Thankful Thursday: First Edition

I am going to do this thing every Thursday (hopefully)

where I share what I am thankful for.
With all the hard things that life has woven into it,
it can be difficult to remember how much awesomeness is also present.
So here we GO!

1) I am thankful for sharing! Wyatt is still at the age where he can share whatever we are eating without purchasing/preparing another scope of ice cream, omelet, or whatever. He can always have a portion of what we are having and that is really AWESOME! He still has his own meals but if he wants some of what I am eating it doesn't really affect anything. Soon I know he will out eat me by many portions :(

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2) I am thankful for TREES! This isn't a new one but these trees I made for the season!

This is short but Wyatt isn't taking nap...not so thankful for that new habit...oh well.
What are you thankful for this week?

The Month of Love!

Now that she has received it...This is what I sent Michelle Van Winkle for her birthday!
A banner stating "I LOVE YOU"!
I do love her so much! She has been my friend for eight years now.
CRAZY! I thought it would be fun to share
since it is the month of remembering who we loooooove!
As a gift, feel free to download this mini-calendar below.
I was trying to do one for every month as
Christmas gifts but it was too much!
I will try to complete the month we are in and share it with you!
XOXOX

HAPPY FEBRUARY!

February:
The month before spring.
The month when Valentine's Day is celebrated.
The month where I realize we are knee deep into a new year.
The shortest month of the year (probably to be kind to us warm weather lovers).

I hope you all have a wonderful February!

Add to the Beauty

I love the beginning of a new year
(minus the fact it happens during the heart of winter).
There is something that feels redeeming and alive
about starting a new chapter.
There are so many possibilities for growth and change.
I anticipate a year where Wyatt will change more than I can realize,
a year where there will be discovery and adventure, a year with the highs and lows that life brings but most of all I hope it is a year of beauty discovered!
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On that note I wanted to share some beauty from the last month.

I have been longing to make these cute little "thumb print" cookies.
I feel like I've seen them EVERYWHERE and was just dying to make them myself.
I found a similar recipe while at Mom and Dad Olinger's house.
They had gotten some preserves as a gift and allowed me to use them for the recipe.

I had a delightful time making them!

TaDa! So cute, right?

While in Kansas I got to spend some much needed time with
my sweet and precious friends. This is at Michelle's house.
This was a delectable platter for the evening events. What a posh
bamboo platter, Chelle!

Poor little love was getting a cold on the way back to Denver
so the sweetie slept about half the trip back.
He was too cute not to capture!

He was feeling better in no time.
He loves his new toys.
Aren't those jammies SO cute!

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I am a part of a women's small group at my church.
It has been so wonderful meeting twice a month and sharing our lives.
It always feels so rich with authenticity.
Our leader, Amy Walker, hand wrote all of us this beautiful verse!
I keep it on my calendar, so to not forget!

This is the most random...really. So one of my new years "hopes"
was to be more creative, even if it's incredibly random.

That being said. I hard boil eggs for Wyatt every few weeks
so he has another source of protein and I mark them with an "X"
so to not confuse them with the unboiled eggs. While doing this
mundane act I thought "what the heck" lets get creative.

It made me think how I want to be a good egg...cheesy?? I think so, but it was fun!

Chapter 2010

In case you can't read it:

1. Be creative more often.
We bought a new camera in December so I am already feeling like my creative juices are flowing but I still want to DO MORE! I have the tools I need to make the time.

2. Send more letters.
I was going to say something about being a better friend because I do want to be a better friend, and sister, and daughter, and granddaughter...so being a better mailer of things seems like a good place to start.

3. LEARN MORE about veggies so I can use them more.
I am loving to cook. It's also a creative outlet while also serving the purpose of meeting a basic need. I just want to be more educated on the healthy stuff so I can incorporate more.

4. Hold my tongue.
Less negativity more love!

5. Read more good stuff.
Less novels and more bible and books that challenge my mind and heart.

6. Be kinder when telling the truth.
Especially with my sweet husband. Sometimes I can be snappy.



What are your Hopes/Resolutions for 2010???

A time to celebrate!

One of my most favorite things about Christmas is how it really brings people together. Which is so suiting because isn't that what God is really wanting? For us to be brought together with him through His Son Jesus!
YES!

Which leads me to the Christmas parties we've gotten to go to!

Austin and I went to a Christmas party (just the two of us) at our friends, Teddy and Emily Holmes.


They have a wonderful home! I love Emily's taste.
They had warm beverages, all that were very yummy!

The food was also soo amazing! Cheese, Olives and Jam...
really makes me thankful that God made us with taste-buds!


The next party was the...
**SECOND ANNUAL WOMEN'S CHRISTMAS PARTY**
(this year at Solid Grounds Coffee Shop)

I think there were about 22 of us total!
It was a BLAST!

There was even a real tree to put our gifts under.
We had gift exchange and the gifts were really awesome this year!


Who are you excited to see this Christmas season?

Winter Song: The Holidays with a Two Year Old (almost)

Oh the delights of this joyous season!

I, like my best friends, love this season. I mean who doesn't want to bring trees indoors for crying out loud (I love trees for all of those who don't know). This year, however, we are doing things really low key. It's not that Wyatt wouldn't eventually understand that Christmas ornaments are more beautiful on the tree rather than in his sweet little mouth, it just brings me more holiday cheer to be minimalistic in my decorating endeavors.

CHECK IT OUT!

If you were visiting us the first taste of Christmas
would be this beautiful wreath from Dad and Mom Olinger.
I like it a lot because it feels Colo-radian


On the other side of the door is this felt star ornament.


These little snowmen candles are on our mantel.


These berries are also on the fireplace mantel.
(I actually have these up all year...is that cheating?)


Last but not least, our little snowman that resides in our bathroom.
Can you see our new camera??? I LOVE IT!




It's twelve days 'til Christmas. What are you doing to celebrate???

Playing House: Thanksgiving at the Walkers House

The Walkers (friends of ours from our Church) were so kind to let us house-sit for them Wednesday through Saturday. There house is so warm and welcoming. It felt like one of the most peaceful Thanksgivings we have ever had! Not only was it peaceful but because of the non-"rush rush, stuff stuff" mentality we also got to really sit back and be THANKFUL for each other and the year that is nearly behind us. Here are some pictures of the wonderful meal we had:


One for the perks of staying at someone's house are the cool dishes! I put all of our potatoes (from here) into these quaint little dishes.

We put fresh parsley in the potatoes! Yummm!

We had all the traditional dishes:
stuffing, green bean casserole, rolls with homemade jam,
mash potatoes with gravy and TURKEY of course!

We had left over pumpkin so we put it into this little dish and
had ourselves a photo shoot with this Amy's sweet retro platter. SWEET!
(I know, I'm a nerd.)

For dessert I made three pies:
Pumpkin, Apple and Blueberry Peach (don't ask).
Featured here: DUTCH APPLE PIE

Hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Love,
The Olingers