Thursday, August 20, 2020

Slow Sunday

 After church on Sunday, we had made plans to hit a nature trail with a picnic lunch! It turned out to be very buggy and all of us girls were pretty done - but we did have a leaf collecting contest and get some time outside in nature! We ended up eating in the car rather than sit outside and be eaten!



















When we got home, I watched the Lilias Trotter documentary called Many Beautiful Things. Have you heard of it? I have had it on my to-watch list for four years and finally found a free way to watch it on our library app! If you have a chance to watch it, it was lovely to learn about this lady who was a Christian and chose to be a missionary over seeking fame for her art.

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Wednesday, August 19, 2020

Slow Saturday

 It's been a while since a slow post and I'm missing them and craving their return! 

I'm reading through the book of Acts right now in my quiet time. And also reading a biography on Dietrich Bonhoeffer. What are you reading right now?

Pancakes from the freezer - easy Saturday morning breakfast!

Emily brought me this leaf from a walk this week and I've enjoyed looking at each morning! We just started reading Troy and Ruth Simons' book called Foundations.






I cleaned out all the dead things from the garden and we planted some new seeds for Fall! The flowers are still going strong, but lots of the other things were done. I had a couple of cute helpers!

Rachel helped me make some mini apple pies and she also baked a delicious loaf of poppyseed bread! Meanwhile, we are enjoying these flowers from the garden as well!



I also took a dress from the giveaway pile that I didn't love the fit of and cut it off to make a new top - hopefully it will work out better this way!



Also, a fun discovery this weekend was Camp Joy hosted by Joy the Baker - so simple, homey and summery! A fun watch if you are looking for something to bring a smile to your face.

Then it was time for tacos for dinner, admiring a clearance cutting board with some lavender from my Mom's Colorado garden and a cozy magazine before watching a Hallmark mystery movie with my kids!



It was the perfect kind of Saturday: staying home all day and a good mix of productivity and inspiration! What would your list include on a Saturday like this?

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Tuesday, August 18, 2020

Guest Post: Emily's Grand Canyon Adventure!


Hi everyone! My name is Emily, and most of you would know me as Monica's oldest daughter... recently I went on a trip of a lifetime with my Grammie to the Grand Canyon, and mama invited me to come make a small post! Grammie gave me this trip for my 15th birthday, but because of Covid we weren't able to go till this summer...  luckily because of this not many people were there and we had a wonderful visit! I hope you enjoy my pictures! :)




We flew into a tiny (but adorable) little airport just outside of Flagstaff Arizona, and stayed in a cute little tourist town called Williams about a half hour away. The scenery was amazing! There were mountains, cactus, and a huge blue sky...plus the weather was amazing! We also poked around in a few of the little gift shops around town, and everyone was so friendly. 









After getting fully settled, and having a day of free time, we headed off for the canyon to view the sunset. This was my first time seeing the Grand Canyon in person, and it was AMAZING! I saw a mug in a gift shop that had a quote...

"There will never be a photograph of the Grand Canyon that can adequately describe its depth, breadth, and true beauty." (Stephanie Payne)

I could not have agreed more! After seeing pictures, hearing about experiences, and having it described to me, did not prepare me for what I was about to see...

















After a lovely slow morning we went back to the canyon to spend the afternoon there before our guided rim tour. There were lot's of flowers that were in bloom, (which I absolutely LOVED 😉) and we went to gift shops that were open, took pictures, and went in a little visitors center.Then later that evening we hopped into a van and went on a spectacular tour of the rim. Our tour guide was a retired state trooper, and had a deep love of the Lord that was displayed with every thing he said. His presentation of creation, and the way they believe the canyon was formed was extraordinary, and so enlightening. Following the tour, our guide grabbed some blankets, and let us go sit by the rim and watch the sunset...Grammie and I prayed together and had a unforgettable moment. (PS: It was a unexpected private tour so we literally had the whole thing to ourselves which made it all the more special) 








The next day we drove to Phoenix, saw some beautiful mountains, and Saguaro cactus. (It was almost 15 degrees hotter there then in Williams) But they were so, so, so cool! They were GINORMOUS, and covered entire hillsides. Again I had never seen something like this before, and it was so fun to discover something new!


 

Then we headed home! It was an absolutely incredible trip and I enjoyed it so much! Thanks for bearing with me...I hope you had fun reading about, and seeing some of my adventure😊

-Emily