spread a little cheer...

We have so much to look forward to this time of year.

The Christmas station on Pandora is cranked up. Our oven is seeing a lot more action. Craft stores are a regular weekly visit. Christmas movies are becoming a movie night infatuation. All gearing up for that special finale 10 days from now.

Our homey cheer...

You know you're from Kansas when...

Handmade Christmas ornaments rank up there in the special category...

And there's nothing quite like balling your eyes out when George Bailey runs down the street yelling "Merry Christmas" and obsessing over Zuzu's petals.

I'll finish off with an obligatory 'kids at Christmas' picture....wow, weren't we cheesy? But sometimes that is what Christmas is all about. Pairing the cheesy with the sentimental. Sprinkle in a little tradition, and shiny-new...all of it a warm fuzzy memory in the making. 

And we're memory makers here...

Thanksgiving, finals, and SANTA'S COMING!

Last week we trekked up north to Ohio for Thanksgiving. A huge thank you to our travelers who were amazing for our long days of driving. This pup here...amazing traveler! Not to mention our kids who did a great job entertaining themselves and not getting too much on each others nerves. In parent-world we felt like we hit the jackpot- but we're not biased or anything...

We had a great meal, and enjoyed the time to catch up with some family. Thank you for hosting us this year Dad and Michelle!

dad's first selfie...so proud of you :)

And we squeezed in some time for gaming of course...

Shout out to Michelle and Grandma for cooking up this awesome meal! 

After the huge dinner and pie, we had room for our first pop-a-thon. Deciding to put to test the different methods of popcorn making. Who knew there were so many options with a stir-crazy? If anyone is wondering who won our little competition let me just give you a hint....she's uses a full stick of butter. Who can compete with that?

Congrats Grandma-your batch was a butter-infused heaven!

On our last day the snow showed up, just in time to head back south for the winter :)

We hope everyone had a fun and safe Thanksgiving! We missed seeing several faces but are looking forward to the Christmas season when we get to see our Kansas families.

This week we have our annual town holiday parade, and I can start to feel the excitement for Christmas. Just one more push with finals, then bring on the twinkly lights.

Can you feel it?

....photo challenge

The much-anticipated conclusion to this year's photo challenge...

Now you no longer need to hold your breath ;-)

Day 20 "food": made these healthy, easy protein muffins in my new mini muffin tin that I have an unreasonable excitement/attachment to...

Day 21 "home": this is what home has always felt to me...where you can curl up and settle
in after a long day...warm bubble baths, reading stories on an unmade bed, talking about
our hopes, dreams, and what we need to do to get there...coming together and knowing
we are there for each other. Because life can be scary, and a little bit hard sometimes. But
when we have that safe home base to come back to, where we know all will be okay...that is
where our hearts live 

Day 22 "color": Love the opportunities of color changes this time of year. It never gets old.

Day 23 "energy"

Day 24 "adventure": with these two there's always adventure... "Two roads diverged in a wood,
and I- I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference." -Frost

Day 25 "beauty": I was just thinking how rich in beauty motherhood is...the collection of moments...
when you start feeling a flutter in your belly, to their first band aid, going to preschool, answering "why,"
listening to them sing in the shower, holding their hand... all while they hold your heart. It's an amazing thing, that
I'm always getting to know in different shades and seasons....but it's the most rewarding thing I'll ever have the
privilege to do...mothering

Day 26 "tradition": Saturday means football, college game day, cheering on K-State and wings,
beer, repeat...can't get much better than that...

Day 27 "sounds": I recorded this clip during the summer on a trip to the beach. I listen to it now and then for a short zen moment

Day 28 "art": there's no question that everyone's an artist....music, photography, paints, clay, math, fiction, crafts,
shadow puppets....I really do believe in that freedom of expression. Letting in the ability to shape life into
what is meaningful to you. It's the greatest torture and beauty all tied into one. If we didn't have art, we
wouldn't have life. It's all a grand masterpiece and we are in charge of our means to begin...

Day 29 "comfort": can't get much more comfortable than this...after getting kids to bed, soft blanket and a pup
on your lap....a welcome end to a crazy day

Day 30 "love": I have a confession: I've been delaying this post for a few days because I wanted to not only savor
the fantastic escape of our cabin retreat, but I also wanted to savor this photo challenge. Each year I unlock something
new in my quest to point and click the camera on subjects and topics otherwise taken for granted. It's a starting and ending
point that I never realize until I', in the middle- a place I've been uncomfortable with for a long time. We run ourselves
ragged in the day to day quest to become who we think we need to be. When in reality our presence in the here and now-the sometimes uncomfortable stagnant- is where our greatest reflections stay. In the challenge of capturing and thinking and processing life right now, in this breath, I have the ability to become alive. Not focusing on what was or what will be. Love fits into that concept perfectly...I have never been more grateful of the love I have and share with people in my life. Sometimes I get overwhelmed when my heart feels so full. I may become scared and afraid love can change, love can falter. There are no promises, no accurate predictions on our ability to give and receive love. Except this...we have now, we have here, we have infinite levels of possibility. Take that peace of mind and move through this moment with great appreciation for our miraculous opportunity...to love, to capture, to be alive.

So now that we're all caught up, we can embrace the thankful season...

apple party

Don't ask me why. But I got this wild hair to have an apple party. Probably because we're swimming in mountain apples "which are, like, the best ever" (in my edgy 9th grader voice). Seriously, if you've never partaken in roadside mountain apples, you are missing out. So it's your duty to drop everything you're doing right now, get in the car and head out to find your nearest crisp orchard. 

Okay, okay. Don't. 

But next opportunity, stop and get some...

"Seriously, duh!!" 

Ahem, apologies, I can't turn it off.

Our tasty finished apples. Now, aren't you convinced?
"Uh, yeaaah" ;-)

I swear I'll get the photo challenge posted on here, eventually. I'm having some trouble with the uploading in case you're holding your breath....


Happy Friday all! And we'll be back next week with our Thanksgiving feast :)

cabin weekend

Every year we get restless to change up our scenery and put the landscape of orange, red, and yellow painted mountains in our windshield. There's just a level of comfort in loading up the car, driving up elevations, and confining yourself to a cabin for an extended weekend. Staying still for a moment, not worrying about crossing off to-do lists, catching up on chores, or thinking about the next project you're behind on. That's the beauty of retreating...it doesn't neccessarily mean you're scared or running away. Maybe it just means that you're taking the troops to a place where they can chill out and breathe for a while.  

In our world retreating comes with a set of rocking chairs...preferably front seat to a gorgeous mountain view...

and a Burnt Caramel Cake...

I'll never get tired of the sound of these two cracking each other up...

Beautiful Blue Ridge mountains don't fail to deliver a peaceful backdrop to cabin visits.

Caleb helping Papa clean up the Harley...

 Birthday buddies...

And this was our best attempt at getting a photo with both pups...they got along so well though!

“To withdraw isn't a sign of weakness... It is a sign that a man knows the limits of his capabilities and the most probable outcome of the future. One who retreats to fight another day isn't running away, but looking for another road towards the same destination.” -Lionel Suggs

Conclusion to photo challenge will be continued next post...