Snow in South Carolina

We got snow in South Carolina

-- in the mountains that is...








I was up at Lake Jocasse and got to enjoy the first snow with Robert...


yeah... I'm such a kid when it comes to snow. I love just walking around and enjoying the beauty.... hope you all get some too... here are a few more PICS.. stay safe

New Years Day 2009

What did you do your first day of 2009? I thought about options and decided to get out and enjoy the day. I went up to Raven Cliff Falls in Ceasar Head. The sun was bright the sky was blue the temperature was 32. What more could you ask for? Well I could name a few (a few degrees might have been nice) but I still totally loved it.

Can I share a few pictures of the day. The most fascinatingly beautiful thing was the ice along the trail as I headed in. There were fragile beautiful miniature ice stalagmites you might find in a cave found along the edge of the trail. The beauty alone was stunning, but it got my curiosity too. How did they form and why? And in the moment realized that this is an amazing world. At times God gives us beautiful fragile moments in time that we may miss if we don't pause to notice them. If I hadn't paused when I saw a flash of sunlight on the edge of the trail I may have missed them. I stopped to admire them closer and took a few pictures but couldn't truly capture the sparkle of light that danced off the ice as the sun hit it or the depth of the light refraction that came off the individual fragments. As I came back the trail they had dissolved into the dirt to become mud. And I smiled in the secret knowledge of having had a brief view of the beauty that has disappeared for the moment. It was a good reminder to take time this year to thank God for the brief moments of beauty He creates for us.



Later I made it to the observation deck for the falls. Again a moment of awe of the beauty of the sight. I followed a trail called "dismal" trail. Why its called that I'm not sure, but along the way was a area of boulders that gave another view of the falls. I stopped for a few more pictures and a few minutes in the sun. It was a beautiful day. I took a few minutes to think and read. Till the coldness started to seep in.

It was a nice day getting out alone to take time to enjoy life's little beautiful surprises along the way. That's what this life is about... enjoying each moment and day along our journey of life. One of my secrets of joy is to take a moment to totally enjoy the time and moments that make up the journey and change the focus from the end of the journey to the moments that make up the journey and how they can change our perspective and life. And to take time to give God the glory for those moements....

Here are a few pictures

 

Here is a picture of me with my nephew this Christmas.

My sister Kristin and her husband Matt came to town. She's so cute pregnant. I didn't take nearly the number of pictures I usually do but I got one with her. The new news.... Janelle is pregnant again. She just found out a few weeks ago. The new babies are due in April and August. That should be fun. :)

Pictures

A laugh about the lighter side of the holidays....

Okay I had to laugh. Check out this blog from my friend with children who love well lit christmas light. http://meandering-thru.blogspot.com/2007/12/my-heartfelt-thank-you.html

.... a falling star....

Last night I saw a falling star.... Wonder when my wish will come true? I still believe in magic (or at least God's blessings that surprise us) do you?

What blessings have you experienced lately. I'd love to hear you all share...

This Thanksgiving was fun. My sister Kristin and her husband Matt came to town. One morning we took my nephew to Disney on ice. We had fun and he had a ball. We also had some great meals. My sister Janelle and her husband Josie and I had a traditional Thanksgiving meal. I made the turkey, gravy, cranberry sauce and sweet potato casserole and she made the sausage stuffing, green bean casserole and pumpkin pie and pumpkin chocolate bread. The next day she did a pumpkin chicken soup that was great. We had a nice relaxing several days and we both took the time to put up a Christmas trees. It was fun to have the sisters together. Missed having Mom and Dad and Larrian & Teri and Justin, Joshua and Walker here...
Here are a few more pictures of Thanksgiving and a few more pictures from Disney on Ice

My reflective fall object lesson..

The sheer beauty of fall. It catches me in moments of awe at His excellent creativity and color. I haven't taken time to wonder in His design this year until today. I delayed it with busyness, but today I got off work an hour early and decided to take a moment for enjoyment. I had to share in the wonders of His hands.





It still amazes me that God creates these images for our pleasure and for His glory each year for but a few solitary moments or days. If He has the power and creativity to do that in nature -- what kind of creativity does He use for my daily life and the work He wants to do in it every day... And I love the object lessons we can learn from taking moments to stand in awe of His order and design...


Have you ever taken a look at your life and thought -- I'm not like everyone else my age or in my association... I should change -- maybe not-- sometimes God uses our differences to make us dependent on Him for guidance and to show the beauty of His variety...


Or,, have you ever gotten self conscience of your spots -- you pain or your weaknesses or your mistakes or your failures in life... - ever wanted to hide that part of your life from others.... I have... But that too can add to your beauty and your individuality and at times God uses it to hightlight things - sometimes right before a big change... are you ready to be used?




The pain of change can be beauty in and of itself to someone else. At times we experience the pain and try to run or hide, but the beauty of our vulnerability is the strength from Our Redemeer



And isn't it interesting that we at times feel stripped of those around us to support us. And yet my Creator is still in control and gives us the strength to hold on...He has a perfect time for each of us.


And then there are times when we feel the blessing of His hands in our life. We are overwelmed daily with the things He provides for us. And amazed by the beauty in the life He shares with us.. He gives us bouquets of beauty... like these bouquets of color...









Our Father is such an amazing God. He loves us deeply and creates things for our pleasure. Thank you Father for our beautiful moments in your hands and in this life you have given us. You amaze me!!!!

Salsa Halloween

 

 

 

So it is fun to dress up at times and hang out with friends...

Here are some more pics-click here and for the party pics -click here

Trick or treat

 

 

 

I got to see the joy of children last night. Finding out they can ask for and recieve and thank their friends and neighbors for candy while dressing up like their favorite character. It was a nice evening to walk and chat with Janelle, Josie, their friends Alyice and her husband Justin and their two boys--Sammy, Jonah, Josie's mother and his two cousins. Its was a great night for a walk. The temperature was great and it was fun chatting with Alyce and Justin who I would consider to be quality people. I enjoy time with quality people who are stable and enjoying their walk with God in a daily way. There is something comforting and encouraging about being around people that are secure and stable. Hope you had a great time with your friends and family.

Click here for more pics

My dolphin sighting actually caught on camera... YEAH

 

Okay so there I was minding my own business... enjoying nature.... watching hermit crabs scatter and butterflies flutter by and what did I hear? A puff of air like an blow hole -- on the back side of a barrier island in the shallows off the coast of Charleston.... as I looked up the second time I see the dolphin spin and head back to the coast... A WHAT .... A DOLPHIN... I can't believe it.... And yet I can. Just one more sign of God's great design, creativity and curiosity and desire for contact... a dolphin who came up to say hi and dart away. I stood in awe before capturing myself and trying to take pictures as it swam away. The first picture is the small area of water I was looking at. The next is the water swirl left behind the others are close ups I shot to try and capture the moment... For those who enjoy dolphins as much as mine.

This is my fish story and I'm sticking to it...

 

 

 

Kiawah Island CME trip

I went to Kiawah Island this weekend through Tuesday. Most days were spent listening to dull lectures. Friday through part of the day Monday it rained -hard. I tried to go to salsa under the stars in Charleston twice but the rain stopped it both nights. I was able to make a phone connection with Yaennette in Charleston and find their Friday evening dance but found it slow to a visitor. Saturday night Adalia and I hit Harbor Grill for dancing but it was slow getting started after a wedding and only stayed for a while and had fun memories trying to drive/float back through flooded roads to the island for a few hours of rest before getting up for more conference lectures. I did get one afternoon and evening without rain to hit the beach and found some beautiful nature spots along the way and later watched the sunset....

Here is a link to the video if its not working... click here

and a few sunset pics are HERE

 

Myrtle beach Salsa Congress

Hi my name is Karla and I'm a salsaholic...
Myrtle Beach Salsa Congress was this weekend. It was a great time getting to dance with people and learning new things including a good reminder in staying positive...

Check out some pics. I'll write more later... click here

Since a picture is worth a thousand words...

I'll upload a slide show. Those are fun and reveal more of the story.

We have been blessed with great weather so far :) And had some beautiful days. We've been so blessed.

Hilton Head Island

So we made it to the beach..... ahh. What a life. :)



Of course we had to check it out after unloading the cars, getting groceries -even if it meant eating PB & J sandwiches for supper. After talking about the beach for weeks Jayden was too excited to wait. So we went out and found a few shells and and went out in the water. Jayden was brave and took splash after splash with a few blinks and a nod yes that he was okay along with a "ahunh".

I believe I've enjoyed my role of aunt. I even got to build sandcastles with Jayden today. He later enjoyed using them as a stump to sit on. :) And his Daddy helped build a "monument" (that would be the the two layered sand pile in front. I decided it must have been a monument to our two castles and moat :)

Maddie has enjoyed splashing in the water and jumping up and down with assistance with balance. She definitely is going to be a water bug like her big brother. Well I gotta get some sleep since I'm done with home work. Ill load a few more pics tomorrow (or later today that is)

Priceless weekend

 
 
 
 

This weekend was great...... Sun, surf, attempting to sit,lie, and balance a 8 foot surfing board. The sheer physicality of balancing a board while sitting on it in the surf was an interestingly amusing task... Let alone learning the power to paddle and catch a wave. (okay so I didn't get to brag that I could stand up), but I had a blast trying.. Then good seafood, good conversation, great salsa then a few more hours in the sun and surf before heading home.

A weekend full of refreshement, relaxation, doing what I love, trying a new adventure and swimming in the sun.... the sheer exhaustion and ache of sore muscles but the satisfaction of working hard at all the fun things of life..... priceless
Here's a few more pics