Art & Apps

Springtime.

Greenery. Candles. Chalkboards. Paintbrushes. Canvases. Appetizers. Wine. Togetherness.

the makings of a great party

our first of many events hosted in our new home I believe - umm, kinda hard to remember when posting on this a year later, haha!

but oh so fun to look back and relive memories through photos.

<< And this one: just because it shows the microwave on the floor, which was its home for many months after we moved in.  Haha.  Made heating up leftovers interesting. Kinda missed that endeavor once it was normal and mounted up ;)  Don't really miss the hole in the wall in the previous pic - which is actually still there, just covered up by the chalkboard now.  Ahh, the changes that happen in a home in a year. Those are just the little things, they can sometime be a big deal!

Dip Bar: corn/bean/tomato, salsa, guacamole, ranch, cookie dough, spinach-artichoke, toasted smores, and enchilada...

yum. 

And all the ways to get those dips into your mouth ;) veggies, baguette, chips, pretzels, graham crackers...

yep.

Then there's the wine tasting: a variety of bubbly juices and sweet to dry wines to cleanse the palate between bites...

ahhh.

Needless to say we weren't lacking in the appetizer realm.

And once our taste buds were awakened to all that deliciousness,

our creative juices began flowing through our brushes onto canvases - each one's individual masterpiece.  Oh so much fun to see what everyone came up with.  And the joy found in time together, chatting and creating.

Might have to do another again next year... wait a minute - it is next year ;)

- Eliza

Milestones - marking 1 year

Cozied up on my dear friend Christy's couch this morning, watching some lovely big flakes floating down out the window, hoping for the possibility of 12 inches, just maybe.  :)  We set aside some time to do some goal setting, writing, planning, creating.  Happily having enjoyed a cup of cider and doughnuts together - which itself was a little adventure in finding, since the local downtown bakeries were closed up for the day.  I suppose they can have a day off too, since I am pretty thankful for a Monday without work! But it did make things a little trickier to get those much anticipated fresh, fluffy, glazed, rounds of goodness.  Have no fear, the local grocery store bakery pulled through for us, haha!

Looking back at pictures, reminiscing all the fun times and events we've been blessed to host in our new home.  Yesterday marked one year.  Our houseaversary.  Katelyn and I are so grateful for this new adventure in life together!  We've learned and grown a lot in becoming homeowners and being out on our own, handling the scariest of intruders - some adorable little raccoon cubs wrestling on the back porch, haha :)  We'll never forget that night.

Anyway, I was hoping to share some more of those fun times here, collecting these memories on this little space to look back at.  But, I've gotten a little overwhelmed by the sheer volume of pictures I sometimes tend to take ;) so... this simple post will suffice for now.  The memories and pictures remain, they aren't going anywhere.  As for me, I've got more places to go and do and be... so goodbye for now :)

~Eliza

Keeping it Simple

A cozy afternoon at home.

So thankful for a chance to head out from work early, to restore the house to a deeper level of cleanliness and order :) and to refresh with a good walk out in this lovely warm autumn weather we've been blessed to continue to enjoy well into November.  Almost unheard of up in the north country!  Bread is in the oven for potluck tomorrow.  Some favorite songs playing on the station in my living room.  The guitar sits in the corner happily played and not neglected as it often can be lately.  Fireplace fan is (rather loudly) cooling down after working long and hard today to keep me happy with warmth and flickering flames, haha. Not near as wonderful as a true crackling wood-burning hearth, but it does the job well :)  And some chicken is just getting to the point of fall-apart tenderness in the crockpot for future meals.  Having found a moment to write a bit on this little blog of ours.  Feeling pretty relaxed and accomplished.

Far above all that, though, is the feeling of peace found in fulfillment in being reconciled to Christ.
No other thing, as good as it may be and happy as it may make us, will bring that deep satisfaction of full surrender and trust in our Father.  Hard as it may be to remind ourselves over and over, again and again to find this place of peace by letting go of our own agendas, our own pride, and our own control.  So important.  Yet so often blurred by the business of life.

In our Bible study group one night, we were considering how we would live if our daily checklist consisted of one thing: glorify God.  So simple.  Yet so complex when we try to do it as another check along with all the other things we may try to accomplish on our own strength.  Father, forgive us.  Help us seek You first in everything we say and do.  Help us consider relationship with You to transcend all else.  To be our foundation.  Our strength and peace.  Our hope.

(A snippet of the incredible beauty in the landscapes of Kodiak Island.  Ahh, Alaska.  We miss you.  Our visit to your breathtaking views, roaming wildlife, laid-back & rugged culture, time with loved ones... much too short.  We'll be back to explore again someday soon :)

~Eliza