Heidi's Haven

After 50 Years of Ministry: 7 Things I'd Do Differently & 7 Things I'd Do the Same  is a book by former pastor Bob Russell for those going into ministry. He explains 7 things he would do differently if given a second chance, and 7 things he would do the same. This is a guide for future pastors, some advice for when they enter the ministry of a church.  Each chapter is a tip or piece of advice, with explanations and examples. Some of this advice includes living with less fear, paying less attention to criticism, and to stop comparing yourself to others.  I am not planning on going into ministry at all, so I am definitely not the target audience for this book, but I really did enjoy it. Bob Russell writes with such a friendly voice, and much of his advice can be used by anyone in their lives.  I definitely recommend this book to anyone in or entering a life of ministry. I think it will be very helpful to you, and it's always nice to get advice from...

I did it! I actually did Blogmas! I know it usually goes for two more days, but I'll be spending time with my family tomorrow and on Christmas, and I don't want to be sitting online blogging while I'm with them. Anyway...on to today's post... I highly recommend checking out some books by these authors... -Sophie Kinsella -Diane Chamberlain -JK Rowling/Robert Galbraith -Jodi Picoult -Nicholas Sparks -Mitch Albom -Sarah Dessen -Kristin Hannah -Ellen Hopkins -Stephanie Pearl-Mcphee I buy any books by these authors without a thought, they're that good! Merry Christmas! xx Heidi

Hi there! So today I'm doing the beauty blogger tag. I wasn't really sure about this one, since I would NOT consider myself a beauty blogger. But I figured that since I sometimes do posts about beauty and not all of the questions are beauty related, I'm close enough. 1. Is your hair naturally straight or curly? Straight, with zero curls or waves whatsoever. 2. Do you dye your hair? Nope. The only dye I've ever used was a little bit of pink, purple, and blue. 3. Do you wear the same hairstyle everyday or change it? I'm pretty lazy in the morning so I wear the same almost every day. 4. Do you do your own mani/pedi or go to a salon? I do my own. 5. How often do you change your nail polish? Once a month at least (usually). 6. How long does it take you to put on your makeup? About 5 minutes. 7. Do you collect makeup or just buy what you need? I just buy what I need, except for lipstick. I am constantly buying lipstick. ...

Since I won't be going to school or working for the next month, I'm finally going to be able to watch/catch up on some of the things I've been wanting to! Shows Supernatural Doctor Who Once Upon A Time Psych How I Met Your Mother Sherlock Movies Blackfin Populaire Carrie What should I add to my list? xx Heidi

people seem to be in a better mood than usual Christmas movies on TV hearing Christmas music playing in stores shopping for people knowing what you bought for someone is going to make them happy Christmas lights hot chocolate going out to buy a Christmas tree wrapping presents decorating the Christmas tree cookies after-Christmas sales opening presents Christmas dinner with my family sending Christmas cards What are your favorite things about Christmas? xx Heidi

Hey guys! I'm super excited because, on Christmas Day, my favorite band is releasing a new song and music video! The band is Marianas Trench, and their new song is called Here's To The Zeros.  Marianas Trench is a Canadian band. You may know their more popular songs Cross My Heart or Fallout. You can see an acoustic version of Here's To The Zeros  here ! I definitely recommend checking out this band! I saw them live in 2012 and they were amazing! They came out after the show and I got pictures with them. Do you like Marianas Trench? What do you think of their new song? xx Heidi

Hello there! Today I wanted to share with you a hairstyle that I tried a few weeks ago and which turned out really well. I got this from a video I found on YouTube (you can watch it  here ) that had a few really nice and easy quick hairstyles. I tried the one (I think it's the third one in the video) where you actually tie your hair in knots. I was a bit nervous about this, but I think that it actually turned out looking really nice! Also, it came out when I wanted it to (I was a bit worried about this, seeing as how I had actually just tied knots in my hair!). xx Heidi

I didn't know much of anything about blogging until almost a year ago, when I first started reading blogs. I found my first favorite bloggers, like Zoella, Tanya Burr, and Sprinkle of Glitter, by seeing them in other people's YouTube videos. Once I started reading blogs, I thought that it would be a cool thing to do, but never seriously considered it. I figured that I wouldn't have anything to say, no one would read it, I wouldn't have good content, and I wouldn't have the time. I didn't really know how to go about starting one, either. Last January, my friend Kenzie created a blog (you can see her blog  here ). She showed it to me, and showed me how she made it. This was how I finally got the courage to start my own! Kenzie helped me create my blog, showed me how to use bloglovin, and she still helps me when there's something I don't understand (because let's face it, technology hates me).  The thing that has surprised me the most...

Hello there! Today I am going to share where I have the best luck finding Christmas gifts for everyone on my list. Gordmans-  Gordmans is a department store in the US, where there is a section for everyone, and prices are really really low. Their customer service is great, too. I worked in a Gordmans for 2 years, so I go there A LOT. I went there yesterday to buy some toys for the kids I babysit. This is also where I get clothes and shoes for my mom and sister, and shirts for my dad. JoAnn Fabrics-  I have lots of quilters and crafters in my family, so I go into this store for supplies a lot. Old Navy-  I got some adorable clothes for the even more adorable little girl I babysit here. Hot Topic-  I get Harry Potter and Disney related things for my sister here. What stores do you do your Christmas shopping at? xx Heidi

Things that made me happy over the weekend... Christmas lights good books talking with friends getting and decorating a Christmas tree seeing my sister Ashley (the sweetest kitty ever!) going out for dinner getting some knitting done wrapping Christmas presents watching some favorite holiday films new Castle episode today cuddles with the kitty fish-sitting Christmas music on the radio creating a Christmas shopping game plan reliving old memories finishing classes keeping up with blogmas making others happy random acts of kindness

I cannot believe that I've gone so long without writing this post, so it's finally time for you to meet my baby girl. This is Ashley!  She's 11, but she's still my baby. She is the sweetest kitty in the world and loves cuddles. (I'm about to go full-on crazy cat lady, just a warning.) Her favorite thing to lay on is whatever book I'm trying to read or homework that I'm trying to get done. She does like to get into places that she shouldn't. I just love this giant (yes, giant, she's pretty fat) ball of fur so much!!!!! Do you have any pets? xx Heidi   

I'm a major bookworm, so much so that I'm pursuing a career where I get to read for a living. I saw this tag on a few blogs and, seeing as how it is just my sort of thing, decided to do it, too. 1. Do you have a certain place at home for reading? I usually sit in bed to read. I like to be cuddled under warm blankets, and I have this great pillow that is super soft and supports my back while I read.  2. Bookmark or random piece of paper? I use a bookmark. 3. Can you just stop reading or do you have to stop after a certain chapter or number of pages? While I prefer to stop at the end of a chapter, I can just stop if I have to, like if I need to leave for class or I'm falling asleep while reading. 4. Do you eat or drink while reading? Yes, I usually read while I eat breakfast. I also often eat snacks while I'm reading in the evening. 5. Do you watch TV or listen to music while reading? No, I can't concentrate. 6. One book at a time or...

That's right, it's almost time. It's almost winter break! Today was my last day of classes, and my final exams are next week. All that is left is a few projects I need to finish and some final studying. Break is so close! It's a bit hard to keep myself motivated this close to being done. Or maybe that's just me? All I want to do is lay in bed and knit and sleep and read and watch Doctor Who. My last final is next Wednesday, and then I'll be halfway through my second year at university! It's still kind of crazy to think about.  I'll be using this weekend to write out some good posts so I can simply go online and post them, and then maybe I should use the saved time for some studying. Good luck on your final exams! xx Heidi

It's that time of the year! Time to curl up on the couch with a mug of hot chocolate to watch holiday films! While I love all things Christmas-y, these are a few of my favorite holidays films. 1. The Holiday 2. The Year Without a Santa Claus 3. Elf 4. Home Alone 5. The Nightmare Before Christmas Do you like these films? What are your favorite holiday films? xx Heidi

Hello! These are just a few things on my Christmas wishlist. Are any of these on your wishlist? xx Heidi

Hello everybody! I would like to apologize in advance for the lameness of this post, as it's just a boring ol' update. But I still do want to let everybody know what's been going on with me, and why I'm having such trouble keeping up on here. First, I have my final exams next week. This means studying for lots of tests, and getting projects done by Friday for those professors who don't want to have to come in next week. This means that I am incredibly busy, and I'm just really hoping that my blog (and my grades!) won't suffer for it. Last weekend, I visited my sister at her university and spent the whole weekend hanging out with her. Over the course of three days, we watched 5 Harry Potter films and 2 Harry Potter fan musicals. These pretty much just played in the background while we did homework. My sister and I are extremely close, so I was very sad when I had to leave. I literally cried the entire two hour drive home! On Friday night, I a...

I absolutely LOVE to travel. I love going to new places, learning about other cultures and their history, the yummy food, and exploring. Unfortunately, I haven't gotten out much yet, other than one trip to Europe, in which I went to France, Switzerland, Italy, and England. However, I plan on doing quite a bit of travelling after I finish University. Also, I am hoping to study abroad in England sometime in the next 2 years. (I found a program where I can live in an English castle. Who could say no to living in a castle!?!?!?) There are a few places that I especially want to go to... -Ireland -Iceland -Spain -Greece -New Zealand -Sri Lanka -Hawaii That list could go on forever. I just want to see new places and experience new things that I would never get anywhere else. What places are on your travel bucket list? xx Heidi

1. Snowboarding or skiing? I haven't tried snowboarding, but I do like to ski. 2. What shoe trend do you wear the most? I wear boots almost every day in the winter. 3. Do you like ice skating? I'm not very good as I've only gone once in more than 5 years, but I do like it. 4. Does it snow where you live? I live in Wisconsin, so it snows A LOT. 5. Have you ever made a snowman? Yep! 6. If you were to ask Santa for anything and be guaranteed to get it, what would it be? This is SUCH a hard question. I think that I would ask for the ability to travel as much as I wanted to without having to worry about costs. 7. What is your favorite thing about Christmas? I love having dinner with my family and watching Christmas movies together. 8. What is your favorite winter outfit? Boots, skinny jeans, a sweater, and a scarf.  9. Favorite winter food? Do Christmas cookies count as winter food? 10. What is your dream way to spend ...

With finals coming up for most of you, I thought it would a good idea to share some writing tips. I am an English major and currently work at my university as a writing tutor, so I have to handle A LOT of essays. In addition to academic writing, I think that these tips can apply to blog posts, too. Writing Tips I feel like such a hypocrite for saying this, because I almost NEVER do this, but start your papers early. This is especially important if your writing requires research, as you need time to find useful and reliable sources. Also, this gives you plenty of time to write if you get stuck or need to take breaks.  Have someone else (a friend, a teacher, a tutor) look over your writing. Quite often, there are mistakes and typos that you can't see because you know what it is supposed to say. Most universities have writing centers where a tutor will read over your papers and help you start writing them. These services are generally free. Write in a place where you ca...

Hello everyone! Being the bookworm that I am, I am always on the lookout for good books, and good deals on those books. However, I do not read the books as fast as I buy them, which has led to a large stack of books sitting in my room. I am hoping to finish up quite a few of these books of Christmas break.  Here are some of the books from the stack that I'm especially excited to read. Lucky  by Alice Sebold Sing You Home  by Jodi Picoult Songs of the Humpback Whale  by Jodi Picoult Perfect Match  by Jodi Picoult The Storyteller  by Jodi Picoult You Have Seven Messages  by Stewart Lewis Eragon  by Christopher Paolini Charlotte and Emily  by Jude Morgan The Secret Life of Josephine  by Carolly Erickson Safe Haven  by Nicholas Sparks Bridget Jones's Diary  by Helen Fielding True Colors  by Kristin Hannah Brief Gaudy Hour  by Margaret Campbell Barnes Life of Pi  by Yann Martel The Lo...