A Second Easter in Less Than a Year!

Last Easter, we were knee deep in new parenthood with Calvin only days old. So this year, I was excited to get to attend our church & celebrate with family. And thanks to grandparents, this guy's basket was full of books, bunnies, lambs, & love!

We're thankful that Christ died on the cross for us. It's very humbling when you stop and think about it, right?

He is not here, for he has risen, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay. // Matthew 28:

A (belated) Christmas Recap

Yes, this is a couple weeks late, but in our defense, we didn't have our last Christmas celebration until New Years Day (which I didn't get any pictures of...).  Regardless, this Christmas was particularly special as it was Calvin's first! 

There were presents (so! many! presents!), no shortage of lights + ornaments to grab, and lots of memories to be had.  It's true what they say - the holidays are more fun with kids!

Our community group at our church Christmas party

 

mama had a lot of fun with the Christmas outfits

 Calvin was quite interested his (second) cousin Gus

Calvin's first Christmas at grandma Cyndi's house 

(don't worry about the tears, it was a long day!)

One of our favorite gifts from uncle Dan --- a Portland Trail Blazer hat!

Merry Christmas from the Grables!

Farewell 2014

2014 was a quiet year for Grable Tales.  I could blame it on having a baby, but shouldn't that have given me more content?  I have a feeling that Instagram has something to do with the lack of posts --- honestly, it's a lot easier to post a photo with a small comment then think of an entire post.  Regardless, this year still deserves some recognition:

January - *crickets*

February - my first post of the year was a Stitch Fix review: pregnant edition; I also shared how I was spending my time lately (hint: Sam Grable Photo, The Influence Network, and being pregnant for the second time); I announced my hopes of attending my second Influence Conference; and blogged about my love for 4moms.

March - I started the month off by writing out my monthly goals (and linking up with The Tiny Twig's Goals with Grace); I updated my about me page & began leading an Influence Network community group; and I talked about being a month out from meeting our baby boy (& shared his name)

April - I revisited my March goals + shared my April goals; and blogged about my thoughts of Brené Brown’s book - Daring Greatly

May - I looked back on my April goals + made a few May goals; introduced our baby boy, Calvin!; shared how different Mother's Day felt this year; started writing monthly letters to Calvin; and shared my first postpartum Stitch Fix review.

June - continued with goals for June; after flying across the country with a six week old, I blogged about some of the 'flying with a baby' tips/advice that worked for us; Calvin turned two months old; and Sam & I celebrated our sixth wedding anniversary.

July - this month, I really started to give myself grace when it came to my goals for July; parenting definitely isn't easy, but on occasion it does make you feel like you have some super powers; another Stitch Fix review (I love this service!); my baby turned three months old; and I blogged about the community I found online.

August - still going strong + trying to be transparent with my monthly goals; I reviewed my birthday Stitch Fix; and Calvin kept getting bigger (four months old).

September - I finally realized that some goals will be repeats each month and that's ok; I (re)introduced myself in preparation of the Influence Conference; Calvin turned five months old; thanks to credits, I received a Stitch Fix before attending the Influence Conference; and then I recapped the conference for the second year in a row.

October - two posts remain consistent each month: goals + Calvin's letter (six months old this month!)

November - goals, goals, goals (sorry for the repeating); a photo recap of October; I shared my experience with essential oils; I turned to social media for help with this month's Stitch Fix review; Calvin turned seven months old; and I took some time to be thankful.

December - after nine months of goals, I shared my last goals (with grace) for 2014; blogged about Christmas traditions; honored Charlotte's second birthday and shared the way we chose to celebrate her; reflected on our second year without our baby girl; Calvin celebrated his eighth month of being on the outside; I blogged about the significance of a little giraffe; and reviewed my final Stitch Fix for the year.

This year brought a lot of joy + hope, as well as sleepless nights + tears. And while this space has been primarily used to review Stitch Fixes, write out my goals, and share my monthly letter to Calvin, but I appreciate the comments & community I've found through this space + social media outlets.  Maybe next year things will be different...

Until then... Happy New Year!

In Memory Of

The first year after Charlotte's death was all about survival. We were navigating unknown situations & questions that made some days more difficult than others. Honestly, simply learning to share a part of our story that either pushed people away or brought them closer was really hard at times.

The second year, the last twelve months, have felt different. We still receive questions that are difficult to answer without making someone feel bad, but more times than not, I've found myself thanking God for His little gifts to us: Charlotte's big brown eyes, the nine days we had to spend with her, a beautiful community that has continued to surround us with love + prayer, the opportunities to talk about her, and a healthy baby boy. And because of these gifts & more, I felt called to find something we could do as a family in memory of our baby girl's birthday this year.

Enter: A Giving Tree

Under normal circumstances, we would have been (birthday AND Christmas) shopping for our two year old little girl. Instead of passing it by all together, I thought it'd be nice to find a child in need who was around the same age as Charlotte would be and shop for them.

This year we chose a name off the local Salvation Army 'Tree of Giving', but my hope is that in the years to come, we can continue to find a child in need to help in Charlotte's name.  Calvin is still too young to understand what was going on, but in the future, his participation will help teach him about giving + his sister. 

While it's not nearly enough in my opinion, this small act has helped me to know Charlotte's (small) legacy is not forgotten. And there is a lot of comfort in that.

Traditions

Traditions have been on my mind a lot lately --- What traditions will we carry on from my childhood? From my husband's childhood? What new traditions will we start as a family?

Over the years, Sam & I have celebrated the holidays with our immediate families, which has been wonderful & easy when it comes to traditions. But as we continue to grow our little family, the desire to make our own traditions & memories has become stronger and more important.

With this being the first holiday season we'd have a child at home with us, I found myself searching for our the memorable moments that could be carried on through the years, while reminding myself that we didn't have to go overboard by doing all.the.things.  So I did a little research...

I searched through some of my favorite blogger's past holiday posts.
I asked close friends for their ideas.
I even attended an online class titled "Holidays & Families Without Losing Your Mind", taught by Rachael Kincaid ((great class!))

And after exhausting my resources & talking them through with Sam, these are the Christmas traditions that I hope will become a part of our holidays each year:

• Participating in an Advent plan // This may look different each year, but as long as we participate in one as a family, I'll be happy.

• Christmas pajamas on Christmas Eve // Growing up, my mom always allowed us to open one gift on Christmas Eve and it was always a pair of new pajamas, so this is a special one from my childhood.

• Three gifts (like Jesus received) // I recently heard this one from the above-mentioned class and I loved it. Simply put: each person receives three gifts from their list and the special part is that you can incorporate the story of the gifts Jesus received as well.

Every year is not going to look the same, I know that. But finding a a few of holiday traditions that my family can look back on with appreciation & nostalgia is important to me and something I hope we can continue to carry on.


Any traditions that have become a part of your holidays?

Thankful

It would be easy to find reasons not to be thankful, especially after losing our baby girl, but today I'm choosing to be thankful for the time he has given Sam, Charlotte, Calvin, & I, with each other and our family & friends.

Life isn't always simple, but thanking God for the little things is. 

 

Happy Thanksgiving from our family to yours!

A Different Mother's Day

Photo by Megan Love Photography

This Mother's Day already feels different than my first two...

Two years ago, we had just found out we were pregnant with Charlotte and actually shared the news with Sam's extended family on Mother's Day that year.

And last year, five months after we said good-bye to our Charlotte, I struggled with letting anyone recognize me as a mother since we were childless and was so very sad & angry that I didn't have my baby girl to hold in my arms.

This year, I find myself both happy & sad when I think about the two lives who have made me a mom... obviously so thankful to have Calvin here in our arms, but still missing Charlotte every single day!

So today, as you spend this holiday celebrating the mothers in your lives, I ask that you remember those who may not look like a mother because they don't have a child physically in their arms.

Celebrate them.
Love on them.
It's okay that you don't have to have the "right things" to say, just honor them too!


Happy Mother's Day!

Farewell 2013

When 2013 began, I wasn't sure what the year would hold. We had just suffered a major loss and living day to day (sometimes hour to hour) was all I could handle. And my blogging certainly reflected what I was feeling and how little words I had to share:

January - I started the year writing down a few of my 2013 goals {that I actually accomplished}; I shared the gift we were given through Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep; began posting Friday bullets; and talked about Charlotte - one month after meeting her, never forgetting her, and the reminders of her all around me.

February - I continued posting Friday bullets {an easy way to get my thoughts out}; I shared a story my husband posted on Facebook about Charlotte & having hope; on what would have been C's two month birthday, I talked about anniversaries have helped me heel & meeting with the genetic counselor; and posted the video we shared at Charlotte's memorial.

March - I received {& blogged about} my first Stitch Fix and fell in love the company's concept; the month was filled Friday bullets/thoughts; I joined the Influence Network & attended my first classes; and I shared about a series about life after Charlotte.

April - after sharing about the desire to talk about life after Charlotte in March, I posted about the holidays, being a mother without a child, and questions I've received; I updated my blog with a new design & address; and I ran walked a 5k with my sister-in-law.

May - 2012 was the year of the photo-a-day and in May I shared the book that I made to compile all of my photos in one place; I saw Sara Bareillis again, up close & personal; I celebrated my first Mother's Day without Charlotte, which was bittersweet; and I ended the month visiting Austin & the Heater family.

June - another Stitch Fix box arrived and yet again I was exctied to see what my stylist picked out for me; due to an Influence Network prompt, I shared what home means to me; I couldn't believe six months had already passed since meeting & saying goodbye to Charlotte; and we celebrated our fifth wedding anniversary.

July - my Friday bullets transformed into '5 on Friday', where I shared five of my favorites from the week; I was offered a chance to review a Float Wrap from Printography; I featured five blogs that have helped me through the grieving process; and Sam & I got away for a peaceful weekend.

August - more & more 5 on Fridays {apparently that's the way I got myself to post throughout most of the year}; and Sam built me a headboard.

September - this is the month where my posting drastically slowed down... but not before I posted about my excitement about the Influence Conference & my 2013 scarfs swap.

October - I could barely find the words to describe my time at the Influence Conference {because it was amazing!}; and we finally announced our new addition coming in April.

November - after announcing my pregnancy, I reflected on how different this one feels in comparison to the one with Charlotte; and we found out we would be welcoming a baby boy {and announced it on Instagram}!

December - we honored Charlotte's first birthday; I reviewed Stitch Fix while being pregnant; and rounded out the year reflecting on one year after Charlotte.


As I reflect on the year behind us, I'm grateful God gave me hope, especially in the darker times.  And next year already holds a lot of hope, which I'm also thankful for, but what I am really hoping for in 2014 is that I find my online voice again. Between remembering our baby girl, preparing for our new little guy and continuing to be involved with the Influence Network, my mind is swirling with inspiration & posts; I just need to to take the time to write about it all, for you, my readers, and myself.

So until then... Happy New Year!

Memories

As I mentioned last week, Mother's Day was hard this year. 

Before getting pregnant, Mother's Day was just a Hallmark holiday that let me celebrate my mom once a year (even though she deserved to be celebrated every day of the year...) and really didn't hold a lot of significance, to be honest. 

But a year ago, newly pregnant & on top of the world, this holiday took on a whole new meaning.  Suddenly, I couldn't wait to honor the women in our lives who have loved/raised/supported Sam & I and celebrate their new title as "Charlotte's grandma/nona/nana".  And honestly, the gift-giver in me couldn't stop thinking of memorable, sentimental gifts to give for the years to come...

But then life took a different path and even though it wasn't what we had pictured last Mother's Day, I couldn't think of a reason not to still show my gratitude towards these women in my life.  So this year, I decided to gift a daily reminder of the little girl who stole all of our hearts.

It wasn't a unique or complex gift, but very sentimental.  For the women who received this notepad, I believe it brought back a lot of memories for each of them.  The feeling they felt when they first met her, held her, looked into her big brown eyes probably came rushing back in an instant.  And while that can be very difficult because we all miss her, I have also found it to be a blessing because it helps us remember all of the good times we had with her.

See, I've worried since day 1 about what it will feel like if I stop remembering all the little details about our little angel.  I never want to forget one second of the nine days we had with her and I don't believe any of our family does either, but the truth of it is, life has moved on and the memories aren't as fresh as they once were.  Even today, five months since we've last saw her, I sit here in tears because it's so difficult to see life go on around us, without Charlotte. 

And sadly, I don't think that feeling is going to ever go away, but her memory lives on...

A shadow box full of Charlotte memories.

Holidays Now

For as long as I can remember, I have always looked forward to the holidays.  Whether we’re celebrating with our immediate family or a house full of extended family & friends, I’m always overcome by the magic of it all.

One of the first things I remember doing after I found out I was pregnant with Charlotte was calculate my due date and as I realized we would expecting a Christmas baby, my mind began to wonder what magic the holidays would hold as we saw things through this new baby's eyes.

Unfortunately, we didn't get that chance with our baby girl.

Just a few days after Charlotte’s passing, we found ourselves at a family gathering to celebrate Christmas.  While we chose to attend, in hopes that surrounding ourselves with loved ones would be better than being alone, the pain of it all was still in the forefront of our minds as we realized that instead of celebrating our child's first holiday, we were mourning the first one without her.

Since then, each holiday has looked pretty similar to that Christmas (food, people, gifts), even down to the same question I ask myself, over and over again, as I watch everyone celebrate the occasion – what would this day look like if Charlotte was still with us?

Sometimes, I wonder about the special outfit(s) we would have dressed her in.  Or the joy I would feel as our family doted all over her.  But honestly, most of the time I just find myself thinking about holding her in my arms.  Watching her take in the surroundings.  Experiencing the magic I had as a child.  And the realization that I'll never be able to share that with her devastates me.

Sure, it’s only been a few months so I don’t claim to have it all figured out (in fact, I know I don't), but a few of the things that I have found necessary in order to now attend holidays or family gatherings have been:

• Having a compassionate family who knows when a hug means more than words; 
• Finding a quiet place to escape to when things become too much;
• And, if all else fails, turning my worries, sadness, and anxious thoughts over to God.

Pretty simple, right?  

To most, probably.  And to others, it might seem better to just hide away and avoid these situations all together.  But as someone who loves her family and doesn't want to watch as life passes her by, these simple tasks have truly saved me at the last few family gatherings, while still allowing me room to process if needed.

I don't believe the sadness over losing Charlotte will ever go away and that's just something I will have to accept.  Ever since December 21, 2012, life has looked different in every way and that won't change.  However, I do hope & pray that future family gatherings, especially holidays, will slowly become easier and something maybe I'll look forward to someday..

Farewell 2012...

Well, another year has come & gone again, but for some reason this one feels much different from the past.  Maybe it's because we experienced both the most exciting joy & deepest sorrow we have ever felt before.  Or maybe it's because the future we thought we were planning for in the early months, has been flipped upside down now and we are no longer sure what's ahead for us.  Regardless, I wanted to be sure to recap this year for my own benefit - to remember the good, the bad, and the ugly and more importantly, to hopefully one day see God's plan & reason behind what happened to us this year:

January - I started the year off with some hope & goals for the new, as well as a photo-a-day project that {I didn't know at the time} would continue throughout the rest of the year.  As with previous years, I also continued posting about some book reviews and shared more of my outfits through "What I Wore Wednesday".  I also shared my Leap List on the blog and completed my first item.

February - WIWW continued and I even started creating outfits from my Pinterest board.  I shared Sam + I's love story and a rare moment where we got to babysit my adorable niece for the day.  My photo-a-day's also continued with weekly posts.

March - More reviews, outfit posts, and photo-a-day posts this month, but I also completed another Leap List item {my first massage!} and we started on a big house project - installing laminate flooring throughout our house.  We also found out we were pregnant this month, although no one knew yet :)

April - This month didn't have a lot going on except trying to keep our baby news a secret, so I kept myself busy by seeing Wicked for the first time and hosting a Stella & Dot giveaway {which was a lot of fun & I'd love to host more in the future}.  I also continued my photo-a-day project.

May - Another relatively quiet month {mainly due to the unknown pregnancy - sensing a theme?} with the exception of my weekly photo-a-day recap posts, but we also had some fun this month.  Our niece turned one!  And we got away to Bend, OR for a little vacation between working on our floors some more.  Our families learned of our upcoming bundle of joy, although we continued to keep the blog world in the dark for another month.

June - The big baby news month!  Our niece helped share the news and in addition to sharing some pregnancy details, I also began my weekly posts about the pregnancy at 14 weeks.  I also posted a special shout-out to the fathers in our life because a new one {my husband!} would be becoming on in December.  Other notable posts from June - I updated my Leap List, continued photo-a-day recaps, and Sam & I celebrated our 4th wedding anniversary!

July - We started out this month with a trip to Nova Scotia {at 16 weeks pregnant} to see my dad and ended it with multiple doctor visits when they discovered a problem at our gender ultrasound.  I filled the month with photo-a-day recaps, reviews, and a Pinterest project, but this month sort of seems like a blur when I think back on it.

August - I took a break posting about the pregnancy for weeks 19 & 20 of the pregnancy due to the news we received in July, but shared some medical details around 21 weeks when we decided to put our trust and baby girl in God's hands and her name around 22 weeks {Charlotte}.  Due to the state of our pregnancy, we became labeled as "high risk" and began seeing a specialist every couple weeks for monitoring, measurements, and tests.  Through all of this, I clung to whatever normalcy I could find and continued my photo-a-day project to find some appreciation of the little things in life.

September - If I was to describe my feelings this month in one word, I would probably say it was "hopeful".  We had met with a few different doctors concerning our little girl's condition and while we knew it was serious, we also hoped that God would fix her little body if that was His plan.  Notable happenings for this month include: sharing a little bit about what was going through my head at the moment; participating in a scarf swap; posting my photo-a-day recaps; and attending two baby showers out of town for Charlotte + I {posted about in December}.

October - Another somewhat quiet month on the blog, with the exception of photo-a-day posts, pregancy updates, and reviews.  One exception was where I felt more hopeful in September, the feeling of hopelessness surrounding the pregnancy overcame my thoughts in October, which I shared about around 32 weeks.  To take my mind off worrying, I started a weekly post called Friday Favorites {I featured Lisa Leonard & HelloBee this month}, which share some blogs & sites that have become must-reads for me throughout the years.

November - More pregnancy updates, reviews, Friday Favorites {iHeart Organizing, Influenster, I Love You More Than Carrots, Jonathan David Photography, and The Four Gift Rule}, and photo-a-day recaps this month.  We also shared Charlotte's scheduled birthday - 12.12.12 - around 36 weeks, after we were transferred up to Legacy Emanuel in Portland, OR for the remainder of our pregnancy.  And due to the nature of the month, I also shared why I was most thankful this year...

December - Also known as the month we've been waiting for!  I started out the month posting about the amazing baby showers that were thrown for us over the last couple months, as well as a Friday Favorite {The Dough Will Rise Again} and finishing out my year-long photo-a-day project.  Then before we knew it, we had made it to 39 weeks & the day finally came that we would finally be meeting our precious baby girl.  Charlotte René Grable was born on 12.12.12 at 2:35pm, but sadly, we had to say goodbye to her far too soon on 12.21.12 at around 11:30am, only 9 short days after we met her.  I tried to put our feelings into words and find meaning for why this all happened, but a lot of if is still in my heart, which is, honestly, where it might stay for the unforeseeable future...  However, I did want to document Charlotte's short, but love-filled life, so you can read about her here & here.

This year was tough.  As I mentioned above, we experienced such a range of emotions this year that I'm not sure how many I have left {except for indescribable sadness and desire to hold Charlotte in my arms again}.  As 2012 comes to an end, I pray that I never forget this year and what it brought us, but that I am also able to move forward and see Charlotte in everything beautiful ahead of us.

Friday Favorites - The Four Gift Rule

As an avid and daily blog reader, I have quite the collection of starred posts in my Google Reader that fit into one of two categories: 1. they either speak to me or 2. they are make me want to {try to} DIY or 3. they introduce me to a new product.  Sometimes I go back at reread these posts and other times I just forget I’ve starred them at all.  So instead of letting them pile up in my Google Reader, I thought it’d be best to share some of my favorites with my readers, especially since I know how much I enjoy being introduced to new {to me} blogs that peak my interest and keep me coming back for more.


This week's favorite is a pin that I found on Pinterest months ago and felt like it was just what I was looking for.  A little backstory --- every year around this time, I find myself finishing up my Christmas shopping and doing everything I can to find the perfect present for everyone on my list.  And I will be the first to admit that I live to spoil my loved ones with everything they want/need!  However, in a time where money is a little tighter and people don't always need more "stuff", my gift giving direction has shifted a little from the past and this year I am giving The Four Gift Rule a try.

Easy right?  In a world where consumerism is at an all time high, the simplicity of this list is what really attracted the idea in the first place.  And while the intention is for kids, I think it can really be a guide for anyone on your list.  It can be big or small, but instead of stressing over tracking down a pile of gifts that someone may or may not truly enjoy or just buying whatever is on their wish list this year, The Four Gift Rule allows expectations to remain in check and opens the doors to a little creativity on the buyer's part.

Here are a couple posts from other bloggers I follow on their Christmas plans:
Elm Street Life - Christmas Giving
Where My Heart Resides - A Simple Christmas


What are you doing for Christmas gifts this year?

Thankful

This year has been one for the books and when I think back on what I'm most thankful for, one thing instantly comes to mind --- our baby girl, Charlotte.

When we first decided to expand our family, it was fun to dream of the future.
When we were told we were pregnant, excitement was one of our top emotions.
When we first heard our baby's heartbeat, everything felt more real.
When we first saw our baby via ultrasound, we began to imagine the life ahead of us.
And, unfortunately, in an instant, our life changed with news of complications and nothing we ever envisioned was now becoming our reality. 

Back then {around 19-20 weeks}, it felt like all the odds were against her and even now, 3 weeks out from her debut, there are still concerns they won't have answers for until she's here, but I feel like I can sit here today and tell you all how thankful I am that I got to carry her this long & provide the safest place for her to grow regardless of what her future holds.  And that is what I am holding on to this Thanksgiving.

I have to also throw out a quick, but heartfelt, 'thank you' to our family + friends who have cried, rejoiced, and prayed with us this year and who I know will keep doing the same as long as we need them to.  We love you!


What are you thankful for this year?


Check out our past thankful posts: 2011, 2010, 2009

Father's Day

To my father & father-in-law --- Thank you for all that you've taught us on how to be parents to our future child!

And to my husband --- I can't wait to see you hold our baby and be the best man they'll ever know!

Happy Father's day to all the fathers & fathers-to-be out there!

What I Wore Wednesday

Happy Wednesday!  So a little story --- I really tried to be better this week and take a few more outfit pictures than last week, but for some reason, the outfits I was selecting were just not working out as well in real life as they were in my mind.  Some of the blame is due to the lack of creativity I've been feeling lately and some is just me falling into my usual rut of wearing the same thing over & over again.  When I start to feel like this, I tend to want to go shopping, but maybe with the help of Pinterest I can find some new ideas using what I already own {and save some money!}.  I'll keep you all posted :)

I did want to share my little Valentines outfit from yesterday, featuring my new DOTS shirt I picked up just for the occasion:

{sweater: Eddie Bauer; tee: DOTS; jeans: Nordstrom; shoes: Toms}

As for our Valentine's Day plans, we spent the evening at home and made homemade macaroni & cheese for dinner {my favorite!}.  It definitely wasn't anything extravagant, but just right for us!

How was your Valentine's Day?

Farewell 2011!

Well, it's that time again! Time to bid another year adieu and look forward to what the new year has in store for us. But before we do that, let's look back at how 2011 treated us:

January - What I Wore Wednesday, a.k.a. WIWW, continued into 2011 {a fun way to look back and see how my style has evolved}; all of the kids in Sam's family treated his parents to a Portland Trailblazer game for Christmas, which we attended in January; and we spent quality time with family & friends.

February - I bragged about my brother's accomplishments; some Valentine's baking occurred; and more WIWW posts.

March - You got to know me a little better; we celebrated our SIL & MIL's birthday and a baby shower for our niece; I fell in love with the cute town of Seaside, OR; neither of us get Spring Break off, but we still enjoyed the weather with friends + family; and, of course, Kristi kept us well fed.

April - Sam built us {+ the Weathers} raised beds for our garden, which turned into a complete backyard makeover; Lily got a new Molly Mutt bed; my SIL's church through her a beautiful baby shower; and we spent Easter down in Eugene so we could listen to our SIL sing one last time at her church down there.

May - Kristi & I went to see Something Borrowed after reading the book a couple years back; Sam turned 29 & we celebrated both his birthday + Mothers Day in Sandy; and Linnea Elizabeth finally made her appearance {a little over a week late} & we all fell in love instantly!

June - I hoped on a plane to see one of my best friends in TX; there was some quality time spent with my college roommate; my brother graduated from college; I continued to read more books thanks to the BlogHer Book Club; we moved my BIL & SIL up to Portland; and Sam & I celebrated our 3rd wedding anniversary!

July - 4th of July was spent with friends + sparklers; I saw Sara Bareilles in concert with friends; and Sam & I went to the east coast {his first time + I haven't been back in 5+ years} to visit my dad, attend my cousin's wedding, + celebrate my 26th birthday.

August - thanks to Kristi & Sherlai, I attended my second concert this year - Gabe Dixon {+ we got to meet him!}; Sam's family came down for a 'staycation' at our house; and Sam built himself a backdrop for my WIWW photos.

September - I shared how I was feeling lately; we remembered 9/11 - 10th anniversary; and I participated in a scarf swap.

October - Sam & I visited the Oregon Garden for the first time {and are already looking forward to using the membership we purchased}; I played catch up - hair color change, breakfast date with Sam, exploring Portland with Kelly, family photos, and a trip to Redmond to see Michelle + the kids; and we all got together for the 4th annual pumpkin carving party.

November - Sam created a moving picture of our adorable niece that I had to share; I bragged about my talented friends - Jon & Rachel; another 'about me' post; we took Lily to her first dog park; Thanksgiving was spent with Sam's family this year + I shared what I was most thankful for!

December - lots of highlights - more dog park visits, fun with friends, watching my BIL do what he loves, seeing family, & selling my car; I participated in another swap - this time gloves; went to the theatre for a holiday performance; Christmas cards were sent out + the house was decorated; and we managed to see both families this Christmas season.

Overall, I would say this year was a good one for us. We traveled, spent some good time with family + friends, and welcomed our first niece. Even with 2011 being so good, I'm still excited to welcome 2012 and see what it has in store for us. So until next year... :)

Christmas 2011

I know this is a pretty late recap, but for memory sake, I want to be sure to remember that we spent Christmas with my mom & brother down in California this year. Our five days down there were filled with food, fun, & family {a few of my favorite 'f's :)}. We were also lucky that Sam's family was able to postpone their Christmas by one day so we could be there to celebrate with them. It's often hard to juggle two families, especially around the holidays, but both of ours are very supportive & understanding, so we just consider ourselves blessed to have a chance to celebrate with both this year!


How was your Christmas?

OOTD: Holiday Cheer

Outfit breakdown:

headband + necklace + wedges: Target, {headband borrowed from Kristi};

glasses: Coach; sweater: Loft; jeans: Gap

Our house has been decorated since right after Thanksgiving, but last weekend, Sam brought out his camera to document this year's decorations. I'm not really one to change things up each year, but I still find it fun to have it documented. I also enjoy seeing Sam's creative eye expand each year.

Tree: a fake tree we picked up 3 years ago during our first Christmas together.

Ornaments: a combination of our childhood ornaments and ones we've picked up since getting married {a lot of G's, which has become a tradition for me}.

Nativity set: Willow Tree; both my MIL & SILs had this nativity and for each Christmas since getting married, I have received a piece to add, which is almost complete!

Happy Holidays, from our home to yours!

2011 Christmas Card

This year's Christmas card is one of my favorites ever! The picture was an easy choice thanks to Jonathan David Photography & our family photo session in October. And for the card, I turned to one of my favorite photo printing sites - Shutterfly.

And for a little surprise, we were sure to include our our favorite pup, Lily, on the back of each card!

My only regret is not ordering enough cards in time to mail them out. There were quite a few people who I wasn't able to send cards to this year and to those people I am really sorry, but hope to do better next year!

Do you send Christmas cards out? Do you enjoy receiving them?

OOTD: A Night At The Elsinore

Outfit breakdown:

sweater: Francesca's Collection; tank: Anthropologie; jeans: Gap; boots: Target

Last week, I was invited to a holiday music performance put on by a couple of the churches at the Historic Elsinore Theatre. The full orchestra and choir did an amazing job on some classic Christmas songs, as well as a couple new {to me} songs. As for my outfit, I had to work during the day, so I needed something that would go from day to night easily and this one did just that.

{my dates for the occassion!}

Have you been to a great Christmas concert this year?