Don we now our gay apparel

I love scarves. I practically wear one every day in the fall/winter. So, when I found this tutorial, I got really psyched: 25 ways to wear a scarf in 4.5 minutes. Oh what fun!

5 days left

The holidays are quickly approaching.

Are you ready?

I'm all done with everything. Bragger, I know. I'm actually adding things to my to do list just because I don't want to be done yet.

Yep, I'm crazy like that.

How are you spending your last 5 days before Christmas?

Hopefully, not stressed. Just remember the reason for the season, curl up on the couch with a loved one and cup of hot cocoa, pop in your favorite Christmas movie (Elf) and all will be well. 

I promise.

Merry almost Christmas!

Fast away the old year passes

{sparkle}

Big breath in...sigh.

December is quickly flying by and I'm trying to soak up every bit of the month, holiday and cheer.

Acting embarrassed, but let's be honest.

As you know, my birthday was last week and I got the BEST present! I met up with some amazing women, ate tacos and drank margaritas, had happy birthday sung to me by the local Mexican restaraunt employees (who then pied me in the face...yes, true story) and then went to a girlfriend's house to watch Christmas movies where I was surprised by my husband! 

 

IS THAT NOT THE BEST DAY EVER!?

{pie in the face}

The hubs drove a car from Ft. Collins, Co., to Denver where he hopped on a plane to fly to Kansas City, Mo., and then got back in his car to drive home to surprise me. What an amazing man I am married to. Seriously, I'm one blessed gal, this I know. 

I love December because I get to kick the month off with my birthday and then relish in the cheer and joy of the season for the rest of the month.

One of my favorite things to do is watch Christmas movies. It drives the hubs mad. He'll be at a meeting tonight so I'm going to watch Home Alone in my pjs in my bed with a cup of hot coco. I'm a Christmas freak, I tell ya.

{It's a Wonderful Life}

My fourth favorite Christmas movie, after Elf, The Santa Clause and Home Alone, is It's a Wonderful Life. The hubs hates it. Says it makes him depressed. My mother-in-love agrees with him. Crazy. It's suppose to do the exact opposite. Make you appreciate life, your loved ones and all that we are blessed with. I told them this, but they made me turn it off. At least my father-in-love likes it. Apparently, he cries like a baby when its on. I can't wait to cry with him this Christmas :)

Today is my birthday

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And while it is an insignificant one (28 years old), I feel more blessed and loved this birthday than any others I can remember. Yes, last year's birthday was AWESOME with my Hubs and mom surprising me with a trip to Chicago to see Wicked - truly an amazing blessing and gift. But as I get older, I realize its not about the gifts or the facebook messages. It's about love and friendship.

I'm sure its all in my perspective. God has really been doing a lot with my heart this year. And this birthday, I feel so much gratitude and humility for all the love I have been given and shown. In the past, I took it all for granted and just expected it or felt entitled to it all. But this year, I've realized how much it all really is a gift. This birthday, my dear friends have blessed me with the gift of time. My hubs is away on my birthday doing med school stuff, so I would be spending my birthday alone. But I asked my girlfriends if they'd spend the evening with me at a Mexican restaurant eating tacos and drinking margaritas. And I am truly blessed by all those who are giving up their friday evening to spend it with me. In the past, I would have been ok and happy spending it alone - watching movies alone, cuddling up on the couch alone, eating pasta alone, drinking wine alone. But God has made me aware that he did not create me to be alone. That life is about fellowship and community. And that is the best gift a girl could receive on her 28th birthday. Friendship.

Happy December

{pinterest}

"When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy."

Matthew 2:10

 

Overstuffed with daily bread

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I am horrible at keeping up on things, and so I didn't post all the things I was thankful for like I had planned on doing at the beginning of November. But I have just so many things to be thankful for that I figured I'd list them out in one post and maybe, just maybe, that could make up for it.

In addition to all the others I have listed, here are a few more things I'm thankful for:

1. Old friends - They know your dirt and still love you.

2. New friends - They are learning dirt and lovingly help you grow.

3. My job - puts a roof over my head, food on the table and clothes on my back.

4. My home - a safe haven of love and creativity.

5. Cooking skills and food - Thank God for blessing me with cooking skills because I seriously can whip up some tasty and healthy food.

6. My boss - She is patient and easy going.

7. Wine - I really am thankful for it. Wine warms the heart and reddens the nose.

8. Laughter - It cures a multitude of ills.

9. Forgiveness - I'd be lost without it.

10. Love - most important of all and most thankful for. 

And this is how we spent our Thanksgiving - snuggling and reflecting on all that we have to be thankful for. Every good and perfect gift is from above.

“[Thanksgiving] I always thank my God for you because of his grace given you in Christ Jesus. For in him you have been enriched in every way—with all kinds of speech and with all knowledge—”  ~ 1 Corinthians 1:4-5

Thankful for my Bestie

I have been extremely blessed by the friendship of my bestie and "soulmate...of friends," Janellie.

So today, I'm thankful for:

Miss Janelle.

Miss Janelle is one of those friends that is more like family. A sister from another mother, if you will. She is also a mentor, confidant, adviser, personal comedian, life coach, etcetera, etcetera. 

We are one and the same. Well, that's not true, when you get her going she sounds a lot more like Eddie Murphy than me, but boy, is it glorious when she does. Ya see, if my writing changes when I start talking about this girl. I start using words like "glorious" and "etcetera, etcetera." She brings out the ridiculous, the real, and the best in me. 

We found each other at a very low point in our lives, both needing love, acceptance and strength. It is my personal belief that God placed her in my life for that purpose, which she continues to serve. She is another strong woman I dearly love. On a public level, her strength roars, and she is a beauty to behold. But in the quiet, raw moments, her strength really shines. She is one of God's really awesome blessings that I just know He must be so proud of. I'm sure that when He looks at her, He thinks "Dang, I did good on that one. Some of my best work."

This woman is a lot of things to me, but most of all, she is a blessing from God.

I love you, J.