January Highlights 2016

Hello, everyone! While I work on writing the concluding part of the journal entries, I wanted to share with you a few highlights of my January.

The side of our boxsled that we put up at church.

On January 8-10, I went on a trip with my youth group to Hume Lake Christian Camps. I had a great time hanging out with my friends and in chapel. The theme this year was "I Am." This refers to God and His holiness. The speaker used Isaiah 6 to explain it. As far as the activities, I enjoyed ice skating and going down Hume's very long tube run. On Saturday night they held the "Boxsled Blitz." (Explained in previous post about Hume last year.) Basically, you build a sled out of only cardboard and duct tape and take it down the tube run (with a jump added in) at around 11 at night when the snow is iced over. The winner gets to take home the "golden mailbox" and add something to it, then bring it back the next year for the next winner to get and take home. Previous to this year, the SAME CHURCH had won it for 8 YEARS!!! However, our little country church broke their streak and brought it home with a fire engine that held 10 high schoolers—me included! (I got the idea for the sled because of the Rough Fire that was up there.) That was really awesome!

Then . . . school started back up. But that actually hasn't been too hard. Most of the time I enjoy school. :D So far, I've been able to keep up (mostly.)

Last week we took off school to take our annual family winter trip. A good friend came to our house to visit and then watch it for us while we were gone. We went to Shaver Lake where we got lots of family time, snow, and were able to visit with the friends that we have made there over the years. We were blessed to use some cross-country skis for two days. One day we went on trails for about three miles and the other day we made our own trails through five feet of powder—TRUE cross-country! We also went sledding, tried to snowboard, (I ACTUALLY didn't do too badly . . .) and filmed a hilarious family movie. The snow was beautiful and I had a wonderful time.

Selfie! (I think I look like an eskimo...) :D

For the most part, January was a very relaxing month. I read many more books this month than I had in a long time. In all, I read ten books:

1. Makilien Trilogy: Courage, Molly Evangeline (478 pages)
2. Makilien Trilogy: Trust, Molly Evangeline (331 pages)
3. Circle C Milestones: Heartbreak Trail, Susan K. Marlow (166 pages)
4. 'Nama Beach High: New Girl in Town, Nancy Rue (170 pages)
5. Pirates and Faith: The Pirate Daughter's Promise, Molly Evangeline (217 pages)
6. Pirates and Faith: Every Tear, Molly Evangeline (458 pages)
7. Circle C Milestones: The Last Ride, Susan K. Marlow (175 pages)
8. Red Rock Mysteries: Instant Menace, Jerry B. Jenkins and Chris Fabry (234 pages)
9. Red Rock Mysteries: Escaping Darkness, Jerry B. Jenkins and Chris Fabry (218 pages)
10. Uncle Tom's Cabin, Harriet Beecher Stowe (499 pages)

In all, that's a whopping 2,946 pages! I don't think I've ever read that many pages in one month! But it felt really good! I enjoyed all the books. Well, all of them but Uncle Tom's Cabin. That one I read for English class. :( However, my favorites of these books was Heartbreak Trail, and the books by Molly Evangeline. Check her out—she is one of my absolute FAVORITE authors! She's really good.

So, how'd your January go? What highlights did you have? What books did you read? Let me know! Have a fantastic February, friends!