christmas

merry after-christmas.

family celebrations are the best.

we give each other funny gifts,
tell inappropriate potty stories (sorry),
stuff our bellies full with yummy food,
and dance ourselves silly.



music:
the christmas waltz by she & him
why can't it be christmastime all year by rosie thomas

happiest turkey day

hello bellies-filled-to-the-brim-with-turkey-and-pumpkin-pie friends. i hope you've all recovered from lots of family and food time. i'm not sure i have (which is why i'm about to turn out the lights at...wait for it...8:30 woop whoop!)

i. love. my. family. 

we're funny.

we have all different personality types.

we all love different things.

we all like to laugh.

we frequently have a dance party after big family events (christmas, thanksgiving)

we're all single (except one).

we all live in dallas.

and we all love each other. a whole lot.

every thanksgiving the "kids" of the fam wake up at the crack of dawn and go for a pre-thanksgiving feast fun run called the turkey trot. 

every year we say we will dress up.

every year we get lazy and just wear stretchy pants and warm jackets.

next year it will be different. 

i hope.

(excuse the inaprobs bottom in the picture.)

resolutions

i love resolutions. eh, i might break them and i might make them. but it's fun to plan and dream! this is the year of of lots of change for me. and i can hardly wait for it to begin!

so here's the list...

• graduate college and never have to take a test again {hopefully!}
• land a rock your socks off job
• spend less and live simpler
• eat less cookies {far less}
• do more yoga
• read more classic novels
• cook more meals {and buy local produce}
• spend more time with Jesus
• keep up with old friends
• take more pictures
• spend less time on facebook {do i really need to know what everyone else is doing??}
• recycle more, use less
• give more {money, time, and energy}
• get off my bum and get outdoors
• l o v e more

"surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and i will dwell in the house of the LORD forever."

psalm 23:6

p.s. that funky print is from this little estyer.

christmas plans

i can't wait any longer for christmas break. my goal is to soak up every sweet minute of it because this will be my last 4-week long christmas break. ever.

(via uniform natural)

so here are some things that are on my list to do over break...

1. sip on a pearl latte at the pearl cup while reading harry potter...or narnia...or the holes in our gospel...or girl with a tattoo dragon...eek, too many!
2. make a stop at the new h&m at my beloved northpark mall
3. explore the work of local artists and businesses at deep ellum's outdoor market
4. attempt to conquer my fear of making caramel by trying this recipe
5. stock up on groceries for my last semester of college here
6. attempt to fill the 50+ pages of my sketchbook before the january deadline
7. brave the cold and try to make it around the whole white rock lake, all 9 miles and all

i'll probably be adding to them as i take multiple study breaks. what do you plan on filling your holiday with?

"love and faithfulness meet together; righteousness and peace kiss each other."

psalm 85:10

christmas tunes

what's getting me motivated to study? the 3 new christmas mixes i have downloaded for free in the past week. here's where you can find them:

target is giving away 14 funky and fresh songs here.

my sweet friend jillian edwards recorded a song for an album that benefits the kenya mission project here.

and one of my favorite blogs, hearblack, has compiled their mellow christmas mix here.

download. listen. enjoy.

(also free, this hand-lettered gift tag in the above photo.)

"he received honor and glory from God the Father when the voice came to him from the Majestic Glory, saying, “this is my Son, whom i love; with him i am well pleased.”

2 peter 1:17

fuzzy soap

have you ever used fuzzy soaps before? i can't stop looking at these cute handmade soaps wrapped in soft wool. i think these are so cute and i'd say these would make for the perfect stocking stuffers.

"the LORD appeared to us in the past, saying: “i have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with unfailing kindness."

jeremiah 31:3

christmas joy

crank up you christmas music and pull out your snowball sweaters...it's time to prepare for christmas. look what saks is doing on the side of their building this holiday season...

"for the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline."

2 timothy 1:7

tis the season for pumpkins

it's thanksgiving break and i have already used it to make a stop at the farmers market, update my winter wardrobe at northpark, and pick up some food at eatzi's.

how beautiful were these pumpkins i found (especially the green ones!)

"finally, brothers and sisters, rejoice! strive for full restoration, encourage one another, be of one mind, live in peace. and the God of love and peace will be with you."

2 corinthians 13:11

world wide web of pumpkins

i hope your halloween was spook-tacular. since i am without a camera charger, i did not take any pictures for my weekend of camping. so i am waiting to post until i have pics from friends.

so here are some pumpkins from around the blogging world in celebration of halloween and fall.

(via unruly things)

(via design*sponge)

(via hither and thither)

(via me)

'come, let’s drink deeply of love till morning; let’s enjoy ourselves with love!"

proverbs 7:18

happy independence day

how great it is to live in a free country! happy fourth of july!

"to him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood, and has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father—to him be glory and power for ever and ever! amen."

revelations 1:5-6

(thanks olvwu for the pic)

happy memorial day y'all.

i have only been working at my internship for a week, and i already appreciate today's holiday because i did not have to start my monday off at 6:30 am. what a treat!

last year, my cousin emily, my dad, and i found this free memorial day concert at flag pole hill featuring the dallas symphony. what a geriatric thing to admit, but i do love the symphony. this year, we decided to start a tradition and make an appearance at flag pole hill once again, making a few changes (bring bugspray, cold drinks, and gourmet looking snacks.)

with our chairs, made from scratch cookies, izzy drinks and one adorable shih tzu, we set up camp to enjoy a wonderful night with friends.

it gets me every time when they play the battleship hymn as a tribute to those who have served in the military. i can't help but feel thankful for those who have given their lives and time to serve our country.

so yes, happy memorial day y'all!

"greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends."

john 15:13