New Year's Eve

Happy New Year!

I hope you had a safe and enjoyable New Year's Eve.  We rang in the new year with my parents and sister and had a blast.  

Holiday Festivities

Christmas of 2016 may be behind us, but I wanted to take a post (as I play catch-up) to commemorate some of the other December happenings that filled this year's Christmas season.

My mom and I kicked off December with a mother-daughter date night to see The Nutcracker at the Winspear Opera House in downtown Dallas.  We got dressed up and had a delicious meal at one of my favorite little spots in town, Joyce & Gigi's, before heading over to the opera house.

 

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas, from our family to yours!!  I hope that you and yours had a blessed and enjoyable Christmas.

Some Thoughts

Do you ever feel like you have so much to say, but don't even know where to begin?  That's how I've felt over the last few weeks.  And why it's been quiet around these parts.

I can't believe that we are already in the middle of September.  How time flies, sometimes.  I forgot how endless summer feels in Texas.  It was in the 90s over Labor Day and my family spent the weekend boating to escape the heat.  It dropped to mid-80s today and it feels like "fall."  I'm sure my Indy friends will get a kick out of that, but it's funny how relative hot and cold can feel depending on where you are.  I love all things summer, so knowing that sweater weather isn't quite here yet has been a fun adjustment.

{wake surfing on Ray Roberts Lake}

4th of july recap: part 2

The rest of our day in Put-In-Bay was full of exploring.  We had the best lobster bisque bread bowls in town at the Boardwalk...

4th of july recap: part 1

Happy belated Independence Day!  We spent the weekend celebrating America's birthday with our good friends (and awesome hosts), Chris and Emily, at Chris' family's lakehouse on Lake Erie.  We had the best time!

On the 4th, we took a ferry over to Put-In-Bay to explore for the day.  The typical modus operandi, as we were told, is to take the ferry over and rent a golf cart to get around once you arrive on the island.  You wouldn't believe how many golf carts we saw over there!  We rented our own (the infamous Clarabella) and drove all over the place on it.

happy father's day!

Happy Father's Day to the best father in the whole world.

happy mother's day

Happy Mother's Day to the best mom I could ask for!  My mom and I have not always seen eye to eye (read: I was a pretty terrible teenager) but as I have grown up, we have only grown closer.  I am so thankful to have her in my life and grateful to be her daughter.  So in my mom's honor, I've made a list of twenty things (big and small) that I've learned from my mom over the years.

happy valentine's day

I hope you all have a wonderful day celebrating with those you love.  Steve and I are getting an early dinner at one of our favorite restaurants and spending the rest of the evening at home with Netflix and some popcorn.  It's been a long week of battling bronchitis and lots of work, so I am really looking forward to a relaxing evening at home with my love.

lone star christmas

Merry belated Christmas, friends!  Steve and I flew down to Texas to be with my family for the holiday and we had a great time.  My only complaint was that our trip was too short.  It was wonderful spending the holiday with my family.  There are so many fun longstanding Christmas traditions in my family, and it was really special to share them with Steve for the first time this year.  Here are a few moments captured during our time together.  

 

One of the most exciting developments over the holiday was that I got a new camera!  I am so excited to learn how to use it and to use more than just my iPhone for documenting those precious moments in life - like our family Christmas picture.  So. excited. :)

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas!

god rest ye merry gentlemen

One of my favorite things about the Christmas season is the music.  I begin listening to Christmas music the day after Thanksgiving (sometimes sooner), and don't stop until the 25th.  There's nothing like a cheerful holiday jingle to get you feeling all warm and Christmas-y inside.  To me, Christmas season = Christmas music season.

That being said, this season is also the Advent Season.  It's in these few weeks leading up to Christmas that we, as Christians, expentantly wait and prepare for the celebration of the birth of Christ.  It's a time when we reflect on the long-awaited arrival of the Messiah two thousand years ago - when God became flesh and dwelt among us, and when His plan to save the world was set into motion. 

So this month, I hope to use this little blog as a space to celebrate Advent through the beauty of those Christmas Carols we all know by heart... starting with one of my (recent) favorites.

God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen is a traditional old English carol reputed to date back to the 15th century. It was first published in "Christmas Carols Ancient and Modern" in 1833. It is believed that this carol was sung to the gentry by town watchmen who earned additional money during the Christmas season. 

God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen (abridged)

God rest ye merry, gentlemen

Let nothing you dismay

Remember, Christ, our Savior

Was born on Christmas day

To save us all from Satan's power

When we were gone astray;

O tidings of comfort and joy,
Comfort and joy,

O tidings of comfort and joy.

 

From God our Heavenly Father

A blessed Angel came;

And unto certain Shepherds

Brought tidings of the same:

How that in Bethlehem was born

The Son of God by Name.

O tidings of comfort and joy,

Comfort and joy,

O tidings of comfort and joy.

 

"Fear not then," said the Angel,

"Let nothing you affright,

This day is born a Savior

Of a pure Virgin bright,

To free all those who trust in Him

From Satan's power and might."

O tidings of comfort and joy,

Comfort and joy,

O tidings of comfort and joy.

 

Now to the Lord sing praises,

All you within this place,

And with true love and brotherhood

Each other now embrace;

This holy tide of Christmas

All other doth deface.

O tidings of comfort and joy,

Comfort and joy,

O tidings of comfort and joy.

full

Friends, my tummy and my heart are so full.  We spent the holiday down in Texas with my family, which was complete with a delicious Thanksgiving meal, football, family stories, tex-mex, Sonic Happy Hour, Hunger Games: Catching Fire, family card games, hot tubbing and a drive-through safari.  All in all, truly the best weekend.

{Halsey women}

 

 {Thanksgiving day football}

{learning how to cook a turkey}

{Herman's new friend down the street}

 

{Thanksgiving dinner} 

  

{Sonic!}

 

{Fossil Rim Wildlife Center}

{Tex-mex with the family}

 

Now it's back to the real world until Christmas.  This month, Steve and I are going through John Piper's Advent Devotional, Good News of Great Joy.  I've really enjoyed it so far, and the best part is, it's free!  If you're looking for a devotional this Advent season, I highly recommend it. 

 

Happy December my friends, and I hope you had a great Thanksgiving!

december-ing

...and just like that, it's December!  I hope you all had a great Thanksgiving.  Mine was lovely - a nice long weekend in Texas with my family.  Couldn't have been better.  I'll do a recap post soon, but until then, here's what I'm currently up to as we usher in the most wonderful time of the year!

reading: "One Thousand Gifts" by Ann Voskamp.  My mom loaned it to me over the weekend and I haven't been able to put it down. 
making:  good use of our new living room furniture.  You can read more about that here.
cooking: turkey!  I helped my mom prepare the turkey for Thanksgiving dinner - it was my first time roasting a large bird. 
drinking: peppermint hot chocolate from Starbucks.  Yum.  I also tried a peppermint mocha over the weekend and for a girl who doesn't like coffee, I was pleasantly surprised at how good it was.
wanting: a new camera.  It's on my Christmas list :)
watching: 25 Days of Christmas on ABC Family.  I am a huge fan of the old claymation movies, especially Rudolph.
eating: unfortunately, not enough Thanksgiving leftovers.  That's the only downside of flying to home for Thanksgiving - we can't bring leftovers back.  But I got in my fair share while we were there!
enjoying: Christmas music.  All day, every day.
deciding: to spend more time reading and less time watching TV.
wishing: that grocery stores sold egg nog all year long. I love egg nog.
wondering: what to get everyone for Christmas.  I see a trip to the outlet mall in my near future...
learning: that thanksgiving isn't just a one-day-a-year thing.  It's every day, every year. 
hoping: that I will master this whole twitter thing eventually...
marveling: at how the Christmas lights twinkle and dance on our Christmas tree. 
smelling: peppermint everything.  Yum.

missing: my family.  Can't wait to see them again in just a few weeks though for Christmas.
wearing: dresses and leggings. By far my favorite outfit combination. It's so comfortable.
noticing: how important it is to choose words wisely.
knowing: that even though I am a "grown up," it's totally okay to be a kid about Christmas. 
thinking: about running another half marathon.  Maybe one in Dallas - an excuse to see my folks for the weekend?  We will see!
pinning: crockpot recipes.  Time to gear up for these cold winter months.
feeling: homesick (and Texas-sick). 
praying: for my sister as she travels all over the country for residency interviews.
looking forward to: seeing my family for Christmas!

loving: John Piper's advent devotionals.  They are a great way to remember the true reason for this beautiful season.

happy thanksgiving!

I wish each of you, my dear readers, a very blessed Thanksgiving with those you love!  If you are traveling today, may you have safe travel.  Steve and I are about to head to the airport to spend the long weekend with my family in Texas.  I couldn't be more excited.  Happy Thanksgiving to all!

PS - my friend Katie wrote an incredible post this week about gratefulness before the Thanksgiving feast.  As we all stuff our faces eat a delicious Thanksgiving spread, let's remember with grateful hearts that while satisfaction of the Thanksgiving meal is only temporary, Christ's overflowing fountain of mercy is eternally satisfying. 

Now that is something to be truly thankful for. 

stars and stripes

Last weekend, we were blessed with a long weekend off of work to celebrate the Fourth of July.  On is the Fourth itself, we headed downtown for our tradition - attending an Indianapolis Indians game and then watching the downtown fireworks from the stadium.  We had a great time with Steve's brother and his girlfriend.  I really enjoyed getting in some quality time with them - since we all have busy work schedules, we don't get to hang out half as much as I would like.  And we had great seats at the sold-out game!

Rowdy kept trying to get people to stand up and get...well, rowdy.  It didn't work on us, but this lady in front looooved it.  So awesome. 

On Friday, we drove up to Gannie's house to spend the weekend with my extended family.  It was the first time to see many of them since our wedding last year, so it was great to catch up and reconnect.  I spent many Fourth of Julys at Gannie's as a kid, so it was fun to re-live those memories and share them with Steve. Here's one of my many memories - this cute little playhouse lies "hidden" in the backyard.  The grandkids spent countless hours out here over the years and it still makes me smile to see it, even if I don't comfortably fit into it anymore :)

Dune Acres officially celebrated the Fourth on Saturday the Sixth.  The town had an entire day of festivities planned, started with a 5K run through the dunes.  Check out our matching t-shirts!

Next up was the annual 4th of July Parade.  My grandparents have owned this antique army jeep for years and it is a staple in the parade.  When we were little, all six of us grandkids would squeeze our way into the backseat waving American flags like crazy. Nowadays, only three of us fit comfortably - Steve, my cousin Talia, and me - plus Lyla.  Her first puppy parade!

After the reading of the Declaration of Independence...

...we were ready to begin!

The parade's grand finale was a hot dog cookout at the beach. 

That evening, the town set off fireworks on the beach.  That's the best way to watch fireworks, let me tell ya - with your feet in the sand!

On Sunday, we spent the afternoon looking through old memories that my grandma is sorting through.  There is something so special to me about reading old letters and cards from family members.  The love letters that Pops wrote to my grandma brought tears to my eyes.  And I couldn't help but smile at pictures of my mom as a little kid.

Of all the momentos, I found a few precious gems - my grandparents' engagement announcement - isn't Gannie a beauty?

A sweet card from Pops to Gannie while he was working in Kansas City.

The start of my mom's swimming career...

...and all of her swimming ribbons.  She was a swimming champ!  Swimming definitely runs in our family :)

All in all, it was a lovely weekend and a great way to spend the holiday.  Hope you had a safe and enjoyable 4th of July!