Friday Five-O #10 {All Focused on ACTS Student Convention #ACTS2k14 }

Happy Friday, Everyone!

I hope you all had a great week

and made lots of fun memories with your loved ones 

doing plain ole' everyday things!

Personally speaking, I had a WONDERFUL week!

And since it is Friday,

I get to share the highlights of it with you.

That's right!

It's time for:

Literally my ENTIRE weekend centered around ACTS Student Convention preparation

(if you would like to know more about ACTS,
and why I let it control my whole weekend,
please click here.)

Friday night I played ping-pong with my cousin 

to help her get ready for the competition.

I also helped another cousin find a Biblical costume

for a dramatic monologue she performed at the Convention.

Saturday, I helped yet another cousin take a scenic photo 

to enter in the ACTS competition.

Sunday, I crashed the Youth Class

and videoed my cousins performing their monologues

(I'm hoping to be able to share them here in the future,

but that's up to the girls...).

Then, finally, Sunday night I stood in front of my cousins closets

literally for hours helping them find cute outfits to wear at the Convention.

Like I said, my entire weekend was focused on ACTS!

Monday, I made the conscious choice to eat better.
All my Instagram followers know that I am a TOTAL FOODIE!
I love good food and going out to eat.
However, I know this is NOT good for my health.
I've been gearing myself up for the last few weeks
to start living a more healthy lifestyle
which naturally includes eating healthier foods.
So instead of going to lunch on Monday like I have been doing lately,
I instead packed myself a healthy snack
inspired by the Lovely Lady I nanny for on Thursdays :).

Yummy and good for me! :)

Tuesday I made an excursion out to the library
to pick up some new books to read.
Some of these books were by an author I had previously read
and simply was interested in reading more of her work.
But the others, however, were suggested by the lovely ladies
I like to call my virtual book club.
That's right! I'm now part of a virtual book club!
You can read more about that here.
Anyone who knows me knows
how much I love and admire the written word.
I think a book club (and a virtual one at that!) is the PERFECT place for me! :)

I'm very excited to embarking on this new reading adventure!

Wednesday I started the day very early
(I was at work before 7am
which is FAR from the norm the last few weeks!).
I knew I had a lot to accomplish
and simply did not want to delay getting everything done!
That being said, by the time the day was done at 6pm
and I was headed to church at 7pm,
I. WAS. TIRED.
But I perked right up when this lovely was put into my hot little hands!

The professional photographers that I attend church with
have been very gracious concerning my stumbling attempts at photography.
They've always been open to my (sometimes ridiculously dumb and clueless) questions
and now have entrusted me with some new glass for Baby
(yes, that's what I named my camera...).
I'm very excited to try it out! :)

Thursday, I had my usual routine of working a few hours
and then Nannying for a few hours,
and THEN...I took a little road trip down to Carlinville, IL
for the final full day of ACTS Student Convention 2014.
(You can read more about exactly what ACTS is here.)
Honestly, I questioned whether a six hour visit
was worth four hours in the car...
but I decided that I'm only going to be young once
and went for it! :)
And I'm so glad I did.
Visiting ACTS was like going back to the house I grew up in.
Sure things had changed:
new buildings had been built, old buildings had been remodeled,
rules had changed, the categories of the events had changed,
there weren't as many student attendees as when I was a student,
but it was still ACTS.
I did see several familiar faces as well as a lot of new faces.
I'm going to be honest.
The second I turned off of I-55 onto the Carlinville exit,
I started bawling.
It took me nearly the whole 15 minute trip into to town
to get myself together.
Upon pulling into the actual convention site:
Lake Williamson Christian Center,
I was nearly overwhelmed by the rush of memories.
Mostly good ones...a few not so good ones.
(Looks like I might have to write another post about ACTS...
as I've mentioned before in previous posts,
I basically owe who I am today to ACTS.)
Anyway (trying to focus here!), part of the reason
I was so insistent upon myself about visiting ACTS last night
was because my amazing cousins were going to be leading the worship service
(and naturally were a bit nervous)
and had asked me to come down to support them.
How could I say "no" to that?!?!?!?!
They did a GREAT Job! I am so proud of all of them!

Once an #nlcacrusader ALWAYS an NLCA crusader!

Proud to be an ACTS Alumnus!

#ACTS2k14

How was your week?

I seriously doubt it could've been better than mine,

but I'd still love to hear about it!

Have a great weekend!