mean like really hard.

What draws me to A book and captivate my soul is the rawness. The anguish. The utter desolation of hope. The sorrow of losing someone you deeply love. I could never imagine going through one of these, but all of them within a couple of years. I get that theses aren't pleasant things but it is real. there's not always a happy ending. The couple doesn't always get to ride off onto the sunset together. Its just not like that. 

War is not beautiful. It’s not romantic. It’s often, blood, pain, tears. Mothers waiting at home waiting for sons and husbands never to come home. Sweethearts knowing that they’ll somehow have to reconstruct their life without the one that made their life sparkle. 

Obviously I know nothing of war. But come on, the guys don’t always come home. The ending for most isn’t perfect. ALSO WHY ARE THERE WAY MORE WW2 BOOKS THAN WW1.. I can’t even.. 

okay so now that im done ranting talking lets get down to the three cliches. 

                       
1) the Hero
This is generally the guy (not always tho) but it doesn’t matter. Also why is everyone a pilot?!? It’s not like there was any other jobs in the military. Often in a lot of books every single chapter builds up to one pivotal seen, and almost every single time you can guess the ending. There is no surprises. Everything is alway the same. This is just my personal opinion but wouldn’t it be so much more interesting if the main characters weren’t always the same. 

                            
2) does everything ALWAYS have to turn out perfectly ?!?! lolol Don’t get me wrong. I hate when someones significant other gets killed. but War is not beautiful. It’s not romantic. It’s blood, pain, tears. Mothers waiting at home waiting for sons and husbands never to come home. Sweethearts knowing that they’ll somehow have to reconstruct their life without the one that made their life sparkle. 
Obviously I know nothing of war. But come on, the guys don’t always come home. 
                           
3) Life does not go on as usual. You can’t just pick up where you left off. You can’t have gone off to the war without becoming a different person. There is no way  that someone who has seen the level of bloodshed as a soldier on the front would have experienced could walk away from something like that with no emotional baggage.. yeah I don’t think so.  I can only imagine how difficult it must be to try and fit back into society when your entire self has changed. 

While it’s true that I do like sad books a lot, it doesn’t mean that i always want the main characters to die, although I have seen some books that have soon it well.Everyone is going to like different books and authors. Although I do like a happy ending just as much as the rest of you. My point is that, that’s not always how life is. 
Would I loveeee every single book on your shelf? Probably not. And same goes for my books.  I love how two people who read the same book can come away with a completely different opinion.  Because how boring would it be if we all liked and disliked the same people. 
Thanks for reading :) 

So what do you think? Do any of these cliches drive you crazy? Or have you seen any examples of these cliches that you enjoy?

RAW

Why is it that we always compare ourselves to others. often People use the phrase “be original” or just “be yourself”

 but who am I? What am I? 

Some days I feel like a strong valiant woman, capable of taking the world on. And then I am around someone who is so much more bold, fearless and confident than me.. and the doubt and unworthiness comes back like an unwanted friend. 

Confidence is something that can not be “gained” by being like others. You can’t try and mold yourself to peoples personality’s. It’s so easy to compare and feel less than and inadequate. 

I’ve struggled with this quite a lot. 

The feeling or pressure to “be a certain way” or act differently. To be STRONG, and Know exactly what I want in life.. my beliefs, be  different and bold. 

I don’t really have words to tell you how to change or stop these feeling. Because often I don’t know myself. I just want to tell you that you ARE strong, you are courageous and fearless. 
Your Strength, Courage, and Bravery is beautiful. But It’s uniquely your own. We are all strong. Just in different ways. So why try and measure up to someone else's personality. 

There will always be people who’s vibrant and outgoing zeal can intimidate you. Just stop. Have courage in who God created you to be. 

ps. also look up the song THIS IS ME, From the movie The Greatest Showman

7 OF MY ALL TIME FAVORITE SONGS

Last week I shared with you Music is a Glimpse into the Soul and I’m here today with some of my personal favorites <3 <3 

Some of them are happy fun songs, others are deep heartfelt ones, while yet others express joy and Triumph..  and all of them are amazing. DON'T ASK ME TO PICK A FAVORITE, BECAUSE I COULDN'T... EVER.

[btw. I linked the titles to Apple Music so you can check them out as you go] 

LIVE IT WELL by switchfoot 

I feel that this song is a sort of anthem for me. Life is so fleeting you know, and some days we forget what a gift it is to simply be able to wake up and live another day. It’s a reminder to me to live each moment with purpose and joy.

“Life is short I wanna live it well, one life one story to tell, life is short I wanna live it well, and your the one I’m living for. Awaken oh my soul. EVERY BREATH YOU TAKE IS A MIRACLE. Life is short I wanna live it well” 

THIS IS HOME by switchfoot (I really like this band in case you haven’t noticed) XD XD

When I hear this song I always remember listening to it as my plane landed back in the USA. I had been literally across the world for nearly a month. & I can’t express how amazing it felt to be back “home”

“ this is home, now I’m finally where I belong, yeah this is home, I’ve been searching for a place of my own, and now I’m finally home”

A MILLION DREAMS  by the cast of the greatest showman 

This song. This song. This song. 

“Cause every night I lie in bed, the brightest colors fill my head. A million dreams are keeping me awake. I think of what the world could be, a vision of the one I see, a million dreams is all it’s going to take. For the world we’re going to make.” 

Ughh someone help. Never give up on your dreams. They are beautiful and unique 

COLD AIN'T FOR ME by oceans 

This is more or less of my “summer please stay forever” song. It makes me think of beaches and hot sunny days. 

“I can’t stop thinking about the sand in my feet, I’ve got a heartache cause cold ain’t for me. I wish my worries would crash into the sea, cause it’s far to cold darling, cold ain’t for me.”

I usually agree with this song when I see that it’s -40 outside and there’s 5 feet of snow on the ground.

CRAZY by patsy cline 

okay yes i admit it. im a sucker for 50's music. Frank Sinatra anyone?!?!? 

Ahhhh where to begin. This whole album is gold. Perfect for the long toad trips. Turn the windows down and the music up & sing along with these timeless songs  ;) :) 

AMEN by For King and Country 

Obviously ALL OF FOR KING AND COUNTRY’S songs are the besttttt. It’s a fine fine life, Ceasefire, Burn this ships and Priceless are just a few of their spectacular songs <3   Honestly I couldn’t pick a favorite. 

Yeah okay so this is a good song to blast in the car, with your arms out the window, and the summer breeze blowing in your face!! 

I AM YOURS  by Lauren Daigle 

This song .This album. This artist. There is so much in the words of this song. It is choosing to cling to God when things get bad and say, yes Lord bring it on cause with you, I CAN NOT FAIL.

“So let the waters rise, I will stand as the oceans roar, let the earth shake beneath me, let the mountains fall, you are God over this storm and now I am yours” 

“I am forever covered in your blood, so let the rain fall”

there is so much peace and worship in this album. i can not begin to tell you how many times I've been refreshed and lifted up by these songs.

So these are my current fav songs to listen too.  On repeat. All the time. lolo so check them out and maybe one of them will become a new favorite for you!

WHICH OF THESE ARE YOUR FAVORITE? AND WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN LISTENING TO ON REPEAT RECENTLY?!?

SHARE IT BELOW !!! <3 <3 <3

MUSIC IS A GLIMPSE INTO THE SOUL.

I read a quote once that went something like this 

"when someone shares a song with you that is really important to them you should turn it up and lay on your bed and, close your eyes and REALLY listen to it.. even if its ten minuets long, because at the end you will know that person much better i think."

My love for this quote is unbelievable 

So something cool that Apple Music & Spotify has are that you can follow people, listen to their playlists and find some really unique songs along the way...

The other day I was listening to someone’s playlist, the songs weren’t in the genre I tend to listen too. But I thought it was so interesting how different songs relate to different people. There are Songs I might not like that are probably someone else’s favorite song that they played 50+ times in the car. 

Music speaks to us in a way that no other thing can. it captures a moment. you can laugh and dance to music. sometimes it makes you weep, the words touch your soul deeply. 

& I was just amazed at the creativity that God has given us as people, I mean we are all so different. No playlist ever going to be exactly the same. No two people are going to like every single song the other person does. We are all so unique, with different likes and dislikes.... and i find that utterly amazing.

thoughts? 
is there a certain song that speaks to your soul? 

PURSUE YOUR PURPOSE

I’ve been asked a lot recently “what are my plans/purposes in my life” and honestly I don’t have much of answer for them. It’s not that I don’t have dreams or ambitions, but sometimes they seem out of reach. But guys here’s the thing.. there not. Jesus knows your dreams, he understands them. But my dreams can’t be my soul purpose for living. 

My purpose is to fulfill the will the Lord has for me, to love like Jesus, to love the unlovable, to help where needed, to find joy in the daily life, to share ALL that I have, and to be completely and fully surrender to His will. 

So yes I do have a plan for my life.. I plan to LIVE. Live it to the fullest. 

 pursue your purpose, pursue your purpose with passion. 

what are some of you dreams/passions you want to pursue? + one thing you really want to do before the year is over.

LIVING MY BEST LIFE

To be honest with you i don't really have words to describe this past weekend, or the pictures that we took. we didn't do anything crazy or adventurous, we just had fun together. and that really makes the best of times! just hanging out, laughing (there was plenty of that)  playing games & singing around our campfire! it was a good weekend. and memories were made that i'll always treasure. 

WHAT FUN ADVENTURES DO YOU LIKE GOING ON WITH YOUR FRIENDS? ALSO ONE FUN THING YOU DID WITH "YOUR" PEOPLE THIS SUMMER