unannounced, in 2013, i chose joy.
in 2014, i lived out quality.
in 2015, my one word was pursuit.
the act of choosing a word & living it out has changed me in more ways than i can count. some years i have lived & breathed my word each & every day. in 2014, i chose quality & my rhythm of life was forever changed. i created the #dressinhappinessdaily project (learn more here), brought women together over coffee each week & dug deep into our marriage.
other words have lingered for only a bit & resurfaced at the end of the year, revealing their power in ways i hadn’t really noticed at first glance. in 2015, i chose pursuit & honestly, i forgot about it until deep into december. upon reflection, though, my focus for the year has indeed been pursuit. i pursued my work, my community & my health with earnest & intention.
in 2016, i choose present.
adjective, 1. in a particular place… here, near, available, at hand.
noun, 1. the period of time now occurring… now, today, the present time/moment.
2015 was a busy year. 2016 will be an even busier year. we are birthing a big & beautiful venture into this world, full of sweat, grit & heart. we are doing this together & i can’t quite even predict the efforts & work to come.
but i do know this – i want to be present. i want to be present with my family, with myself & with my community.
in 2015, months flew by literally unnoticed. i spent a few weeks in 2015 experiencing some of my darkest fears, realizing if i don’t quite slow down & press pause, i will leave this life having not fully lived it.
so in 2016, i am working harder & pressing pause to enjoy it. i will take full advantage of my working hours yet slow down each night to pick up a book & read. i will pick up my camera & capture our fleeting family moments. i will say no to distractions in order to say yes to the people & opportunities & things that mean the most to our family.
friends, i am excited for the work, adventure & experiences of 2016. and i am thrilled to be present for each & every one of them.
what is your word for 2016? please share!
love,
natalie
before we pull down the christmas tree & beginning setting new intentions for the new year, i just want to soak up the richness of the christmas season.
we made memories & shared the wealth of the season with our nearest & dearest… rudolph the musical & hot cocoa with my sweet nephew, intentional gift giving by the tree with my love, advent-ure games with my in-laws (sure to be a new family tradition!), fresh linens & warm soup at the candlelit table, down-home barbecue feasts with my grandparents, monogrammed aprons & time in the kitchen with my momma, new pajamas & copious amounts of chocolate.
wishing you all a cozy handful of days before the new year, making memories & slowing down just a bit to reflect on the richness of this season we are in.
looking forward to sharing my new 2016 word with you on friday! xo.
love,
natalie
yesterday we gathered greenery & foliage from around the home along with twinkle lights, candles, baskets & more for a festive winter solstice gathering with family & friends!
i love gathering at our farm. with such unusually mild temperatures, we took advantage of the evening & built a fire outside in honor of the winter solstice! we strung twinkle lights onto the barn & set up a hot cocoa station outside. luke made hand-tossed pizzas & i pulled together a cheese & meat spread. our friends brought sides & dessert. luke made homemade eggnog & we served wine. candles were lit & we celebrated well into the evening with our nearest & dearest.
i think this might just be a new tradition on the farm. simple & cozy.
love,
natalie