snapshots | this fall

Today... I wrapped my Operation Christmas Child shoebox with the cutest Peanuts paper (dollar store buy!!)

And I got started on an extra job that I get to do from home for the next couple of weeks! Thankful that God provides!

Last weekend... celebrated this girl's 3rd birthday! She got a bit embarrassed when we all sang "happy birthday" to her... LOVE that little face!! 

Couple of weeks ago... I got a brand new camera! I am SO thankful for it!! And I got cozy new slippers too!! :)

At the end of October... my mom, sister & I went to Denver for a overnight trip. The leaves were especially beautiful up there! Sadly, it was before I got my new camera, so all I have is these phone shots... But still so pretty!

Our trip to Denver was actually to see Switchfoot! YAY!! We got to see their movie "Fading West" & then a concert... It was an amazing night! Their new CD comes out in December & I have really been looking forward to it... Their new song, "Love Alone is Worth the Fight" is so great!! Have you heard it?? 

Recently... I found cute washi tapes at JoAnn's & I have been inspired by calligraphy (that is my attempt...)!

Last month... I bought my sister a Diamond Candle for her birthday! So fun & the soy candle smells lovely!

Early fall... on an adventure to the nature center, before all the leaves fell off the trees!

While I was without my DSLR... I shot a couple of rolls of film. The first one didn't turn out right & the second I have not developed yet. I am definitely out of practice shooting with film, but I love that old camera!

Lately... enjoying spiced chai tea & beautiful autumn sunsets.

This has been a lovely fall so far, I can hardly believe that it is already coming to an end.

The trees are mostly bare now & the weather is getting colder.

It's okay though, because I am definitely feeling ready for the Christmas season!!

august recap, in snapshots...

August was a busy month. It got away from me & I didn't blog much... so this is kind of a "catch-up" post, with a collection of snapshots from my phone..... So, here we go!!!

In August... my church had it's VBS! My sister & I taught the 1st & 2nd Grade class, like we do every year. We had a great group of kids! And it was a crazy & fun week, like it is every year! This year, we had the kids give their offering money to Compassion International, which made me so happy, because it is such an amazing Christian organization. 

I took a group photo of the kids in my class to send the the little girl that I sponsor through Compassion, because she is the same age as the kids that were in my class!! So fun!!

In August... I worked very little on my chevorn crochet blanket... I am still hoping to have it done by fall/winter. Fall is just around the corner, so I don't know if I will make it in time. Everyday has still been in the 90s, so it has been hard for me to get in the mood to crochet & knit. However, now that August is over, I am feeling it more & more... Bring on the cooler weather!!!

In August... I began reading One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp. I have not finished it yet, because lately I have found it hard to sit down and read... but so far it has really impressed me. I have highlighted a lot! I love the idea of it... being intentionally thankful, everyday, even for small things. True joy comes from taking time to give thanks to God for all that He gives, because He gives SO much!!!

In August... I got a great deal on a new laptop. So exciting!! It has been very helpful for editing a lot of photos that I have been taking recently. I have been editing family photos, engagement photos & plenty of other summer-y photos that I have taken lately. Plus, I have had a couple of other little jobs that it has really helped out with... It is much better than my old desktop. I am so thankful to have it!

In August... I have begun to "teach" myself to play the piano. I really have no clue what I am doing, but I have actually learned a few things & have gotten a bit better just in the last couple of weeks, with the help of a couple of library books & practice! This all started because my mom bought a beautiful antique piano from a thrift shop, that she had been eyeing for a while. It is amazing & it has turned out to be an amazing purchase! My whole family loves it!

In August... I have been enjoying the peak of peach season. Peaches are probably my favorite fruit. 

My go-to breakfast lately has been a sliced Colorado peach with an egg sandwich, simple & perfect.

There have also been peach pies, peach crisp, peach coffee cake... I really can't get enough of peaches!!

In August... I went to the Colorado State Fair. For a few hours in the morning & than a few more at night, I worked with members of my church to give out free water, Bibles & to share about God. It went well, however, it felt like the hottest, longest day of the summer to me. I am not a big fan of the fair anymore, it feels so commercial & everything is so expensive. I still really love the horses though! :)

In August... I went to two Rockies games!! The first game was their "Faith Day" game. After the game there was a concert from David Crowder, which was great! He has always been a favorite of mine!
The other game was for my brother's birthday... It was especially exciting to go to this game, because Todd Helton, who has been with the Rockies for his whole career, was expected to get his 2500th hit!! There was so much excited throughout the whole game, just because of that. Sadly, he didn't get the hit & it was a terrible game... BUT because my sister & I wore our "Helton" shirts to root for him, we were noticed by one of the announcers and she interviewed me & I was on TV.... I still can't believe it!! I feel a little embarrassed by it all, but it was fun too. And Todd got his 2500th hit the next day, so I watched it on TV!

And, after all of that... we have finally reached September! YAY!! I am so happy it is September!

We started off this new month by going to the Hot Air Balloon Festival, which we do every year on Labor Day weekend! It is always one of my favorite traditions! Of course, I have several more balloon photos to share later!

Well, now I am all caught up! Thankful for a so many great times in August & thankful for a new month!

I know I am a bit late, but I hope you all had a lovely August as well!

thankful snapshots from lately...

Thankful for the summer sky. //  These shots were both taken on the same day, one in the morning, one in the evening. There is just something so special about sitting outside & looking up into the heavens... and I am convinced that the Colorado sky is the best!  :)

Thankful for light blue nail polish & watermelon.  //  I have been eating a lot of watermelon this summer!

Thankful for white adirondack chairs.  //  Over the last few weeks I have worked on painting a couple of adirondack chairs white. Getting the paint in between all of the wood was harder than I thought & they required two coats, but in the end, all the work was worth it. They are so cute! I am so excited that I have an adirondack chair now!!

Thankful for painting with watercolors.  //  Over the past couple of weeks, I have had so much fun playing around with watercolors. The set that I got was cheap, but I love all of the colors. So far, I have really loved how my little paintings have turned out. I am hoping to keep this up & paint more butterflies & flowers!! 

Thankful for musicals & flowers.  //  My local art center put on Oklahoma as their annual summer musical & I got to go see it! I SO love seeing musicals & plays. My grandpa wanted to go for his birthday, so we all got to enjoy it. There was an orchestra & the actors/singers did so great. It was a really fun time! PS. Those black-eyed Susans were all over in the art center parking lot. Loved seeing them all bunched up together like that!

Thankful for a new turquoise ring & for favorite snack/tv show time.  //  I had been looking around for the perfect turquoise ring for a little while and I found this one while in Manitou a couple of weeks ago. Just what I wanted. So happy that I got it!

Thankful for homemade strawberry ice cream & for a post-rain summer sunset.  //  Life is beautiful. GOD is GOOD!!

4th of july + more from lately...

A few things...

1. On the 4th we had our usual family BBQ... lots of great food & fun! I think the highlight of the day was when my little cousin, who is 2 and a half, tried to start a water fight by spraying my mom & grandma with the hose!! We all of a sudden heard screams & laughter, looked out on the deck & little Ren had a smile on her face & the hose in her hands. It took my mom & grandma completely by surprise. Such a silly girl! Due to the drought & fires in my area, all fireworks were banned... but we were able to go watch the "big fireworks" put on for the community. Overall, it was a great day!

2. I think, my favorite thing about summer time is spending mornings on the deck! I love to be out there when there is still shade covering the swing, before it starts getting hot. The birds are always singing & the morning air always feels so refreshing!! It is a perfect way to start the day.

3. Another favorite thing about summer is wearing sandals. This summer I have been adding to my collection... Haha! 

I found such a great pair at Old Navy (the tan/yellow & tan/black ones pictured above). I love the way the straps cross over & they are super comfortable. When you find sandals that you love, you have to buy more than one pair!

4. I have an amazing chocolate cookie recipe to share soon. Best. Chocolate. Cookies. Ever!!

5. Currently I am doing Priscilla Shirer's Bible study on Gideon. This is the first study I have ever done of hers and so far it is great! I have underlined a lot! I really loved the simple quote that she shared, "A change in focus changes everything." Our situations always get better when we shift our focus from ourselves to Him. There are other things that I have really loved that I will probably share more of later! 

6. Last weekend, I had a "popcorn & root beer float night" with my family! That always takes me back to when my brother, sister & I were kids & we would have movie nights with my grandma! Those times with my grandma are priceless memories now that she is gone. And every time we have a movie night now, we always attempt to make the popcorn how she did & we eat way too many sweets... I love those happy memories!

7. Last week, I went to lunch with my mom, after her doctors apt. We went to one of her favorite places (near where she works). It is called Marigold's. They have a Spinach Salmon Salad that my mom always gets. She knew I would love it, because it has all of my favorite things... Spinach & salmon, of course, with feta cheese, bacon, sun-dried tomatoes, & mushrooms. It was possibly the best salad ever!! My mom got their Crab Cake Salad... I gave her half of my salmon & she gave me one of her crab cakes. It was all so good! Marigold's is also a bakery, with a display window of beautiful desserts. So we had to get some of those to take home... their carrot cake is the best! If you are ever in Colorado Springs, CO... Marigold's is a good place to check out! 

8. Summer evenings are great for playing cards on the front porch until it gets dark! 

And for big, bright rainbows after a summer storm! Thankfully, we have gotten a bit more rain lately!

For great is your love, reaching to the heavens;your faithfulness reaches to the skies.

Be exalted, O God, above the heavens;let your glory be over all the earth.

Psalm 57:10-11

So thankful for all of the little blessings in life.

Thank You Jesus!! :)

thankful snapshots // life lately

It has been a while since I have blogged. Life has felt overwhelming. 

I have a lot of photos, recipes and words that I have wanted to share lately.

However, I just haven't felt much like sitting down to blog. 

Even though I haven't blogged much, life has gone on... with all of it's ups & downs.

Lately, there have been a few disappointments. Plans have fallen through. 

Sometimes life takes unexpected and unwelcome turns. It happens to us all.

Last week, my mom had her surgery. 

And lately, extreme fires have been burning all around Colorado, destroying so much. 

There are difficult things all around. But there are also things to be thankful for!

I am thankful that my mom's surgery went really well.

I am thankful for the love & prayers from people all around us.

I am thankful for beautiful flowers that bring colorful joy, even if it's only for a moment.

And mostly, I am thankful for the gift of peace that this world cannot give...

“I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart.
And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give.
So don’t be troubled or afraid."

John 14:27

The LORD has truly given me that peace. 

Truly knowing Jesus, means having the Holy Spirit within you.

And having the Holy Spirit means that you can have perfect peace right when you call upon Him.

This world gives a little bit of "happiness" and a whole lot of worries and fears... 

But peace is a gift the world cannot give. It only comes from Jesus.