This month’s issue of Bamboo Magazine features an article about how different bloggers celebrate the seasons…and I am honored to be one of them! Bamboo is a fantastic resource with thoughtful articles and interesting content. Even the ads are great! Be sure to check it out …the article is on page 66. Oh, and don’t forget to sign up for your free digital subscription!

 

 

Last week I stopped in at little PO Box 1631…with the usual anticipation in my heart Imagine my delight when I opened up a beautifully wrapped package with these hand knit lovelies inside. My sweet friend, Khrista, sent these to me in chilly Colorado from her adorable home in Texas. Now that I have started knitting, when I receive something that was knit by a friend, it’s so much more special because I now know the work that goes into it!

I wanted to take a moment to send out a HUGE thank you to all of you who have sent me heartwarming goodies over the past couple of months. I’ve received such amazing gifts in that little box…

*a gorgeous orange knitted scarf that I wear all the time
*a colorful paper star
*felted wool cup cozies
*a blue glass star that hangs in my mama cave
*herbal bath yummies + velour washcloths
*sand from a California beach that I love
*numerous gifts for the girls
*tea and other edible goodies

…to all of these mailbox angels and any I have missed, thank you thank you thank you!! Your thoughtfulness means so much.

The weekend is coming to a close…and it was lovely. On Friday, we spent some time with friends in Longmont. On Saturday, Matt went snowboarding in Vail with my brother and his friends, and today we checked out a new church in Boulder and really enjoyed it.

Some favorites from the weekend: my newest passion is in full swing…and I’m LOVING it! It’s so fun to take a piece of string and make something pretty with it. I so look forward to finally sitting down in the evening and knitting for an hour or so.

The sunrises have been phenomenal lately…this particular one took my breath away! (photo is SOC/no filtering! Just the God filter )

Yes, more green! This one was juiced…apple + lemon + kale. So simple, but so delish. Trying to get lots of greens in every day…mostly in whole foods, but juicing is fun too.

Oh, and as a side note, I’m still very pregnant. At 27 weeks, I’m just entering the 3rd trimester…and feeling larger by the day. And emotional. And sore. And ready to meet this baby! Let the final countdown begin…

We had a wonderfully productive weekend…cleaning, purging, & re-organizing. It’s so amazing to me how different I feel when I have clear spaces and an uncluttered life. Oh what joy! If you want to declutter your life, but have no idea where to begin…check out the 30 Day Clutter Bootcamp. This is the perfect “kick start” for your decluttering resolutions

This little space is right off of our kitchen…I like to call it my “mama cave”. I just hung some white twinkly lights and added more fabric for diffusing the sun. I like to keep white Christmas lights up year round! Here is a great compilation of spaces that do the same (including my friend Denise’s bedroom).

I finished my first “wearable” knitting project this weekend! What a thrill. It’s so fun to get it off the needles and realize that all that work ends up in something beautiful. This cowl is so warm and softer than anything I’ve ever felt! For those of you that are knitters, I used Mirasol Ushya in cornflower with a size 17 needle.

On another note, it was my 5 year dreadiversary yesterday! I will be writing about it soon. The rainbow-colored dread on the right is wrapped with the yarn I used for my first knitting endeavor…to remember the journey!

Next up…a scarf for Lucy’s new baby “Ali”.  I have another cowl in the works with the most amazing yarn that seems to be sold out everywhere. The Malabrigo Rasta line…it’s so fantastic! I was able to find the arco iris color at the yarn shop in Bozeman when we were there…and now I wish I would have bought more! I LOVE Piedras as well.

Here is what it will look like Delicious.

Helping Daddy is so much fun! We had a little snow over the weekend…and Lucy enjoys any excuse to get out into it. It’s always fun to get snow on the weekends when Matt is home…we snuggle in by the fire,  make yummy food, and enjoy the change of scenery together.

We had a birthday party for Baby Ali…complete with play dough cake. So sweet to see my girls take care of a “baby”…as I know they are preparing their hearts to welcome the real thing

My mom and dad gave me this bible study for Christmas and I can’t wait to start it. Most Beth Moore studies are done in small groups, but I’ll be doing this one self-paced and using the downloadable online videos. Looking forward to being challenged!

I enjoyed a huge green smoothie yesterday after not having one for MONTHS! I go in and out of craving them when I’m pregnant. This one had banana + peach + pineapple + water + spinach. For those of you new to green smoothies, here is my “how to” video and you can purchase a Vita-Mix from me here.

* * * * *

And now…as I write, I’m listening to Bon Iver.
Thinking I might go knit something.
Or read a little bit.
Right after I put my babies in the bath and to bed.

Enjoy your evening…xxoo

**Please note: some links in this post are “affiliate” links, which means that if you click and purchase them, I get a little bit of that sale. Thank you for supporting me in this way!

 

Were back! And we are SLOWLY acclimating to “life after holidays”. After 36 total hours of travel time over 10 days, we came home thoroughly comatose. We’ve been trying to re-organize the house and get back into our groove…but it’s taking longer than I would like We had sunshine and lovely weather today…and that helped snap us out of our funk a bit. The park was just what we needed.

It was wonderful being with family…but it’s also so good to be back home. We’re filling our bodies with healing whole foods and nourishing green juice. We’re drinking lots of water and sleeping soundly. I am in full nesting mode and this weekend we will be having a massive organizing session and house clean out. Can’t wait!

Hope your holidays were wonderful…I’m looking forward to a great 2012!

See some of our holiday photos on Facebook here and here.

 

While we were in Bozeman, I had a couple hours of alone time. It’s been a LONG time since I’ve had an extended amount of that…and I desperately need to make more time for it. To refresh my soul…to sit silently…to read, knit, look at the mountains, listen to music…all without littles crawling about.

On this particular day, I had a nice salad, journaled a bit, read some inspiring words, and listened to Addison Road’s “What Do I Know of Holy” over and over. The lyrics sank deep within me…so beautiful. Go and listen! (If you don’t want to buy, it’s on YouTube…but ignore the corny photoshow)

I made You promises a thousand times
I tried to hear from Heaven
But I talked the whole time
I think I made You too small
I never feared You at all No
If You touched my face would I know You?
Looked into my eyes could I behold You?

What do I know of You
Who spoke me into motion?
Where have I even stood
But the shore along Your ocean?
Are You fire? Are You fury?
Are You sacred? Are You beautiful?
What do I know? What do I know of Holy?

I guess I thought that I had figured You out
I knew all the stories and I learned to talk about
How You were mighty to save
Those were only empty words on a page
Then I caught a glimpse of who You might be
The slightest hint of You brought me down to my knees

What do I know of Holy?
What do I know of wounds that will heal my shame?
And a God who gave life “its” name?
What do I know of Holy?
Of the One who the angels praise?
All creation knows Your name
On earth and heaven above
What do I know of this love?

Mmmmmm….love it.

We made the 13 hour trek back home from Montana yesterday…and tomorrow morning we fly out to Iowa until Monday. I’m leaving my computer at home so that I can focus more on my family, letter writing, knitting, and reading. I may or may not post some blogs from my phone So if I don’t see you until 2012, have a wonderful New Year’s! It’s going to be GREAT.

*Because I know some of you will ask: the stack above is my Bible, my Kindle Fire, and my journal. The cozy was not made by me, but I love it. Cozies are my favorite. I think I shall knit LOTS of them.

This morning I met another Bozeman friend for coffee…my kindred hooping spirit and mama friend, Mary. So good to connect again…even if it was just for a few hours.

After that Matt, the girls, and I headed downtown and stopped in at the new Co-op downtown (which is just a few blocks from our old house).

We had a delicious lunch and then took a little walk…

…over to The Yarn Shop! It’s so funny getting into a new hobby and realizing that there are stores that have been there all along to support said hobby, but you never paid attention until now! Bella and I had a blast looking through all the yarns and spending some Christmas money and gift certificates that we had.

Is there anything more yummy than hand-dyed purple yarn?!

On our way back, we came upon a young man stuck in the ditch…he has slid off the road on an icy patch and couldn’t get out. My amazing husband used his tow strap to pull him out and send him on his way. We had a great talk with the girls about how we should always help others when we are able.

Upon returning, I started my very first knitting project…a dish rag with happy rainbow yarn! It’s going well so far…learning from mistakes as I go. Just like life

Before bedtime, Uncle Ryan taped tons of glow sticks on giant punching balloons, turned off the lights and let the kids go crazy! I don’t have a photo, but they sure had fun. We’ve had a wonderful time in Bozeman with family…tomorrow is our last day here and then it’s back to Colorado for a day and on the airplane to Iowa the next. Life is always an adventure! Hope your Christmas was joy-filled and wonder-full. xxoo

 

 

The best of all gifts around any Christmas tree:
the presence of a happy family all wrapped up in each other.
*Burton Hillis

Merry Christmas from our family to yours!