a very thankful weekend

what could be better than spending a lovely weekend at home with family and friends, giving thanks and partaking in tradition? that is how we spent our holiday weekend. unfortunately it was dampened a bit by the fact that stephan, kyle and i were sick. it wasn't going to stop us. i packed a large ziplock full of any and all possible medicine we could need to make us as comfortable as possible, and off we went.


on thanksgiving we went to colorado springs. we dined and gave much thanks surrounded by some of our favorite people.
i didn't capture as many moments from the day as i should have, i blame it on the distraction of all the food.

stephan and i joined forces and made pumpkin pies. i made the crust and he made the filling. delish!

i snagged this cutie long enough to get a picture with him. 

on friday we continued our yearly tradition of cutting down our christmas tree in the beautiful colorado forest. we go with a large group of friends from our ward. everyone packs lots of yummy food and shares. after we take photos with smokey the bear we seek a good spot in the mountains, park our cars and unload the food. then with full bellies and high hopes for the perfect tree, we set out on our tree quest.

i think he is contemplating whether we found the perfect tree or if we should hike further...

all credit goes to the boys. they scouted out our tree this year, and found us a delightful one.

i tried to get them to pose for a few pictures. the older boys were great about doing it, the younger ones...not so much. they didn't like having to hold still and be patient with mom and her camera. it's evident by the look on their faces.

despite the fact that i was feeling downright miserable at this point, it was a lovely day. i am so thankful to have this wonderful tradition. it adds greatly to the joy of our holiday season!

style spotlight: j. crew

i am always DAZZLED by j. crew. the color, the styling, the fit, the timeless quality with a
enough of an edge. it's just smart fashion.
i know at any given moment i can walk into a j. crew store and be instantly inspired. it is magical.

chunky, gem-laden jewels.

 luxurious velvet paired with denim.

 sequins mixed with basics. genius.

bold, graphic patterns used with ladylike, classic cuts.

playful knits.

clean, crisp and brilliantly bold.

they always have the best extras. case in point these fabulous cards.

 throwback glamour, ala grace kelley!

 interesting shape and color combinations.

again, the color combinations are always spot on. it makes you think outside of the box.

i have been lusting after this french hen sweater from the time i spotted it in the catalog.

almost every season of j. crew fashions has some element of leopard. one of my favorite prints.

this necklace. the bubble necklace. quickly elevated to iconic status and much copied.

i can't say enough about the mix of color, pattern, fabric, and accessory. oh j. crew, you do impress!

october happenings...4th annual halloween party

the 4th annual cherry halloween party was a smash! this year we decided to mix it up a bit and instead of dressing up in costumes, you were to come in the ugliest outfit. FUN! and nobody disappointed. we had some terrifically ugly outfits!

proof....

 (notice how ben and kyle were in ugly ensembles too. they got quite a few votes to win)

and the winners...

we played fun games...

this picture of kyle is blurry, yes, but fabulous. he did what three other (much taller men) couldn't do. jump quite high to reach this prize donut. 

and we ate yummy food (unfortuately i did get the other good eats in a picture)...

isn't this cake amazing?! stacey is simply the best!

october happenings....temple sealing

in october a most special, long-awaited event took place. our family was sealed in the Denver, CO temple.
there are no words to adequately capture how special and sacred it was. i will just say that it was beautiful.

here are some moments from that day....

we loved having friends and family there to share the day with us...

*photo credit to jandi for 2, 3, 8

september happenings....

september was a joyous month indeed! the biggest event being that kyle moved back to colorado. here is the lowdown...


i attended time out for women...

 the group of ladies i attended with this year

favorite presenters:

virginia h. pearce

jenny oaks baker

mercy river

sara wells & kate jones authors of our best bites

the event was at the denver convention center. home to this amazing bear statue. i have loved this bear from the time i first laid eyes on him. i had to have my photo with him...

 

my mom came to visit....

it was a low key visit, but we did enjoy some yummy eats while she was here. i love our time together and i am so thankful she makes the effort to visit every three months or so.

kyle moved back to colorado!!!

oh the joy this event brought my heart! it was a long road there, but he is back in our home and we couldn't be happier. not only do i love him with all my heart (of course, i am his mother), but i genuinely love hanging out with him. love you kyle!