Merry Christmas

From my family to yours, Merry Christmas!

We hope you have plenty of reasons to be grateful this holiday.

Among all the distractions the holiday may bring...

may we remember to be the light in another's life.

Merry Christmas!

Happy Winter!

reading right now I'm in the middle of reading The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey. I've been enjoying it so far. Sadly, I haven't been in the reading mood the past few months. I blame part of that on the pregnancy hormones and first trimester nausea. Thank goodness that part is long over.

writing lists of things we still need to buy before the baby arrives.

listening wow, I've been very bad about listening to and finding new music lately. There's something about being pregnant that has me less interested in reading and music. I'm up for hearing new music if anyone has suggestions.

thinking it doesn't feel a thing like winter here in Florida, and I don't really like that.

smelling the scent of my Scentsy Festival of Trees fragrance. Yum!

wishing that we could be with family for Christmas, but I'm thrilled that my husband actually has Christmas day off of work. I won't have to spend it alone. That rarely happens!

hoping that we get cooler temperatures in Florida. The air conditioner has been running, and it's been much more hot/humid than I'd like for Christmas.

wearing a comfy thermal top I got from Target and some black leggings.

loving how we were able to visit with friends and family in Michigan and Colorado over the past couple of months.

wanting to tear into some of those presents under our tree. Is that bad? : )

needing to take some pregnancy classes soon!

feeling blessed. We may not have everything, but we have plenty of things we need.

clicking not much lately. I've had a very long blog absence recently, and I still don't spend a whole lot of time clicking around unless it involves baby stuff. 

just a little something to

listen to on this Sunday:

* If you missed previous editions of The Sunday Currently, you can see them all here

Cozy Christmas Morning

After quite a long absence from blogging, I've been craving getting back into it. Even if it probably will be slowly. I'm sure I won't be devoting as much time to this blog as I used to, but it would be nice to share some of the happenings around here every now and then. Earlier today I mentioned the news of a baby on the way. My husband and I are so excited!

I took this picture while visiting Michigan in December a few years ago

I can't believe that Christmas is already less than a week away. If there's one time of year I love the most, it just might be Christmas. The Florida weather has taken some of that excitement away, since it's warm enough outside to wear flip flops, but this balmy weather can't take away the joy of Christmas. No way.

This week's Friday's Fancies theme on Long Distance Loving just so

happened to be cozy Christmas, and I couldn't help myself.

All I'd love to do on Christmas morning is wear some cozy pajamas with warm fuzzy slippers and sip coffee next to the tree and a roaring fire. That sounds like a pretty cozy Christmas morning to me. How about you? What does your perfect Christmas morning look like?

thanks for viewing

We're Having a Baby!

It's been a while since I've posted anything on this here blog. For any readers who don't follow me on Twitter or Instagram, I did reveal some big news that we're expecting a baby in April.

Awaiting the arrival of our little guy!

Aside from expecting a baby, we've been doing quite a bit of traveling to see family before the doctor gave me a cutoff date for no more travels. I already had two baby showers, one in Colorado, and the other in Michigan. I'm thrilled to know how many people already love and care about our little man.

We've also been getting ready for Christmas, and we're trying to get our packages delivered on time. It's looking a little bit like Christmas around here, but the weather in Florida doesn't seem to want to cooperate. I'm guessing we'll have temperatures in the 70s for Christmas. Not exactly the ideal Christmas weather for this northern Michigan girl. My husband would love a little snow too, but it's just not going to happen this year. Next year maybe we'll head somewhere cooler with the little one. Wow, we'll have a baby next Christmas! It's hard to believe.

Denver | Alive with Creativity and Beauty

It's no secret that I love Colorado and that Denver is one of my favorite cities. Years ago I moved to Colorado after college and even met my husband there. I even worked in Denver for a couple of years, and I just love to share all the great things about Denver that deserve praise. I've visited a lot of cities in this country, and Denver has plenty to offer for a city its size. The amount of art and creativity in the city never ceases to amaze me.

{ you'll find this area of Denver after walking down 16th St. all the way to Little Raven St. }

Sure there are people who think the "flyover states" have nothing to offer, but comparing totally different cities is about as productive as comparing apples to oranges. Denver has an identity all its own, and that's a good thing. I don't know many (or any) other cities where you can enjoy a baseball game while viewing a mountain range in the distance. I also love how Denver allows you to visit a brewery, sporting event, museum, and concert all within minutes of each other. Plus, did I mention that mountain view?

{ there aren't many stadiums with views like this... and just look at that sunset }

This past May I spent a couple of weeks in Colorado and wandered the city of Denver with a good friend who I met while working at an architecture firm downtown. My friend, Laura, and I share many of the same interests. For instance, we both enjoy architecture, design, art, museums, food, and good beer. It's without saying that we had a really great time exploring Denver together.

{ yellow room at the Clyfford Still Museum }

Laura and I started the day learning about the artist Clyfford Still at his museum. We ate at one of our old favorite restaurants, The Market, and we spent some time reminiscing many of the fun things we did during our time working downtown together. Our day in Denver together was just what the doctor ordered. We managed to fill the day with an abundance of art, photographs, food, and just appreciating one of our favorite cities.

{ the "I See What You Mean" bear sculpture outside the convention center }

After a long day in downtown Denver, my friend and I came across these amazing street performers while walking back to the bus stop. These particular musicians had amassed quite a large crowd of bystanders on the pedestrian mall. We couldn't help but stop and listen to their energetic music. The band consisted of three men. Collectively they played a washboard, banjo, kazoo, and violin. It was spectacular. Watch for yourself.

{ does anyone in Denver know the name of their band... I forgot their name }

The lively music was the perfect ending to our day exploring Denver. The city has always made me feel alive. Every time I visit Denver I discover something new and exciting. Even my old favorite destinations still fulfill me. It's satisfying to visit a city that's changing at a breakneck pace, yet all at the same time feel that some things never change. Denver does both rather well.

Have you ever been to Denver?

What are some things you love about your favorite city?

Stars & Stripes

Hopefully you had a fun & safe 4th of July yesterday. The fun doesn't have to end just because the holiday has passed us by though. Stars and stripes don't necessarily go out of style. Heck, navy and white are classic colors that can be worn most of the year. So let's celebrate our country and summertime with some red, white, and blue fashion. Bring on the stars and stripes!

striped tank  |  wedge heels  |  skinny jeans  |  bracelet  |  earrings  |  star tee  |  purse

Do you have any fun plans for the weekend? We're going to enjoy some time with friends, and hopefully that includes plenty of grilled foods. Now if only that star top could make its way into my closet before the weekend. I could use some clothing with a pep in its step! Couldn't we all?

Happy Weekend!

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now go link up with {av}
at Long Distance Loving

Red, White, and Blue

Happy 4th of July! I hope you're doing something fun and festive today. If not, that's fine too... because I'm totally just relaxing at home while my husband flies around to who knows where this evening for work. It's not always fun being home alone on a holiday (thank goodness it's not Christmas, although I've been alone then too), but this alone time did give me plenty of time to play around on the internet. Naturally I wasted tons of time online putting together a festive collage featuring some pretty home decor that I can't afford. While the husband's away, the wife shall play.... on the internet.

modern red, white, and blue room

I don't know about you, but I often find myself wanting to change our decor. Now if only I could strike it rich playing the lottery, then maybe I could finally afford some of these expensive pretty things I daydream about... oh, to dream.

Happy 4th of July

What's In My Beach Bag

Packing a beach bag is simple, but there are a few items I cannot live without for the day. Living in Florida allows us to enjoy summer just about all year long, so I've really honed my beach bag packing skills since moving here. Sometimes we take a car full of stuff to the beach for long days, but I do have a few essential items that are must haves no matter what.

... my must have beach bag items ...

1. gold sandals  2. cat eye sunglasses  3. iphone case

4. sunscreen  5. spf lip balm  6. baseball cap

7. straw bag  8. striped beach towel

I spent my summers swimming and playing in the lake where I grew up in northern Michigan. Over the years, I experienced my fair share of bad sunburns. Today, I'm aware of my increased risk of skin cancer due to those sunburns. That scares the heck out of me, so I rarely (almost never) set foot outside in the sun without skin protection these days. Sunscreen, sunglasses, and lip balm with sun protection are all non-negotiable items when it comes to packing my beach bag. A hat helps keep the sun from my already prematurely aged skin. Even though I've had a lot of bad sunburns, today I'm much more proactive when it comes to my skin.

walking along the shore of the Atlantic on South Beach in Miami

Oh, and I always bring along my iPhone for impromptu pictures on the beautiful beach!

I just know that Tory Burch flamingo case would look perfect in my hand

while enjoying the sound of crashing waves. :)

. . : . : . What's in your beach bag? . : . : . .

thanks for viewing

now go link up with {av}
at Long Distance Loving

Dushanbe Tea House | Boulder, CO

Boulder, Colorado is full of great restaurants, but there's one place in town where you'll get a unique experience you won't find anywhere else. That place would be the Dushanbe Tea House. Not only is the tea selection remarkable, but the food and architectural details of the building will blow you away too.

exterior of the tea house

The city of Dushanbe in Tajikistan, Boulder's sister city, gave the tea house as a gift to Boulder. Artists from Tajikistan hand carved the ceilings and columns without the use of power tools. When seeing the creation in person, you can't help but be amazed. Visiting the Dushanbe Tea House is one experience you shouldn't miss when visiting Boulder.

My cousin and my friend Laura, who I spent the weekend in Boulder with, joined me for brunch and tea at the Boulder Dushanbe Tea House. I had been looking forward to visiting the tea house for weeks. There is an extensive tea selection, and I'm no tea connoisseur, but I do enjoy a good cup of tea every now and then. We had a really nice pot of oolong tea while we enjoyed our meal.

pour me some tea, please

Boulder's sister city of Dushanbe gave the tea house to Boulder as a gift. The ceiling and columns were carved by artisans in Tajikistan, and no two columns are alike. Just sitting inside the tea house and taking in the sights is a great way to pass some time. Sitting inside the tea house while gazing at hand carved columns and ceilings is enough to inspire even the least artistically inclined.

interior carvings on columns and ceilings

Aside from the tea, we all enjoyed a wonderful meal from the brunch menu. You really couldn't go wrong with any of the menu items, and we all thoroughly enjoyed our meals. The silence after the food arrived spoke for itself. I enjoyed every single bite of my omelette, potatoes, and biscuit.

chives!

If you are in or visiting Boulder, do yourself a favor and make a trip to the Dushanbe Tea House. You won't regret it. Even if you don't like tea, there are so many other things you will enjoy while there.

Black & Gold Accessory Love

Lately I've been on a bit of a black and gold kick. Years ago, I never would have been caught dead wearing gold jewelry, and somewhere along the lines I obviously had a change of heart. These days it seems I've been slightly favoring gold over silver, and I guess that's okay. Change is inevitable, right?

top : target  |  jeans : h&m  |  necklace : windsor  | shoes : target

{ left to right }  old from forever 21 (similar)  |  handmade by me  |  baublebar

I especially love how gold really pops with a black accent near it. For the longest time I'd wanted the House of Harlow 5 Station necklace, but the price tag wasn't very appealing. When I found a knockoff at Windsor for about $10, I knew I had to have it. It's going to be a go-to necklace this summer.

How about you.... do you like gold jewelry?

Let's Pretend It's Sunday

Hey friends! Can we just pretend that I didn't forget to write and schedule my Sunday Currently post yesterday. Or maybe we can just pretend that today is Sunday. Then we'll skip right over Monday and move on to Tuesday tomorrow. Okay? Good.

wearing one of the bracelets I made this week

reading still nothing. This is one of the longest breaks from reading I think I've had in a long time. I really need to get my hands on a new book soon. It's been far too long.

writing nothing much. I guess I've been so busy painting and making bracelets that I've been neglecting other creative outlets.

listening to an episode of Modern Family playing on the television. My husband just had a root canal, and he's lounging on the couch and relaxing right now. Poor guy.

thinking that I'm hungry and need to eat something for lunch!

smelling my Flowerbomb perfume wafting through the air around me. Love that smell.

wishing for a trip to the beach soon. We really don't get there often enough.

hoping that Florida temperatures and humidity stay as low as possible. Maybe Orlando is cooler than Tampa, because summer has scared me as much as it used to...

wearing (see photo above) H&M skinny zipper ankle jeans, black tank and a grey dolman sleeve top from Target, and one of the bracelets that I made.

loving that we have a trip to Michigan coming up this summer. I can't wait to spend time on the water and hopefully take another trip to Mackinac Island too.

wanting food to magically appear in our refrigerator so I don't have to visit the grocery store this week. Ha. Wishful thinking.

needing to make a trip to the grocery store. Ugh.

feeling seriously amazing that we just watched Nik Wallenda cross the Grand Canyon on a tightrope wire last night. Wow. Just wow.

clicking through some gorgeous dresses on Rent the Runway. I've been wanting to rent one of their beautiful dresses for a while now, but we don't really have any upcoming occasions that would call for a special outfit. Darn.

* If you missed previous editions of The Sunday Currently, you can see them all here

Now link up your edition of The Sunday Currently with Lauren

Summer 2013 Wish List

Let's ring in the first day of summer with a seasonally inspired wish list. Why not, right? The past couple of months have found me doing very little blogging, and I'm hoping to get back into the swing of things. What better way to get back into regular blogging than by dreaming up a fun summer wish list for Long Distance Loving's Friday's Fancies?

photo taken during our recent trip to Miami

Summertime has been a hot-button subject around here the past couple of years. Mainly, my husband and I have had a tough time adjusting to the summer heat and humidity in Florida. I'm cautiously optimistic, but this year we aren't dreading the summer season as badly as the past couple of years. I really hope we continue in this positive direction, because summer lasts a really long time in Florida. Let's see how we're faring come August. On to my summer wish list shall we...

{ clockwise from top }

Michael Kors Jemma aviators

C Wonder iphone case
Sun Bum sunscreen

Rebecca Minkoff Mini M.A.C. handbag
Sam Edelman Gigi sandal
Hipanema beach bracelet

Summer in Florida deserves some colorful and fun accessories, and it also requires some stylish sunglasses for all the sunny days we get. I'd be happy to get my hands on any of these summer wish list items. What about you.... what's on your summer wish list?

Oh, and to really set the mood for summer:

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now go link up with {av}
at Long Distance Loving

Denver Hyatt Regency : Fun in an Elevator

The Hyatt Regency in downtown Denver is full of surprises. You might even find a cow in an elevator during your stay. You're probably wondering how the heck a cow can fit into an elevator, but it can. Me and this cow even had a little stare down while headed to our, me and my husband's... not me and the cow's, room on the 13th floor. Most hotels don't use the number 13 for a floor, but the Hyatt Regency in downtown Denver does. We stayed on the 13th floor and lived to tell the story. Don't worry, the cow made it out alive too. I can't say the same for the ones we drove by in the eastern Colorado feed lots though. Sad.

The elevator videos are one of the things I always look forward to while visiting, or staying at, the Hyatt Regency in Denver. I was sad to discover that many of the elevator screens weren't working during our stay, but we did stumble onto a couple of different elevator cars that had working screens. I suppose if you were afraid of elevators, a nice calm country scene, or a cow in your face, might ease your fears a little. If not, at least it provides a little bit of entertainment.

My husband didn't want his picture with the quiet country scenery,

but I made him pose next to it anyways. I'm such a nice wife. Ha. ha.

- -- - -- - -- - -- - -- -

Speaking of being a nice wife, I also made my husband pose with me for a couple photos in these same elevators on our wedding day! We even smooched in one of the elevators. Don't tell anyone, okay?

photos by Alison Rose Photography in Denver

Who knew elevators could be so much fun?!

Avery Brewing Company | Boulder, CO

During my Colorado visit, I managed to squeeze in a brewery visit and tour. It pays to know people in the brewing business. My friend Laura's brother just so happens to work for Avery Brewing Company in Boulder. He was kind enough to give us a private tour of the brewing facilities after work. Beer tasting was involved as well.

Avery brews some really great tasting beers. I wish I would have written down the names of all the ones we tasted. Every single one of them was great! I especially enjoyed a beer named Trogdor : The Burninator. It's described as a "gently-smoked German-style Doppelbock, and it was tasty.

The beer name "Trogdor : The Burninator" had me laughing though, because in college I remember watching an animated Homestar Runner video about Trogdor the dragon. You can watch it here if you're interested in knowing why I was laughing over this beer name. I couldn't help but sing a little Trogdor tune in my head while drinking that beer.

After tasting some of the delicious Avery brews, we got our private tour of the brewery. The whole brewing process always amazes me. I guess that's the love of chemistry that comes out in me every time I get around a brewery. The fact that raw ingredients, like hops, grain, and barley, go through a process that ends in beer is incredible to me. One of these days I swear we'll start home-brewing.

My friend Laura's brother didn't let us leave empty handed. He sent us off with some bombers of Avery beer. Spending time with my friend at a great Colorado brewery, getting a private tour, and leaving with free beer didn't make me miss Colorado any less. I guess it's a good thing we can get our hands on some Avery beer in Florida, but we'll have to make special trips to the Avery Brewing tasting room to try special beers like Trogdor or Eremita.

If you live in Colorado, or the Boulder area, be sure to stop by Avery Brewing Company's tasting room for some great beer you won't find anywhere else. Or just pick some up at the store on your way home. Either way, don't miss out on their tasty beer!

Back to Reality & Where I've Been...

For those of you who don't follow me on Twitter or Instagram, you may have wondered what I've been doing the past few weeks. I have been absent from blogging for quite a while. I attempted to schedule a month worth of blog posts during Jenni's blog every day in May challenge, but I plum ran out of time before leaving for Colorado. I did my best, but I fell a couple weeks short. I wanted to enjoy every minute with family/friends while I was gone from home, so I put blogging on the back burner for quite a few days. I'm back now, and I'm glad to be here. Sorry this catch-up post is so long. Thanks for hanging with me through it.

{ beautiful Red Feather Lakes in Colorado }

Here's the condensed version of my trip:

Over the past few weeks, I flew off to Colorado and spent time with a good friend in Boulder. Then I stayed with my aunt and cousin until my mom flew in from Michigan. All of us, plus one of my aunt's friends, flew off to Santa Barbara, California. We stayed in a cute little town called Carpinteria, and we got to see my aunt graduate with her masters degree! I am so proud of her accomplishments. After that time in California, we flew back to Denver where I met up with my husband who was visiting friends in Colorado for a few days. That evening my husband and I stayed in downtown Denver at the same hotel we stayed at on our wedding night. We had a nice evening and enjoyed watching the sunset over the Rocky Mountains. The next morning we drove off to eastern Colorado to my husband's hometown. We spent time with his family and enjoyed country life. (If you follow me on Twitter & Instagram you probably saw some evidence of this already.) After a few days in eastern Colorado, we spent a couple nights at a cabin in the mountains with my husband's family. We really enjoyed getting away from it all. Then we met up with more of my husband's family for a delicious barbecue dinner at one of our favorite restaurants to visit while we're in Colorado! Yum. We stayed at a hotel near the airport before flying back to Florida bright and early the next day. Whew!

{ somewhere over the middle of America }

- -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- -

It was so nice spending time with family and friends. Although sometimes it's the weirdest thing moving away. You start feeling like a big of a foreigner in your own hometown. Your old stomping grounds begin to feel different as well. I noticed so many things that had changed in Denver. Some of my favorite places no longer existed, and that was a little sad to see. At the same time, I've changed too. Change is inevitable, and life just keeps on trucking at a breakneck pace. Funny how that happens even when you'd like it to slow down a bit. Going back home to the small town where you grew up is a nice change of pace though. Small towns don't change so quickly. I guess that comfort always exists. The familiar is comforting, but boy is the unknown exciting too.

ever evolving Denver

I had so much fun exploring a the Clyfford Still Museum and downtown Denver with my friend Laura. Sometimes I feel that I need city life to get my blood really pumping again. It's amazing how refreshing it can be to experience the energy of a lively city. Denver is no NYC, but it sure can hold its own on many fronts. Denver will always hold a soft spot in my heart. I've worked, played, and was engaged in that city. It's so special to me, and it's always great to get back there.

red room at the Clyfford Still Museum

Experiencing a new part of California was great too! It was amazing being able to travel all the way across the country to see my aunt graduate with her masters. We got to stay a few days and see a whole new part of the country to many of us. I also got to spend some time with my mom. No matter how old I get, I'll always love being with my mom. I even came home with a dress my mom bought me while shopping the neat surf stores in Carpinteria!

the beautiful beach and waves in Carpinteria

Flying back to Colorado was filled with excitement for me, because it meant being reunited with my husband after 10 days. That's the longest we'd been apart since he went off to training with his current airline a couple years ago. Wow! Time flies. I hate being apart for that long at a time. It made for a nice evening of catching up at one of our favorite spots in Denver though. We watched the sun go down over the mountains from the Peaks Lounge in the Hyatt Regency in downtown Denver.

check out Peaks Lounge for great views at sunset and dusk

Off to eastern Colorado we went the next morning. We spent time both sets of my husband's grandparents. What a blessing that they're all still around and able to visit! Don't take that for granted. None of my biological grandparents are alive, so it was amazing for me to see them all still here and mostly in great health. Wow.

visited grandparents in Nebraska

We also had some play time at my father in law's house. I learned to load and shoot a shotgun, and we even shot some clay pigeons. That was something I had been wanting to do for a while, and I'm proud to say that I hit one on my second try. Would be criminal's beware. I always thought I was a good shot, but my sharp shooting that weekend confirmed my thoughts. Just call me Ashley Oakley.

If you made it this far, you rock! This post was really a brain dump and a huge overview of what's been going on in my life these past few weeks. I have still yet to figure out the best way to keep up with blogging while away from home. I've just never gotten into the guest posting thing. Maybe next time.

I have so much more to share with you, and I have eleventy million pictures to share with you from my trip. I'll do my best to break it all up and share with you over the next few weeks. We are talking major pictures of food, restaurants, mountains, ocean, etc... etc.