Me...

I love:

1. chocolate
2. Australia
3. concealer (sad I know)
4. books
5. fires
6. the smell of burnt leaves
7. fall
8. sunggling up under a blanket
9. Thanksgiving
10. Pumpkin Cheese Pie

I hate:

1. cold showers
2. waking up with a sore throat
3. dry hands (I use lotion a lot)
4. cold feet and hands
5. badly written books
6. being sticky
7. prunes
8. cashews
9. my clothes getting wet.
10. taking off make-up with that horrible greasy make-up remover

I am a odd contradiction:

I love the Victorian era
I love electricity

I love the Regency era
I love Html (sometimes ;)

I love the Edwardian era
I love my ipod

I love sewing
I love blog design

I love cooking/baking from scratch
I love microwave popcorn

I'd love to try living in different time periods
I couldn't stand not taking a shower every day

I am weird:

1. I loved C.A.T.'s as a child
2. I thought Michael W. Smith was black (no offense meant to ANYONE), not exactly sure why
3. I learned to say my full name by leaving off the first consonant and vowel of each name. Riah Chelle ----
4. I named my girl baby doll Justin - poor baby
5. I had a valentine bear holding a little red heart that I named "beary-witha-heart". A tad obvious, no?
6. I had a polkadot blanket I called... guess what? Polkadot blankie!
7. I can't go to sleep if I don't put on chapstick
8. I nearly always read after I go to bed, no matter what time it is
9. I can't sleep well with wet hair
10. I firmly believe Lys and I were born twins and were seperated at birth and have been cruelly denied our rights to be with each other at ALL times

I am:
Ariah
Riah
Friah
Miah
Ri
Fri
Mi
Riahbell
Friahbell
Ribell
Fribell
Riah Friah Me O Miah
Riah Chelle
&
M&M

I am also:

my parents stubborn daughter :)
a sister
a friend
a girlfriend
a nerd
a bookworm
a photographer
a blog designer
a history lover
a free baby-sitter ;)
a dishwasher
a laundry maid
a baker
a chef (sorta)
a contradiction
a chocoholic
a short person *sob*
and...
A daughter of the most high God!

Riah

Did you see this coming???

If none of the other animals in question are allowed, then what about this:

Duck Billed Platypus!

To Suffocate or to Freeze?

Tonight my mom and I were helping with an advertisement for a kids hair salon (the one mom works at), and there were color sprays to put in the kids hair. Well - let's just say that it smelled so bad that we had to open the door to the outside.
And it was cold.
To suffocate or to freeze.
I'd rather freeze than to suffocate from the smell of that horrid spray!!!
The End.

What about this???

If I can't get a Koala Bear or a Wombat, what about this cute little baby Kangaroo?!

A Change.

In the last week and a half, I've found that I've not been reading at all! Odd, I know - normally I have already knocked out four books, but not this week.
I have also found that in place of reading my fiction novels, and being on the computer (sorry about not posting pics everyday - I'll try to post yesterday's, today's, and tomorrow's pics after work), I have mostly been spending my free time with God. Hillsong praise and worship has been playing constantly wherever I am (except work).
There have been a couple of times this week that I have gotten irritated or just plain grumpy (tonight being one of those times), and I can't even explain why! So, I stopped what I was doing and played one of my Hillsong DVD's. I closed my eyes and just let God do the work.
After, I felt so much better, and it was like I could breathe again!
God is in complete and full control.
He isn't going to leave us in the dark, and He isn't going to turn His back on us - He is a loving Father!
Here is one of my favorite scriptures - it is sooo awesome!

Romans 8:28
²⁸ And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.

Basically, the point of this post is this:
When you are grumpy, sad, angry, hurt, annoyed, irritated, or whatever - give it to God - lay it down at His feet. Don't let yourself get caught up in those things - it only serves to weigh you down. Trust me, I do that sometimes...!
Our God is Love,

(Sorry Ri)

Yesterday and the day before, I helped with two birthday parties for little kids. With part of the money I earned, I ordered a shirt that says: "I'd rather be in Australia" and under it, it has the Aussie flag!
I am so excited about it!

I have a question for Becky (Petticoat Junction):
If I can't get a Koala Bear, what about a Wombat?
Isn't he soooooo cute?!

Listening to the crickets outside my window,

I just saw...

...a night time rainbow -  IT WAS AWESOME!
I have never seen one like it before - sure, we've all seen faint rainbows around the moon, but this one was farther out and was huge! ...sorta huge...
God's promise still remains even in the darkest night! It's a good reminder for all of us - even when something is going wrong in your life, God is never going to walk away from you. His promise still remains.
And now a quote from a song that is in one of my favorite Super Kid Academy (Kenneth Copeland Ministries kids section) movie:
"...And even when it seems there's no way out, we know You'll see us through! I'll trust You Jesus, put my whole life in Your hands - I'll trust You Jesus, on Your Word I'm gonna stand...!!!
And with that, I'm off to catch some zzzzzzz's - tomorrow I'll be cleaning my room intensely. If I don't post for a couple of days, you may want to send a rescue team in to find me.
Just sayin'.

Aussie!

Right now I am completely and totally focused Australia. (The country not the movie)(not at all surprising)
It is my dream to go there - I am planning a trip there for next Summer sometime(you knew that), and the closer it gets, the more excited I am.
Australia is so wonderful. I've not been yet, however I don't need to have gone before to know that it's wonderful. Sure it probably has its issues, what country doesn't?! It doesn't change a thing for my opinion!

FUN FACT: Did you know that Australia was attacked by the Japanese around the same time of Pearl Harbor?! It's true!

I don't even know what else to say - my head is filled with words, but they stop before I can put them down on "paper".
Now to quote a favorite Disney classic: **ehem**
A dream is a wish your heart makes when you're fast asleep - In dreams you will lose your heartache - whatever you wish for you keep - Have faith in your dreams and someday your rainbow will come shining through - No matter how your heart dreaming, if you keep on believing the dream that you wish will come true!

Here's to random posts that are very "Lys-ish",

I am starting my Christmas list with this:

I want one -

Mommy, may I get one?

Pleeeaaaasssseeeeee?!

I'll feed it, and wash it, and take care of it, and call it's name George.

Okay, so maybe not George, but I will take care of it and name a it with a good name.

It won't bother you.

I will see to it that it stays with me at all times.

You won't even know it's there!

Ain't he cute?!

Joy to the World!

Do I hear Christmas speeding towards us on a fast freight train?! Is it really getting to be that time of years again?!
At work, we have a Christmas tree up and decorated, plus a lot of Christmas merchandise.
I don't know if I'm ready for it yet! Is there a button I can push that will slow time down some?!
Okay, so even if Christmas is rushing quickly towards us, I am slightly excited about the warm and fuzzy time of year while we decorate the house and bake, bake, bake!
Forgive me for skipping over Thanksgiving to write this panicked message - I couldn't help it.
More on this topic later.
I am off to do other stuff. (like take new pics for The Focus Point)
I want a Hippopotamus for Christmas,

And the winner is....

Amber Noella!

Thank you Joyofdawn for entering! I'm sorry we couldn't chose you both, but I'm hoping that a free blog button will lessen the disappointment. Since you were the only other one to enter I think it's only fair. E-mail me with the information on the order form that you believe will be relitive to the button design (this includes your name and password).  

Amber you got the bonus question right! The answer was "because it was daytime"! Congratulations, go over to my blog to pick out your free bonus design option (go to pricing and packages and scroll down until you see the extras), plus you might want to look at the simple package and see what all it offers. Please e-mail me the order form once you have filled it out - oh and please specify which of your blogs you want designed.

Now you may have noticed that the generator starts at 0 instead of 1, thats because it essentially "cheats" when you put in 1 and 2. I'm not sure why, but it sorta messes up.

Thank you both for entering!

Lyssa and Riah
*You may see that there are three comments on the giveaway, but Bee's doesn't count. She's not only family (yes she's lyssa's sister, but I adopted her as a big sister a long time ago so that makes her my family too), but she also just had her blog designed - litterally JUST designed!

Leave Comments Now!

The giveway is now open for business!!! haha.
Leave you comments on the original giveaway post and it could be you who wins!!!

A Giveaway!!! (Enter now!)

This giveaway will be tons of fun! To enter all you do is leave a comment in answer to a random question!
Here's what's included:

• The Simple Package design goes to the Winner
• AND a bonus (the bonus is a surprise and will be revealed after the winner is announced) if you answer the question at the end of this post, correctly!

You can start leaving you comments on this post and 6am on Monday morning.
Here is the random question (note: this is not the bonus question - that will be posted tomorrow):
What's your favorite vacation memory?

Rules:
No entries before 6am on Monday and none after 3pm on Wednesday.

Only one entry per person - all comments are set to be moderated.

Winner will be announced Thursday morning!

See you at the Giveaway!


Bonus Question:
A man is wearing black. Black shirt, pants, shoes, socks...ect. He is walking down a black street with all the street lamps off. A black car is coming towards him with its lights off but somehow manages to stop in time. How did the driver see the man?


*Note the free blog design does not include a designer/digital kit. Sorry, but those aren't free so I can't offer them free. I have never used a kit before, so not using one does not impair my ability to design what you are looking for. If you would like me to use a kit I'm afraid you'll have to be willing to pay for it, unless you chose a very cheep (like $4) one or we come to an agreement on splitting the cost. I'm pretty reasonable. 
-Ri

Saturday Plans.

Tomorrow I was supposed to work from 3:00pm to 9:30pm, however plans change. Aka: my Great Uncle passed away yesterday and the viewing is tomorrow.
I don't like viewings - they are freaky to me.
I have been to about 4 or 5 viewings over the last two years and each time I see someone in a casket, dead and pale, I cringe and want to go home.
I didn't know my Great Uncle very well - I only saw him once a year, every year, at the family reunion. I feel bad for his wife - she isn't in the best health and she is in her 70's.
My Great Uncle had cancer of some kind that just came back - it was very sudden (or so I gathered). We found out about the cancer only a few weeks ago.
He was very sweet, and loving - but he's not in pain anymore - he is now happy and healthy!

Shall We Cry?

The cold weather is working it's way here again. Hence the title: "Shall We All Cry?"
When cold weather moves in, Flip Flops move out, and when Flip Flops move out, socks and closed toe shoes move in, and when socks and closed toe shoes move in, that means sweaters and jackets move in too!!! And on top of all that, the trees start to lose their leaves, and the world goes dreary gray!
Okay, okay, so I'm being a little dramatic about the weather. The sky is still blue in the cold weather most of the time, and some of the grass stays green... and before the leaves fall off the trees, we get an exciting show of fiery oranges, burnt reds, and bold yellows!
The plus side of cold weather is that we can use our fireplace - having a real fire to sit by with a steaming mug of hot chocolate, wrapped in a cozy blanket with a good book. That is what gets me through the winter without leaking salt water through my eyes. (aka: crying)(hehehe)
Another plus side about the cold weather is the awesome "wintry" foods to eat. Hot soups, and other hot food that is too heavy/hot to eat in the warmer months. And since I enjoy baking/cooking that also helps me get through the winter without leaking salt water through my eyes.
I know, I know, I'm being a little dramatic...again.
Goodbye for now.

Love. Love. Love.

Love:
1 Corinthians 13:4-7 & 13
⁴ Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up;
⁵ does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil;
⁶ does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth;
⁷ bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
-
¹³ And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

Love is taken lightly by many people, as I have seen over time. There are so many divorces in the world today. There are so many things that just shows that love is conditional for many. We should all love with unconditional love. It doesn't matter what someone does, you should never stop loving them for a mistake or simply because you are tired are them. No, love endures all things -

When I think of love, I think of how God loves us. It doesn't matter if we mess up because He will always love us through it all!  God is love.

1 John 4: 7-21

Knowing God Through Love

   ⁷ Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. ⁸ He who does not love does not know God, for God is love. ⁹ In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. ¹⁰ In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. ¹¹ Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.

Seeing God Through Love

   ¹² No one has seen God at any time. If we love one another, God abides in us, and His love has been perfected in us. ¹³ By this we know that we abide in Him, and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit. ¹⁴ And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son as Savior of the world. ¹⁵ Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. ¹⁶ And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him.

The Consummation of Love

   ¹⁷ Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He is, so are we in this world. ¹⁸ There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love. ¹⁹ We love Him because He first loved us.

Obedience by Faith

   ²⁰ If someone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen? ²¹ And this commandment we have from Him: that he who loves God must love his brother also.

The Bible even says to love our enemies and bless those who curse us - That goes to show even more so that love should not be taken lightly in any sense.

There has been a lot going on around me lately, and this subject has been heavy on my heart - I could write down so much more and add many more scriptures, but I'm going to leave off here for now.
Much to ponder.

Love,

Well...

I've been slacking off in posting again, but do I ever have a post coming for you!!! I'm going to put a lot of time into it - get ready!

A Thought.

I am pondering an idea that hit me today - no it didn't hurt. haha.
My idea is this:
Me making Thanksgiving/Christmas cards and having then available for download for everyone. You can make special requests for the design and if I can meet that request, then I will do so. But I would take a few pictures that would fit into the category, and then make it into a card!
I'm not sure how I would set it up, and I would need to do some research on it...
This is still in the idea process, but it's definitely worth thinking about. I would love feedback from everyone. Thanks!

Link!

Place your order quickly! It could be YOU getting the discount.
Here's the link: (be sure to look around - Ri's portfolio is up-to-date as of right now, but will have new designs up soon!)
http://riahsdesignstudio.blogspot.com/

Notice!

RIAH'S BLOG DESIGN BUSINESS OPENS TOMORROW!!!! LINK WILL BE AVAILABLE TOMORROW OR MIDNIGHT TONIGHT.  ORDER QUICKLY - TRUST ME - THE WAITING LIST IS ALREADY STARTED!!!

Food.

I'm hungry. I have a Tyson chicken patty heating in the oven. I'm hungry.
It's taking forever to heat. Did I mention that I'm hungry?
The last hour I went back and forth from the pantry to the cabinets to the fridge hoping to find something. Nope. Nothing. Nada. Zilch. Zero.
Then I looked in the freezer.
(cue the opera "hallelujah" note)
There were the chicken patties. Not what I wanted but would/will hold me over until dinner. I hope.

Food is delicious, yet a nuisance sometimes. But only when you can't find what you are looking for.
AND it's annoying when you do go back and forth from the pantry to the cabinets to the fridge, each time almost expecting something new to appear.
I guess we just let our growling stomachs to the thinking when we get hungry.
Maybe it's just me.
I hope it's not....

What to do when...

....you cannot think of a single thing to blog about:

1. Write about completely random stuff.
2. Write about stuff that doesn't make sense.
3. Tell stories from your childhood weirdness.
4. Write about what to write about when you can't think of anything to write about! (hahahaha)
5. Scratch the top of your head and furrow your brow and then let your fingers do all of the work... and then hope that what you blogged about actually turned out.
6. Ask Riah to help ya out... (if you don't have a Riah, your closest friend should suffice...)
7. Don't bother blogging, just go read a book.

There is my random advice. Now I really need to think about what do blog about.
I'll get back with you later.
Thinking,

Day 5.

Today marks the 5th day of my new job. I am enjoying it! Today has been awesome all the way around; probably the best day in weeks!
More posts later.
Let's just say that a certain awesome Disney Classic is playin' on my TV and I am going to watch the last bit of it without my computer distractin' me. haha.
(the certain awesome Disney Classic is Beauty and the Beast!)
Love,

Job and More!

I realized that I didn't give a job update until I actually got the job! haha.
So here goes:
I had applied to the Christian bookstore but never heard back, and when I called to talk to the people, I was told that they weren't hiring. I was so bummed out.
A few weeks later, after filling out a million job applications, I went to the bookstore and somehow or another the manager requested my information so he could look up my application. A few days later I had my interview and I was hired! I am really enjoying my new job. The dress code isn't my favorite, but I work with great people who are very nice, and I am surrounded by books and music all day! It's good. Still have lots to learn, but I'll catch on quickly!

Riah's blog design business is awesome! I am once again on her waiting list. tehehe. After she learned a ton of things, we both (I think) agreed that this blog design could be a ton better with her skills. I highly recommend for y'all to have Riah design your blog.
I had so much more I wanted to type up tonight, however I am literally fighting my eyes to stay open and I'm going to go zonk out.
Love,

Grand Opening!!

The grand opening of my design studio is NEXT WEEK!! Something Beautiful Design Studio officially opens October 8th 2010.  That is next Friday!

Ok, to be more specific about the details. Since it will be my Grand Opening, the first two orders get half off the entire price. It doesn't matter what you order it's half off. And, the third order gets 25% off the entire price.

Please post about this and grab my "Grand Opening" button.

Thanks