Friday, December 21, 2012

Snow!!!!

Today we woke up to a wonderful surprise:  snow!!


Now, this may not look like a lot to some of you, but for our area, this is a good-sized snowfall. :)

Hayden and Jenna enjoyed getting out in the crisp weather. :)



Our beautiful street

A few shots of our transformed backyard.  




Jenna and Hayden enjoy the view.

The snow kept falling in huge flakes for a good hour or so.  It was so fun to see the world slowly turn whiter and whiter.

Even Belle, Robby, and Emilie got in on the fun! :)

Of course, my daughters were super excited to go out and play.  They brought out their dolls for a few photos, too.

I couldn't get over how beautiful all of the plants and trees looked under a fine dusting of snow.







The girls soon got serious about playing in the snow and left their dolls in the safety of the little back porch, under the eaves. 

Middle Gal made this cute baby snowman.

It was just the right size for her Felicity doll. :)

Oldest Gal made a bigger snowman out on the lawn.

After Hubby got home between jobs and the girls were warming their toes while watching a movie, I decided to get my main 8 dolls in their wintry gear and capture a few pics in the pretty snow.  This group shot was taken in my front yard, which was super daring for me.  I normally only take 2 or 3 larger dolls out at a time. First, because it's easier to set them up for photos (especially in the snow where there's no extra spot to set them down), and second, because my neighbors usually don't stare too badly if I only have a couple of dolls. ;)  One of our next door neighbors, an older gentleman, came out just as I was finishing this shoot.  He didn't laugh or anything, and even offered to help hold up a doll for me so I could get a photo. :)  It's nice to have such considerate people living right next to us. :)  (This also goes to show you that you're never too old to outgrow feeling a little sheepish doing doll photos in broad daylight. :}  I'm so glad I did, though...the pictures turned out great!)

I thought it would be fun to get some new individual shots of each of the girls.  Here are some of the ones I took (you can see most of these on my sidebar, too):

Rachel

Charlie

Emma

Hailey

Maggie

Tess

Jenna

Hayden

All in all, it was a lovely morning.  The snow is still on the ground hours later, which is nothing short of miraculous in this area.  Usually, if we get snow, it only lasts for an hour or so at the most.  It's so nice to look out and see the snow still covering the ground.  I'm just glad I don't have to go anywhere. ;)

I'd like to end this post with a thank you to all of you who have been praying for me and my family.  This month has been tough in a lot of ways, but it's also been a great opportunity to see the Lord work and provide just when we needed it most.  From that unexpected rewards check from Costco I'd forgotten about that allowed us to get the groceries we needed before payday this week, to the way Hubby was able to negotiate with Charter on a better deal so that we don't have to cancel our Internet (yay!!!), I've seen Him at work in the little things.  I'm so thankful for a God Who cares about the seemingly insignificant things in our lives.

This is not going to be a quick fix, and we're going to have to remain disciplined, especially these next few months, in order to keep on course.  But God is good.  We have our home, a special Christmas to look forward to with our families, and 3 beautiful girls.  In light of the horrific events of the past week in Newtown, Connecticut, I am reminded more and more of how brief, precious, and unpredictable life is.  We need to live each moment to its fullest.  I need to remember how quickly these years with my children will pass by when I'm tempted to answer them unkindly or impatiently.  My heart aches for the parents who lost their sweet little ones last week and will now have to face Christmas without them.  My thoughts and prayers are with them, as I'm sure yours are too.  

I hope that you and yours have a truly wonderful Christmas together next week.  I'm not sure if I'll have another post up before Christmas or not...I'll just have to play it by ear.  From here on out, it's pretty much craziness and rushing from one activity to another until January. ;)

Talk to all of you again as soon as I can. :)

19 comments:

Lindsey Z. said...

I don't think I've ever commented on your blog and say how much it means to me. I'm a teenage Christian girl, and finding a bloger who doesn't cuss or anything I know the good Lord wouldn't like, is quite hard. I've been a fan of your blog for some time, and will keep on Praying for you and your family. =)
~Lindsey
Author of 'Melody Travels'.

Maya said...

Wow, what great photos! All the girls look so elegant with the dusting of snow in their hair! And Hayden is so cute with her signature hat and coat!

Hannah Prewett (beastsbelle) said...

Thanks, gals! :)

Nice to meet you, Lindsey! :) I'm glad you've been able to find an enjoyable and uplifting environment here...that's certainly my goal! I appreciate your prayers, too. :)

Thanks, AGTriviaMaster. I always love how nice the girls look in the snow, too. :)

Mulan_Fan95 said...

You're a great doll photographer! I'm not so into 18'' dolls, but my fave of your girls is definitely Jenna. I love her curly hair. I wish to you a wonderful Christmas and I'm so glad you're coming out of your tough financial situation. It's hard to live them, but it also helps you to make your feet stay still in the ground.

Hannah Prewett (beastsbelle) said...

Thanks, Mulan_Fan95. I really have fun taking outdoor photos. Today was especially great because the snowy background and the slightly overcast sky made for a perfect picture day! :)

We've still got a lot to figure out and rework with our finances, but we're getting there. :)

Bambuc said...

I wish you Merry Christmas for you and your family. I'm sure that everything will be alright

jordan sky said...

WOW! Those pictures are REALLY good! Do you have a special kind of camera? (By special I mean one of those big cameras) Or is it a regular small camera?

Anonymous said...

No fair!

8 year old girl from snowless Texas.

Hannah Prewett (beastsbelle) said...

Thanks for the comments, everyone.

To the anonymous 8 year old from Texas, I feel your pain. This is the biggest snow storm I can remember since I was in high school over 10 years ago. ;)

Thanks for the message, Bambuc. :)

Jordy, thanks! I'm glad you enjoyed the pics. I don't have a fancy camera, just a little digital Canon Power Shot point and shoot. ;)

Anonymous said...

Just out of curiosity...are Emma and Hayden wearing identical coats, or is it just me?

Maya said...

Hi, I'm just posting again because I'm thinking of getting a MyAG 41, 55, or Rebecca. I know you have them all, so was wondering if you'd recommend them all. I do know how to curl doll hair, but there might be some kind of quirk I don't know about. Thanks, AGTriviaMaster.

Hannah Prewett (beastsbelle) said...

Hi Anonymous. :) Yes, Emma and Hayden are both wearing the blue jacket from the Springfield Collection at Michael's. I don't remember what it was called, but it was from the older line and is no longer available in my local store.

I have two of them because they were on a really good sale a while back. They look like they are slightly different shades because of the way my camera captured the light in the pictures. :)

Hannah Prewett (beastsbelle) said...

Hi again, AGTriviaMaster. :) I happen to love all three dolls, so as long as you are okay with curling doll hair, I would recommend all three of them.

The only things I can think of to watch for are that both #41 and Rebecca can have thin wigs (my Rebecca's wig is a bit thin). This hasn't really caused too many problems for me, but I know it really bothers some people, so I thought I'd mention it.

In some ways, I find #55's hair a little easier to work with, even though it's longer, because it has looser curls and doesn't seem to get messed up as easily.

My Rebecca also has a bit of a wonky eye on one side (one eye is slightly bigger than the other one). I'm not sure how typical that is of Rebecca dolls, and I've never found it distracting, but I thought I'd let you know just the same.

I hope this helps! All three dolls are lovely and have some of my favorite eye and hair combinations. :) Have fun choosing which one to get! :)

Anonymous said...

Hey guys,
I don't think I've ever commented before but I looooove your blog sooo much. It's taught me so much. All my friends give me their dd's dolls to fix.;)My daughters have three dolls: American girl doll Marie Grace, Journey girls dana,(rewigged), and hearts 4 hearts dell. They are one happy family. My mother actually kept my felicity doll. Bringing her back to her original conditions has been so much fun and time consuming.(I'm a general surgeon)It has taught my daughters to take care of their things. I have four daughters, and a son. We hope you get through your financial problems.
Love,
Deliah

Hannah Prewett (beastsbelle) said...

Thanks for stopping by, Delilah. It's great to hear from you. :) I'm glad you've been enjoying the blog, and I appreciate your words of encouragement. :)

Hannah Prewett (beastsbelle) said...

Oops...so sorry I got your name wrong! :{ I meant Deliah, not Delilah. Sorry about that!

Maya said...

OK, thanks! I think I'm probably going to get 55 based partially off of your recommendation, the fact that my friend and cousin have Rebecca, and I already have one doll with curly hour, but not any wavy hair. Thanks so much!

Hannah Prewett (beastsbelle) said...

You're welcome. :) Can't wait to hear what you think of her!

leah Nay said...

I think I know which doll belongs to who. The blondie to your youngest. Felicity is probaly oldest Gal, and the one behind them is probably middle Gal.