a very sweet sixteen + giveaway winners. (part 1)

So now, I can officially sing,

♫ "I am sixteen going on seventeen..." ♫

I always thought Leisel von Trapp so old as she sang those words. Now, it'a crazy to think I am her exact age, if a few months younger.

Aye, the fifteenth o' August was my sixteenth birthday, and as stated in the title, it was very sweet.

Literally, and otherwise.

Before I get started on the details of my happy day, I shall share an old photo to 'commemorate the day.' That's me on the left with the blonde hair, blue eyes, chubby cheeks...oh yes, and the charming expression. o_O I think I was around one or two.



..many years later..

An entirely mature, level-headed, always knowledgable in every circumstance, loving, forgiving, kind, wonderful, in every sense of the word, perfectly grown up sixteen-year-old.

Hmm.

..Okay, not quite, perhaps. But I think it's safe to say I know more than I did when I was two, and there are some mistakes of my youth which I can gurantee you I won't be making again. Thus, I believe I can say with my head held high that I am prepared to grow up. 

*hides behind her baby doll and hair bows*

My sixteenth birthday began really a few days before, when my grandma brought over some key lime pie ice cream, lemon cake, and a present. :) Have you ever tried this bliss? It is exactly that: bliss. I had quite a bit, needless to say.  

The next day, we were off for our week long camping trip, and our two day stay with our dear friends, the H. Family.

Dani, Amanda, and Emily H. and I have been pen-pals, e-mail pals, and phone call pals :) for three years now..we were blessed with the chance to at last meet them face-to-face this past April, when we both attended The Christian Heritage Conference. Olivia also writes Dani, and thus we are all very good friends by now.

Amanda, me, and Dani at the conference

..Much to our sheer delight, while conversing at the conference we learned that our family would be camping this summer near their area. Of course, plans were made that we stop by their house for a few days prior to our vacation.

We arrived the day before my birthday, a little earlier than expected, and thus were greeted with unforgettable screams of surprise. ;) We were bombarded with hugs, much to our delights, and thus began a most unforgettable sixteenth birthday. Another family, the B.'s, were visiting as well, so we had a full house..which was tons of fun!

Prettyness of the H. Family's driveaway!

..I don't want to make this post an un-readable length, so I will just give you a glimpse of all that we did over the course of our, sadly short, time together. We and the Girls had conjured up a list of things we wanted to do together, and had been talking of this visit for months over the phone and e-mail, so we had a fully loaded schedule. As it turned out, we altered things to suit more lovely ladies in our group, but our hours together were pricelessly blissful. :) On the night we arrived, we all gathered in the living room (after we had squeezed and chattered eachother half to death ;) and played games until bedtime, when Dani, 'Manda, Em, Hannah, Anne, Olivia, and I all squeezed onto their bedroom floor and talked for a good while. Around 12:30 a.m., we got the bright idea that we would take a "night walk." Amidst many giggles and squeaky hinges, we tiptoed outside and...laughed. The next day we found we had wakened a few members of the family. Oops. 

When morning dawned, we arose early and made breakfast. Our day stretched before us promisingly, and here is what we ended up filling it with amidst talks and laughter..

  

Made meals

Fed and (they) milked their goats

Took many walks

Played games

Took (tons) of photos

Had a tea party

Danced and learned new dances

Attended a Bible study/dinner

Sang

..etc. :)

 I didn't get many pictures, but they got tons; thus the "part 1" in the title. :) Expect a few more posts chock full of pictures of our time...I firmly believe we took at least 1000. :] The H.'s oldest brother, Greg, is a professional photographer, so we all went out and he kindly did a big photoshoot in their amazingly pretty countryside. Here are some photos that my brother, Mark, shot of us getting into one of our poses..

Dear friends and new friends, smiling together! ♥

 During the afternoon, shortly before we left for an evening Bible study (which was wonderful!) at the P.'s beautiful home, I was treated to a "surprise tea party." Manda and I went for a little walk down the road, "under order," ;) and when we returned, I entered their home to a rousing chorus of "Happy Birthday to You!", smiling faces, cameras, a beautifully laid table, and two deliciously gourmet-looking peanut butter cup cheesecakes. I was so touched and thrilled

Altogether, I had a very "sweet sixteenth," as well as a lovely time with our friends, and on our vacation. We simply can't wait to see their dear faces again, in the hopeful near future. In the meantime, we have many upcoming pictures to commemorate the days! Praise the LORD for such a blessed time. ♥

Dani and I--photo by Emily. H. <3

Which brings me to my last point. The long-overdue WINNERS of my two latest giveaways.

For the la lemonada blog design package:

India Grace!

For the $15 gift certificate to Emariecreations:

Mary Minship!

Congratulations, ladies--please e-mail me with your info, and I will guide you from there! More giveaways are coming soon, scattered amidst future months. Including another from Emariecreations! Keep a lookout. :D

♫ "I am sixteen, going on seventeen..." ♫

I wonder what this next 'chapter of life' will hold for me?