Hollen Holidays | Thanksgiving 2017

Around this time of year, I always try to take a morning and write down the things that I am thankful for. I wish I didn't always need it be around the Thanksgiving holiday to remember to take the time to do this, but this holiday is always a great reminder of how sweet life truly is. 

In this season of our lives, I am grateful and thankful for....

The sunrise peaking over the house across the street, slowly revealing glorious colors to welcome the new day. The heat that is moving through our little home. Our home....every room, every nook, every cranny. Every unpainted room and cat-scratched piece of furniture. Our overflowing fridge, freezer, and pantry. The new van in the driveway and the realization that I get to rock the mom mobile once more. My voice. My mind. My body even though I am still tired and getting over being sick. Even though my body hasn't bounced back hardly at all since having Sully. My C-Section pooch. My stretch marks, my tiger stripes. The early morning hours before my family starts to stir. The children warm and cozy, sleeping in their beds. Marin's spunk and imagination, that challenges me most days and makes me a better parent. Breastfeeding Sullivan in the early morning glow of his night light. nap times. Meals at the table. Trips to the library. The holidays. The fact that we can afford Christmas presents. The roof over our heads. The balance in our bank account. Our jobs. The flexibility of my job. Quiet time. My Bible and the warm cup of coffee beside me. The changing of seasons. Bath time for the kids. Taking a walk with the double stroller. Spending time with Ryan after a long day, decompressing. Lunch with the great grandparents. A Sunday off for New Years. Leading and playing worship music. Marin's preschool. Being able to pay all of our bills. Grandparents. Dishwashers and clothes dryers. Books that challenge me. Music that moves me and reminds of another time and place. Cooking a good meal. A glass of wine. Vintage City Church. 

I could go on and on....

We have a lot to be thankful for. 

Our Thanksgiving this year started with breakfast at home. I made cinnamon rolls and bacon. We drank a lot of coffee. 

The rest of the morning was spent picking up the house, feeding the baby, making green bean casserole. I tried a new recipe this year...it was okay. I think I'll go back to the classic dish next year.

We went to the Hollen's house this year for our Thanksgiving meal. We usually trade off every other year. Next year will be my side of the family. 

Marin talked about eating turkey all week and that she would try it out. She was pretty impatient waiting for everything to cook and be ready. She kept sitting at the table a good hour before we actually ate, anticipating the meal. Go figure though, she didn't try a single bite of turkey. What a goober.

As part of the centerpiece for the meal, the Hollen's had a bring a book or two that we were grateful for. I had a hard time narrowing it down but I brought Long Days of Small Things: Motherhood as a Spiritual Discipline and Present Over Perfect: Leaving Behind Frantic for a Simpler, More Soulful Way of Living. It was a cool way for us to discuss how books have shaped us. I can go back and talk about the seasons I was in when I read these books.

Obligatory Food Picture on Thanksgiving

Ryan brought The Hobbit, or There and Back Again and Marin brought Corduroy.

It was a wonderful day full of family and too much food. I am so thankful for our families and our full bellies. 

This morning I tried to convince Marin that we could have a special treat...apple pie at ten in the morning and that we should watch Elf. But, she's crazy and didn't touch her pie and didn't want to watch Elf. Come on, kiddo. Jump on the day after Thanksgiving train! I just offered to let you eat dessert in the morning. Oh well....

Baby Sullivan | Week Twenty

We took a stroller ride so Mommy & Daddy could get some wine and beer. 

Holy cow, week twenty. It dawned on me today that in a few short weeks, our little dude will be 5 months old. Somehow we are already almost half way through our first year with Sullivan James. As I write this, he is on his play mat in the kitchen. He's screeching and making dinosaur sounds. He's becoming very aware of his surroundings lately and doesn't want to miss a thing. Marin is eating chicken nuggets and grapes like a boss. She could eat chicken nuggets every night for dinner and not blink an eye. We are waiting for Daddy to come home from work after what I am sure is a super crazy day because he works at a grocery store and it's only a few days before Thanksgiving. 

We are all slowly getting healthy around here. Sully had a rough night two nights ago and was up a lot. He was also running a little fever. Now though, he's back to his adorable, little, happy and content self. I was up at 2am this morning because I couldn't stop coughing. You know how when you get sick and the cough settles in for a while, then you get that gnarly tickle in your throat that seems to present itself at the least opportune times? That's where I reside currently. In an effort to not wake my sleeping husband, I went downstairs, made some tea with honey and watched some television until Sully woke up to eat in the early hours of the morning. Needless to say, I'm pretty tired today but I feel like I'm slowly getting over it. I have to sing a lot at church the next two weeks so I'm trying to take better care of myself. 

I'm pretty sure Sullivan is already teething because he has been a slobbery mess lately and gnaws on everything he can get his hands on. Marin was super late getting teeth...almost one year old. I never had to nurse her with teeth. I believe that Sullivan will get them earlier than that and he will probably be a little biter. So much fun is to be had. Oh boy! I think we are going to wait a little while to start introducing solids and take more of the baby-weaning approach verses the rice cereal and baby purees. He's already super interested in food and watches you like a hawk whenever you are eating pretty much anything. I have no doubt in my mind that he will be a great eater. He already is which is probably why he is such a big dude. 

Marin loves her little Christmas tree in her room. 

We started setting up Christmas decorations on Monday when we were all off from work. I know....I know. It's not even Thanksgiving yet but I don't care one bit. I want those twinkly lights glowing in my living room for as long as I can before I start getting into crazy Christmas lady territory. We are making plans to see the Zoo Lights in Denver and meet Santa Claus. I also want to go look at Christmas lights and drink hot chocolate and drive around in the new mom mobile, which I am loving. Seriously, I almost hate to admit how much I love the mom van again. It feels right at this season in our lives. Just like our little home does too. I just feel the need to put roots down where we are for a while lately. This season always causes me to feel that way. 

That bouncer is pretty much the only way I ever got ready for the day or went to the bathroom with Marin. It has returned. 

I'm looking forward to Thanksgiving and spending time with family. We are starting a new tradition of cinnamon rolls and bacon for breakfast on Thanksgiving. Then, we are heading to the Hollen's for lots of yummy food and time spent with family. I want to soak it all in, as best I can. 

Week Twenty. 

Marin at Week Twenty. 

Thanksgiving | 2015

I went far more off the grid this year for Thanksgiving than I have in years past. I purposely didn't lug my big DSLR over to the Hollen's house. I tried to keep my phone in my bag during the meal. The photo above is the only one I took all morning while we were at home, looking at the snow and getting ready to eat donuts. I wanted to soak it all in without the distraction of getting the shot of the table settings, even though it was beautiful as always, and the smorgasbord of delicious food covering all open counter space in the kitchen. 

I wanted to rest, to recharge. To soak it all in. 

We made cranberry brie bites. I made homemade cranberry sauce from our Bountiful Baskets haul. (Which, sidetone, I love BB and I am pretty obsessed with them.) We made the cliche but always needed green bean casserole. We consumed turkey, veggies, corn casserole, potatoes, carrots, rolls, lefse, the list goes on and on. 

Marin didn't nap all day. We tried in the morning before we headed over for festivities: nothing. We tried after the meal...nothing. Needless to say, our tired little girl was zonked out in bed by 6:30pm Thanksgiving night. 

We ate too much. The turkey coma commenced. It snowed all day. 

I couldn't help but be thankful for everything in our lives. We are healthy. We have a warm home that is filled with things, some of which we probably don't need. Our fridge and cupboards have food to nourish our bodies. Our bank account isn't in the red. We are able to pay are bills on time. We get to spend every day raising up an amazing little girl that surprises us all of the time with the knowledge that she already has. We have good jobs. I can actually say that I love my job. I am thankful for good coffee and quiet mornings. We have an awesome church community that has been hit hard in the past week due to the death of a young boy. I am thankful for people that are willing and able to band together to live through the tough times, the hard times, the devastating times. 

I am thankful that we were able to slow down, even for a day. May I be ever aware of the pace of our lives. 

Baby Marin | Week Forty

Week forty. Only twelve more weeks until our little girl is one years old. I can hardly believe it. 

This week, Marin experienced her very first Thanksgiving. Both sides of our family went to my parent's home, stuffed ourselves with delicious food, and passed two adorable babies around through out the festivities. Marin loved the sweet potatoes. She wasn't too keen on a few other things on her spoon but we are working on it. 

Marin wore the first dress that my mom made for her, along with the matching hat. The hat isn't finished yet so it was awfully big on her but still adorable. 

  

I couldn't help but think about how different this year is compared to this time last year. Last year, I was very pregnant and very curious about our little girl. I was very uncomfortable most of the time and very anxious. This year, we spent the day with our little girl and I was able to enjoy some wine. We are yet again surrounded by family but have added to little ones to the mix. So much has changed in a year. So much. 

Baby Marin. Week Forty. 

#BeThankful

I am so thankful for......

Family. Seeing life through the eyes of a child. Marin's milestones. Marriage. True Love. A roof over our heads. Heat. Food on our tables. Money to pay our bills. The Word. Baby smiles. Exploring the world. Cat cuddles. Steaming hot cups of coffee. Good food. Good company. The Creative. The church. Our jobs. Learning how to be a mom. Our side jobs. Good books. Clothes on our backs. Shoes on our feet. Clean water. Our home. The holidays. Community. Jesus. Early mornings. Late nights. Good wine. The Kingdom. Music. New friends. Songwriting. Afternoon walks.Old friends. Parenting together. Childhood wonder. Learning day by day how to be a mom and still be an artist. 

 

I'm thankful for....

The past that taught us so much, the present in which we live, and the future that we look forward to. 

A day late, but.... Happy Thanksgiving.

Thanksgiving 2013 (Better Late Than Never)

It's officially Christmas Eve and I'm just now blogging about Thanksgiving. I think that little fact is a great representation of how insanely fast this season has flown by and how preoccupied I have been with being pregnant over the holidays. My mind is in about a million places at any given time. But, even in the midst of the chaos, I know once thing for certain: We have been blessed with amazing families and the fact that we are bringing a child into that family is very comforting and exciting. 

One of my goals for the New Year should be to take more pictures of Ryan and myself. We are always on the other side of the camera. Always. 

Happy Thanksgiving (On Christmas Eve)!

Better late than never. Right? 

Thanksgiving 2012

I want to keep this short and sweet. Simple words. 

I am so thankful for my husband, my family, my health, my job, and all of the wonderful people I have the amazing opportunity to live life with. I am thankful for my freedom, for being able to play music, for being able to pick up a camera. I am thankful for what has been, what we are living now, and the future in front of us-- whatever it may hold. 

So, so thankful. I am also so, so full. 

Contribution #1: Sweet Potato & Acorn Squash 

Contribution #2: Green Bean Casserole (The only time of the year I eat this delicious dish.) 

So much food.

Amazing pies by our sister-in-law. The mini ones were my favorite. 

 I have spent the day decorating for Christmas, wrapping presents, listening to She & Him, and trying to fix our garbage disposal. 

All in a days work. I've got to work off all that I consumed yesterday somehow.