happy LIFE day

yesterday my family and I celebrated LIFE day. one year ago peter was almost taken away from us but was thankfully spared. as he himself said, shouldn't we celebrate every day as life day? yes, yes we should. I often wonder how many times we are close to unfortunate accidents/circumstances without even knowing it. that we are kept safe and think nothing of it. we don't realize what could have been if we just waited half a second longer, or did one thing over another. so be grateful for the blessings in your life. that you're here and that you have loved ones to share the moments with. that is what LIFE day is, a day to remember our love and blessings. let's make every day LIFE day.

side note: not to make things over sentimental, but the shirt that miles is wearing in the above photo is the exact same shirt peter was wearing when he got hit by the car on his bike. it was cut off of him when the paramedics arrived on the scene to take him to the er. luckily, not a lot of blood was on it and I was able to save the ripped up shirt for future use. the style is exactly how the shirt originally was. I love that the little man can now sport one of the bigger man's favorite tee's.

one more side note: today is earth day. another perfect day to celebrate life, no? take some time to reconnect. and let's not forget a little edward abbey love. not really earth day related, but this sentiment seems appropriate for life. happy earth day, everyone.

holla to the sistas!

hello, today is international woman's day. and to celebrate, this week all my out-of-town sistas are going to be in town. in fact, the first one flies in today with her family. hip! hip!

I've always believed there is such power in a group of strong women. and the women of my family (both bloods and in-laws) are of no exception. I am continuously awed and inspired by their strengths and talents. so much to learn from each and every one of them.

so happy IWD, everyone. let's all rally together and help bolster up the women around us. often times we are everything to everyone else, but what are we to ourselves? it's hard being the mother/wife/sister/friend/chauffeur/maid/cook/et cetera/et cetera and still find time to just be. today let's take a moment to remember who we are. reconnect with yourself. reconnect with the women in your life. do something you always want to do but can never find time to do. as for me, I'm going to go take a hot bath.

oh, and one more reason to love the day

today is national peanut butter lovers day. hip! hip!

so go share a jar with someone you love.
{I made peanut butter oatmeal cookies to celebrate the day}

cute reeses peanut butter cup o' love via

this is fast becoming my favorite day

spring
{in my heart}
is here.

thank you, march first.

the winter felt
long and dreadful.
am glad it's finally over.

{because we all know
it can't be march
and winter
all at the same time}

first christmas

staying up for santa.

merry merry!

we hope your holiday was just as meaningful.
xoxo

darkness isn't forever

hip! hip! today is the shortest day of the year. not that I'm really excited about that (but someone in this house is). I'm excited that tomorrow the day is just a teensy bit longer. that day after day after day we get more and more light until we're actually just swimming in it. ah, how I look forward to long summer nights. and warmth. I'm just sayin'.

so today I'm going to celebrate a return to the light. have a fabulous solstice everyone.

will meme for bikes (and craft stuff)

okay, I'm not usually into the whole meme'ing thing. BUT I think this bike would be pretty rad to cruise around on {what can I say, I'm a bike whore. I would have fifty bikes if I could.} and not to mention all that crafty stuff they're throwing into the giveaway. so universe, or random number generator, or whatever, pick me!

okay, let's get down to business. . .

Mama's Holiday Wish List Meme
TodaysMama and Provo Craft are giving away a sleighful of gifts this holiday season and to enter I'm sharing this meme with you.

1. what five items are on your holiday wish list this year?
*a non-dropped foot
**Sew Liberated: 20 Stylish Projects for the Modern Sewist, Meg McElwee
***a rotary cutter + mat
****a happy, healthy family
*****world peace

2. what is your favorite handmade gift you have received?
does little miles pj count? best handmade thing ever!

3. what handmade gift have you always wanted to tackle?
I want to knit peter a beannie or a sweater, but that just seems too hard.

4. what was the best christmas gift you received as a child?
most memorable was the rollerblades, circa 1989. man I wanted those things so much. oh how I loved rollerblading around the neighborhood. or the bar in our kitchen.

5. what items are on your kid's wishlist this year?
my kid is thinking of the reason for the season and isn't fooled by all this consumerism crap! and he'll only be three months old so he doesn't even know about getting stuff yet.

6. what is your favorite holiday food?
I just love that the holidays are so food centered. I love it all. I love eating it in large quantities. I love that we all gather around it and feast upon it as families and loved ones.

7. what will you be hand crafting for the holidays?
probably lots of exciting, secret things that I can't tell you.

8. what is your favorite holiday movie?
oh man, who doesn't love a christmas story marathon on tbs? you'll shoot your eye out, all night long on a continual loop. so festive.

9. favorite holiday song?
sufjan stevens has a fun holiday album that I absolutely adore.

10. favorite holiday pastime?
leisurely hanging out on christmas morning, after all the presents have been opened, and just being together and playing with all the new toys. or falling asleep to whatever new movie we got.

spreading the holiday cheer... I tag each and every one of you. {and if you don't do it within 17 minutes of reading this or tag at least 8 friends you will have very bad luck and you will never find true love.} happy holidays!

it's official

I know in my heart it's been spring since march 01, but now it's official. go outside and celebrate the vernal equinox. the days are getting longer. this weekend their getting warmer too. life is starting to grow again. it does my heart good.

{photo credit}

thirty: the real deal.

I'm old.
but not really.
sometimes my body feels old.
like it did when I turned 21.
there was a noticeable difference.
maybe there's something to these milestone years.

at least I had some good surprises in the mix:
surprise early birthday bagels via the coworkers
not so surprise bowling {almost. next year don't tell anyone about it until the moment of... no chance for slip-ups} with the bffs*
super surprise super cool cake! {made specially for me by carrie of carriescakes.com, brought specially to me by the raddest kid in town}
and an arm-load of birthday goodies + well wishes.

::I am loved, it's no surprise::

* * *

I leave you with one of the best birthdays of my thirty-year-old life. numero eight at the lion house, circa 1987 {which coincidentally, was the best year for parties}. this was a biggie, my friends. and as you can see by my rad eighties "pixie" cut {aka boy hair} I was a super tom-boy and as I recall I hated wearing dresses. this was a real fight, I'm sure for the fancy birthday party at said lion house. but as you can clearly see, I made a total compromise.

oh yeah, the multi colored punky brewster high top sneakers with the tights and the dress!

*if you are a bff and were not invited to the secret bowling party, don't feel sad. it just means that pete does not have you in his phone. take no offense, I still love you.

returning to the light

...at winter solstice,
Sun is at its lowest point:
the longest night,
the most profound descent
into the dark,
and a subsequent turning
of the cycle,
a return to the Light...










one of my favorite days of the year is the summer solstice. the daylight is long and endless, leaving its warmth and slanted angles long into the evening. it is something to be celebrated. but I am always left feeling a little tinge of sadness; the light will soon fade into increasing darkness. my days will get shorter, little by little, until we are plunged into endless night.

but there comes a time where night is at its longest, and the light will be reborn. our days will become longer. and life will eventually start to grow once again.

how fitting that this event happens at this time of year. we need not despair, or be engulfed by darkness. there is Light.

we just need to turn to that Light.

it is a thing to be celebrated.

{photo | quote}

what have we been up to?

I've been seriously spoiled. first there was the european honeymoon extravaganza. then the first anniversary costa rica adventure. how could the second anniversary even compare?!

well, thank you peter for the best anniversary present ever: the new house.

I can't even imagine what next year will bring.

{more photos + stories to come}

twenty-nine

01. he loves cold + dark 02. his favorite season is obviously winter 03. he is a champion for the earth 04. and an advocate for all things efficient 05. he dances like no other 06. and is my guitar hero 07. his smile melts my heart 08. he tickles relentlessly 09. he is a creative genius 10. and a computer wizard 11. he gets a little carried away on the equality of food 12. he's a jeans + tshirt kinda guy 13. he is kind 14. compassionate 15. giving 16. he has an innate sense of direction 17. if I were stranded on a desert island I would want him by my side 18. if I were stranded anywhere I would want him by my side 19. he's creative in the kitchen 20. he has the wanderlust 21. he is spontaneous + crazy 22. in the game of scrabble, he is expert 23. he's on the swimteam 24. he gets high on elevation 25. he has an inner cowboy 26. he's cute when he's asleep 27. he hiccups randomly 28. he loves his jetta wagon tdi almost more than me 29. he knows the value of hard work, in any aspect of life

I live and breathe for this man.

special birthday surprises were had this weekend. unfortunately no surprise party, but a semi-surprise jaunt up to meet my bloggy friend, jen {she is a cute runner blogger and has a cute family blog as well!} and crash her peach days bbq and ride her horses. let me tell you one thing about pete. he loves horses. loves them. I had no idea until that fateful day in costa rica. his inner cowboy spilled out and he's been dying to get back on and ride ever since. they say he's a natural. it was a fun little adventure and I'm glad jen and her family were so willing to share it with us.

his birthday dinner was a special surprise as well. I cooked fish. yes, you heard me. I cooked fish. this is a first for me. remember? and it was surprisingly easy + delicious. I'm not so scared of cooking fish anymore. the meal was rounded out with some long grain and wild rice, roasted vegetables, and steamed cabbage. of course there was the traditional red velvet cake. what birthday is complete without that?

as always, click to enlarge | adapted from THIS recipe

the freedom hike 2K8

I feel like every time peter and I go hiking lately I fear slightly for my life. it probably has something to do with rock scrambles and steep slopes. but in any case it's always a good view + a fun time.

I love where we live.

I love our mountains.

I love our new independence day tradition.

father/man's day

my dad is a pretty cool guy. he loves to travel; especially to places that don't exist, like north dakota. I think he's rad. happy father's day, dad!


andrew peter is a pretty cool guy too. he doesn't believe in father's day--well, for him anyway since he's not a dad and I'm not even with child--so I just wanted to tell him happy man's day. or maybe husband's day. because he is a very good man. and husband. and one day he will be a good father. {once he gets over his fear of babies and promises he won't teach our children how to make various explosives}

easter auf deutsch

we had a german christmas {with the fabulous marty and dee}, why not a german easter? you can never go wrong with schnitzel. and knödel? love it. don't forget the fresh steamed asparagus. plus the green beans. it was the perfect easter meal. hope yours was equally as fantastic.

happy easter, one and all!

okay, now back to watching the ten commandments. classic.

oh happy day

what a wonderful day. it only comes around every four years (but apparently not in 1900--who knew!) so live it up. make some predicitions on this extra day. make some resolutions. do something hard. take a leap of faith.

what will the next four years have in store for you?

hopefully laughter.
hopefully sunshine.
hopefully progress.
hopefully love.

image via

I wanna rock and roll all day. . . and party every night.

it seems I've been partying non-stop this entire weekend. bringing in my 30th year in style. if a weekend is any indicator of a year, 29 won't be so bad. not so bad at all.

it all started when peter picked me up from hot yoga on friday. with food on our minds we ended up at barbacoa for fat burritos in our stomachs. he mentioned there was a band playing at kilby court who I'd probably like. it was some good old fashioned americana folk rock. it was leslie and the badgers.

and oh my goodness was he ever right. they were amazing musicians with a fun + funky style. check them out, please! {if not here --I especially love old timers-- then here, here, and here!} I am smitten with leslie and her badgers. just absolutely smitten.

at exactly 12 o'clock am, the very minute my birthday began, we watched one of my favorite movies on the big screen. while leaving barbacoa's I saw up on the marquee, in big bright lights, that the 'burbs was the midnight show at the tower. oh my goodness, I screamed so loudly with excitement! if you didn't know already, I absolutely just love this movie. such a classic. favorite line: [chanting] I wanna kill everyone, satan is good, satan is my pal. {okay, so if you've never seen the movie you might think that's a little weird to be my favorite line. I don't really like satan, and he is definitely not my pal. but I just love it in context. such a funny moment.} we had to struggle just to make it--let's be honest, I'm practically falling asleep at ten o'clock every night--but make it we did. I even stayed awake through most of the movie! (don't worry, I've seen it before. I know how it ends.) seriously, killer movie. (get it? killer movie. . .)


I woke up to a kiss from peter as he was saying goodbye. "I'm going skiing now!" I looked at him suspiciously, "but you're wearing jeans. . ." he then gave me some story about backcountry skiing and having to take all his gear. yeah, not buying it. I knew something was up. he left, then I dragged my birthday butt out of bed. after doing my happy birthday ten miler I came home to find this surprise party: a homemade breakfast {german pancakes} made by peter and a pile of presents.


but the surprise parties did not end there, oh no. peter had planned and pulled off a complete party without my knowledge. (if you remember the costa rica surprise, you'll know that's quite a feat!) I had no idea. {he is amazing.} he got me out of the house because we needed to go to the grocery store. I didn't even notice all the extra cars in our parking lot behind the apartment. not until I stepped in my house and the lights came on and I saw all the cute smiling faces of some of my neartest + dearest did I have any clue. I was in shock. it was the best surprise ever. and a fun, fun party. we even made my favorite shakes! strawberry + banana, a true love story.

the parties haven't seemed to end, either. tonight was a fabulous valentine party hosted by the fabulous marta. holiday cookies + beans spilled everywhere. oh, and some great jokes from the peanut gallery.

what a fantastic weekend. . . do I really have to go back to work tomorrow?

february second: day of the groundhog.

I don't know if that little rat-dog, the groundhog saw his shadow today or not.

but I certainly did.

what does that tell us?

it tells us that it's the beginning of freaking february and we sure as heck have more winter ahead of us. we need snow, folks. we need water for the rest of the year.

what we don't need is a little rodent telling us it will be spring soon. because it will just turn out to be false-spring and break all our hearts.

and anyway, I don't believe in groundhogs.

the heart of the matters

the heart truth: heart disease is the number one killer among american females.
are you at risk?

help celebrate national heart month today
by participating in national wear red day.
show support + raise awareness.

a healthy heart is a happy heart; become educated on heart health:

{learn the risk factors
signs and symptoms
and tips for a healthy heart}

national wear red day | friday, february first

happy holidays