happy blogoversary!

Today is my one year blogoversary, and I wanted to do something special for all of you, because as my readers and followers, I have had the perseverance to blog! Without further ado, here is what you can all take, for free:

Yes, that's right: the full Harry Potter year one textbook set for your dolls. I know the coloring is a bit off in GoogleDocs, but once you download it, the colors are just fine, I promise. Just click on the link below:

{{ this offer is now void }}

Now, I have a random drawing for:

A personalized Hogwarts acceptance letter and envelope for your doll! To enter, just comment below with your name, your dolls' name, and the (fake) address you want the letter sent to. For exapmle:
{Lena Grace}
{Emily Bennett}
{104 Austin Circle, First Bedroom, Doll Corner. {That isn't my real address, FYI. I encourage you to put a fake address on there too.}}
 This is all online, so when I finish your personalized letter and envelope, I will put a link on my blog, and you can fetch it. It's that simple!

The textbooks will only stay online for ONE WEEK, so grab them while you can! I will draw a name for the winner of the letter and envelope tomorrow, so when you wake up in the morning you know if you won or not.

Good luck to you all!

{{ this contest is now void }}

Love,
Lena, Josefina, Sara, Felicity, Kirsten, and Emily

unexpected news

Wow... I really, truly, honestly never thought I would say this until I graduated from high school (which is a few years in the future). I'm leaving Europe.

Shocker, I know. I will no longer be "an American girl living in Europe". I'll be an American girl LEAVING Europe.

I must admit, I'm pretty upset. There's nothing I can do about it, but I'm trying to let go and let God. Even though you don't know me personally, I'd like to think you know me enough to pray for me. I really need some comfort, because this is really rough and stressful on all of our family.

We could leave as early as May 15, we could leave as late as early July. Beyond that I have absolutely no idea because everything is indefinite. I don't even know where we're moving to, except the United States. It's a very complicated situation, not one I'd care to explain.

~A very upset Lena

new look

I hope everyone likes the new look. I was getting bored with the one I had. I was looking at another blog yesterday afternoon and loved their design, so I mimicked it a little. I hope you still find it easy to get around!

My blogoversary is also coming up in a week, and I have a VERY special giveaway planned. If you aren't already, follow my blog! It will benefit both you and I in the long run. ;) Here's a sneak peak as to the giveaway:

Excited? I know I am! If you have an idea of what the giveaway is, don't tell. I want it to be a surprise for everyone. :D

Love, Lena

forest

Badgers Stink

So, I guess I'm a Hufflepuff. Which really stinks! I was totally convinced I was going to be a RAVENCLAW!!!

So, my username is GoldHolly2609 if you want to add me as a friend. Just let me know in a comment below this post who you are and what your username is before you request me!

With (false) Hufflepuff pride,
Lena

OH MY BLUEBERRY PANCAKES!!!

OMGOODNESS OMGOODNESS OMGOODNESS!!!!!!!!!!! POTTERMORE IS OPEN FINALLY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

As soon as I have information about my account, I'll let you know. I haven't signed up yet, but I am going to today!!! OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMGGGGGGGGGGGGGOOOOOOOOOOOOOOODDDDDDDDDDDDDDDNNNNNNNNNNNNNNEEEEEEEEEEEEEEESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

daughter nature

You may now be able to tell that I like putting flowers in my dolls' hair. ;)

this is my entry for Vivy's photo contest. theme: nature

Are you bemoaning the fact that Picnik closes on Thursday? Well, I found PicMonkey, an photography editing website created by former Picnik employees. It's free (including the former "premium" effects from Picnik) and no downloading is required! I HIGHLY reccomend PicMonkey to all of you! If you are to lazy to click on all the words PicMonkey in this post to take you to PicMonkey, here's the link to the website: http://www.picmonkey.com/. Enjoy!

Love, Lena

i'm back from florida

I'm back from spring break, with pictures of Florida! I'm sorry there aren't many pictures, we were having so much fun I forgot to take very many!

First we stayed in a condo near to my grandparents for a few days. We were going to have a huge party for my dad's birthday, so then we moved into a bigger house. For rent, of course. The best part about this is that I got my very own en suite!

This is the doorway to my "suite" when you first walk up the stairs.

Then I had my VERY. OWN. BATHROOM. And it was HUGE! I'm not used to luxuries like this. ;)

Then the closet. It was so big that one night, my sister slept in it because we had so many people staying at the house!

I also had my own bedroom (of course!). There was a double bed (just for me!), a TV (that only played DVDs), and my very own personal balcony looking out over the ocean.

Here is the view from my balcony:

We also had a private pool. It was small, but still fun to get to play in the pool every day!

Inside that little round hut, was a hot tub that flowed into the pool. We had a really hard time adjusting the heat for the hot tub!

Another thing that came with the house were two kayaks! I've never kayaked before, so it was fun to try it out. I actually did better than I thought I would!

We had little visitors on our last day at the "big house". Two raccoons came right up to the front door as we were leaving!

We ended up not making it to church for Easter because we slept in too late on Sunday morning from staying up so late the night before partying. I had a nice Easter Sunday anyway. I went on a bike ride and took pictures of Emily. This one is my favorite!

What did you all do on your spring break?

Love, Lena

Private Messaging

So, I don't know if you noticed I added a "contact me" page at the top just underneath my header. Well, I tried messaging myself from my other Google account to see if it works, but I can't get it to work. (No, I will not be telling you my other Google account because it's with my real name and everything. Sorry!)

Could you try private messaging me? Here are the instructions:

If you want to contact me privately, message me at this link: https://profiles.google.com/LenaAG6/about?hl=en

Just click on the little envelope after you click on the link to create a message. It's circled in red in the picture below.

I'm happy to answer any questions!
(The instructions are also in the "contact me" tab.)

It would be fabulous if you could try messaging me then commenting on this post to let me know if it worked or not. Thanks!

Love, Lena

{PS: I'm back from Florida! I'll be doing a post about my trip soon. :) }

easter: the real reason

Happy Easter, everyone!

I hope you had a great Easter weekend. I wanted to say, how great is our God? That He would send His only son to die, so that whoever believes in Him, should not perish but have eternal life. That is the greatest gift I have ever recieved, the greatest gift YOU have ever recieved. Don't take it for granted.

In Christ alone my hope is found
He is my light, my strength, my song
This cornerstone, this solid ground
Firm through the fiercest drought and storm
What heights of love, what depths of peace
When fears are stilled, when strivings cease
My comforter, my all in all
Here in the love of Christ I stand

There in the ground His body lay
Light of the world by darkness slain
Then bursting forth in glorious day
Up from the grave He rose again
And as He stands in victory
Sin's curse has lost its grip on me
For I am His and He is mine
Bought with the precious blood of Christ

No guilt in life, no fear in death
This is the power of Christ in me
From life's first cry to final breath
Jesus commands my destiny
No power of hell, no scheme of man
Can ever pluck me from His hand
Till He returns or calls me home
Here in the power of Christ I'll stand

{In Christ Alone, Owl City}


Praise be to God and blessings for all.
Love, Lena