christmas break baby!

FINALLY, am I right? Yes, yes I am. These two graphics I found (that aren't mine, FYI. I'm not capable of thinking up something so awesome or accurate) pretty much sum up how I feel. Final grades were today and guys, I pulled good grades this semester. Granted, I didn't have a full load of classes like most students, but most high school seniors don't work 20+ hours a week and volunteer about the same amount of time.

 

 

I'll still be working almost every day, but no school awaitng me when I get home basically makes up for it. And no CBS until January means no early alarms on my off days.

 

How's your Christmas break going, readers? Do tell! 

merry Christmas to meee!

Lookie at what I got, readers!

It's so beautiful, guys.

You guys, after 3 years of having various flip/slider phones (my phone saga is a long and sad one), I finally have a smartphone. Granted, it's my Dad's old smartphone. However, it's not that old. He upgraded to the new Samsung that literally just came out, and I got a phone less than 6 months old. Gotta love family phone swaps.

To say I love my new first world luxury is an understatement. It's like a mini Kindle that is way easier to it in my pocket, complete with my Netflix, books, and Gmail/Reader apps on my homescreen. And readers I HAVE AN INSTAGRAM! I've made it public because I say whatever to creepy Internet stalkers, andplusalso I know a few people that would enjoy checking out the little snippets of my days that aren'nt lucky enough to have an Instagram. But! If you are on there, I will most certainly not turn down a new follower or two...my username is sarahannecatherine!

I'll be back next week with a Insta-recap of my first week on Instagram, readers! Until then, your utterly obessesed with Instagram (so much so I just HAD to put the word in this post again) blog author, Sarah-Anne.

cbs children's opening {12.13.12}

Readers, I've said it before and I'll probably keep saying it: this kids in CBS are MY kids. Well, not really but they might as well be. They're grown up in CBS just like I did, and some of them have been coming their whole life...and I've KNOWN them their whole life. I get so excited when they come to "see" Miss Sarah-Anne at Chick-Fil-A. I am always so proud to show them off to my co-workers.

And today I was SO proud of them as they preformed in front of their parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles, cousins...you name it. We had a great time, and this year's music is always a blast. The audience really got to see that this year. Kudos to Miss Melissa for making that possible!

I snapped a couple pictures of them preforming, but mostly I preformed right alongside them.

See? We have a flippin' good time at CBS.

Happy Thursday, readers!

{almost wordless wednesday} 12 photos on 12/12/12

Just a few (12, to be exact) quick pictures on such a cool day. Yep, I'm a nerd like that. They are far from perfect, unedited in fact (BLASPHEMY, I know), but they capture the typical day in the life of yours truly.

Jesus time. Sometimes I do it at night, sometimes in the morning like I have been doing this week.

STUDYING. Life of a homeschool kid...there's ALWAYS work awaiting you.

Studying with the Christmas lights plugged in. Makes cramming for an exam semi-pleasant.

 Braided bangs for work since they are so.flippin.long.

Long SLOOOWWW day at good ol' CFA.



How my family sees me half the time: PJ's and a wet hair piled on my head. I shower as soon as I get home from work!

Settling in for a House marathon with Mama.

Eating Cheese-nips, texting, and chugging Dr. Pepper. Typical nighttime fare for me.

SO relaxing to come home after a long day and plug in my hipster rope lights.

Percy Jackson is my new love. I can't go to bed without reading a little.

Happy Wednesday, readers! What did you do to celebrate the last repetitive date in our lifetimes?

CFA + Santa

I love working at CFA, readers. I haven't talked about it because I love it so much I'm always there. OK, that's an exaggeration. I work 3-4 days a week since my Tues/Thursday commitments make it impossible to work day shift. Still, it's a lot of time spent behind the counter, but I wouldn't change it for the world because I love going to work with my friends.

And to make it even better, the owner and marketing director have asked me to take the pictures for Dinner with Santa, every Friday night until Christmas. Seeing the little kiddos face light up (or crinkle up and cry...poor babies!) makes my day and even though I've usually worked a long shift earlier that day, I love coming back for the night and capturing those sweet expressions. The parents are so appreciative and it makes me SO happy to bless complete strangers with my average pictures.

Here are some from the first two sessions...two down, two more to go!

From the Winterville CFA to yours, we wish you would eat more chicken Merry Christmas!

how the Lyons ring in the last month of the year

By decorating the tree! It's so beautiful, readers! The perfect light to study for finals by. ::stares dreamily into the twinkle lights with Twig:: Because, wouldn't you know, a kitten is FASCINATED with a tree! That's inside! And has things hanging down to bat around!

Good gosh, it's gonna be a looong month.

But a gorgeous one because our tree is the bestest looking tree ever. Here's the saga of our beautiful tree, in case you're interested. If not, stick around for pretty pictures because let's face it, nothing beats a good Christmas tree bokeh picture.

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We got the tree on Monday at Food Lion, like we usually do. That's just how we roll, and their trees aren't half bad so we keep going back. Since I have the oldest car, I got the honor (SARCASM) of driving home. In the pitch black darkness only the country roads have. Dad can atest to this: I never went above 45 the whole way home.

The men picked up the tree and strapped it down. Such manly men I live with.

Nothing like the blue lights of a police car in the background to put ya in the Christmas spirit [greenville has horrible traffic so it's not a surprise that there was a wreck at rush hour].

You can see the excitement on my face, can't you?

Everyone has been SO busy we didn't get around to putting the tree up for a couple days, and it took a few more days for the tree branches to drop and it be all ready to decorate.

I wore Christmas socks for the occasion. I'm so cheesy, I know.

SO PRETTYYY.

What did I tell ya? Twig "helped".

So Merry Christmas, readers! Are YOU ready to spread the word about the real reason for Christmas & break the news that presents and Christmas trees are just a bonus?! Me too! 

STORM '12

STORM was a week ago, and even though it was different than last year's, it was still amazing. The incentive of 40 lbs of ice cream worked, and we had a great turnout considering it was a Sunday night. Kids accepted Christ after a great worship time/message & that made the night ALL worth it.

 

Some of us didn't have anyone to run and get, so we stayed behind at LBC, helping set up. Mostly we just entertained ourselves and took pictures of each other in between laughing fits. Half the pictures I have documenting that night are blurry because we were laughing THAT hard but the ones that weren't blurry are still so precious to me.

 

I avoided the volleyball game because balls hate me and always end up hitting me in the face.



Conner sings all my favorite songs. He's so talented.

SO GORGEOUS I CAN'T EVEN BELIEVE IT.

Still gorgeous.

geez, I love these two SO much.
 

Surprise of the night: my Boland gang came! I was so happy, and everyone knew it. STORM wouldn't have been the same without them.

Me & my FSIL! <3

Such a gorgeous, Godly young woman who's birthday is in 12 DAYS! She's groowing up so fast ::sniff::

Hehehe. Cutie.

Gotta love him.

Blurry, but I HAD to include it in the post to show the hilariousness of the night.

Kaley girl! <3

We had to copy Sam & Jack. I just added a face.

If you've ever happened to be in the same room as Jack & I, you know we are WEIRD, capital everything just like I typed. Our pictures are nothing less. Enjoy our (silly) faces.

Mocking me. What am I gonna do with him?

I didn't know he was behind me, so that face of digust is not about him. FYI.

After the aforementioned showing off of our super talented praise band and powerful sermon by Mr. Brain, it was finally ICE CREAM TIME ::sings:: Ice cream and cake, ice cream and cake and cake!

 

Waitin' in line (patiently? maybe not.)

YUM.

I only ate half, Jack finished it up for me.

Mom joined us & the Bolands, Kaley, Clark  & I all sat around the table doing even MORE laughing.

 

SO ADORABLE.

This is her "Jack, you're annoying me with the camera take the picture already!" face. It's still so pretty.

The Boland's are just really attractive people, OK?!

Caption THIS.

Rachie & Parker came in & we ended the night with more songs.

I love my youth group & our special events, I love my friends & we have a flippin' good time together, I love Jesus & what He does in people's hearts. Gist of this post, readers.

Happy Sunday!