Seeing the Beauty

Hi friends!

I spent the morning at one of the best coffee shops in Denver. A quaint, converted home that I never seem to get tired of. Even better was the time I got to spend with a precious friend. We sat there for an hour or so, the two of us with our identical macbooks, filling out our applications for Urban Servant Corps (USC). A program that I am truly excited to apply for!

About the program...

You live in a house with about 12 other Christian individuals. With this program, I would get to work at a non-profit around Denver. I am really excited about this program. It seems like a beautiful opportunity to meet new friends and a great outlet to grow in my faith. I would also be able to work at a non-profit in Denver, which is super exciting!

Here is the website if you would like to read up more about it:

http://servantcorps.org/

After leaving Stella's we continued on to walk around town with our cameras and mark the day with beautiful photos. We decided to drive around a bit before settling on a street down from Pearl. Before us was a park full of trees and little children enjoying the morning, playing on the playground. There was also a great little library that just about asked us to come in and enjoy the quaintness of it. It was the tiniest library I had ever been in, and it was absolutely perfect. I enjoyed everything in it, from the poetry book that we read from, to the window seat that took up an entire wall.

I hope you are enjoying this Monday!

 The precious Library!:

 A lovely mansion:

Christmas Tea

Hello my friends! I am so thankful for a family that inspires me to be the best that I can, and friends that I find amazing. I have had such a fun Christmas time and I thought I would share some of my favorite moments so far:

1. Seeing Tangled 3D with my mother

2. Having a impromptu sleepover with my beautiful friend. A Nertz Tournament with Dayna and Rob. Watching the beautiful lunar Eclipse elapse over the hours.

3. Making homemade Coconut Butternut Squash soup with Dayna and Emily!

4. Getting creative with my Christmas gifts to my friends and family

5. Listening to Christmas music

6. Baking Christmas cookies with my mom and sister

7. Drinking lots of Christmas tea, cocoa, and coffee

8. Singing in the Christmas Eve Church service

9. Working on the Christmas puzzle while randomly breaking out in song

10. Lots of sparkly Christmas lights

11. Enjoying spending Christmas with a sister from afar

Having my whole family around inspired me to spend most of last week completing items on my Winter Break Bucket List! I also tried to take pictures of the items I checked off the list:

I made homemade soup with Dayna last Thursday! It was a delicious pot of Coconut Butternut Squash Soup. The whole evening just warmed my soul. I am so thankful to be able to spend time with good friends.

I also baked some delicious Christmas treats! Peppermint Bark, PB&J Cookies, and Christmas Tea! I thought it might be fun to attach the recipes and pictures of some of the treats I made! :)

Peppermint Bark Recipe

INGREDIENTS

• 12 oz. of high-quality white chocolate 
• 5 regular sized candy canes, crushed up
• 1/2 teaspoon of peppermint extract

METHOD

1 Break up peppermint candy into little pieces. Melt the chocolate according to the manufacturer's instructions. Once melted, add the peppermint extract and stir.

2 Pour the melted chocolate out onto a cookie sheet lined with wax paper and spread out with a spatula or wooden spoon. Sprinkle the peppermint candy chunks on to the chocolate and gently press them in with yours hands.

3 Place in the freezer for 5 minutes or until hardened. Break into pieces and serve or store in the fridge in an airtight container.

Peanut Butter Gluten-Free Cookies

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup Sugar
• 1 cup Peanut butter
• 1 Egg
• 1 tsp Vanilla
• Raspberry, Grape, or Strawberry Jam

METHOD

1 Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2 Combine the sugar, peanut butter, egg, and vanilla in a bowl.

3 Take a small amount of dough and form into a golfball-sized ball.

4 Place ball on cookie sheet and press thumb into the cookie.

5 Place a small amount of jam on the cookie.

6 Repeat steps, 3, 4, and 5 until all the dough is gone.

7 Place cookie sheet in the the oven and cook for 10 minutes.

Finally, I made some delicious Christmas Tea! I got this (secret) recipe from my sister's fiance's family cookbook!

Here it is steeping and getting delicious!

...And the final product!

The upcoming week is sure to be filled with great memories, good friends, and lots of happy moments that I am excited to share with you! I would love to hear some of your favorite Christmas moments.

Happy Holidays!

Day ONE!

Hi friends!

TODAY is the first day of winter break! There are so many things I am excited for. The first of which is starting my bucket list! 26 things in 26 days! I better get my act together! 

Today I started my application for USC. It is a terribly long application form, full of questions that encompass who I am as an individual and as a follower of Christ. I am hoping to send it in by the first of January. I have such a hard time filling out these applications. I feel like I cannot truly represent myself on a piece of paper. Or maybe it is fear of rejection. 

Another item on my winter break bucket list is to take a picture-a-day! But I sort of feel the need to introduce this picture, rather than post it and move along with my day. So here it is:

I had Starbucks with my good friend Katherine yesterday! A beautiful hour of conversation. We exchanged Christmas gifts and just talked about life. I really just love our friendship. So I decided that today's picture is of Katherine's Christmas gift that she gave me. It fully encompasses the idea of friendship and appreciating those little things in life. 

On the box it read: "The smallest things in life are the greatest. As a puzzle is nothing without its pieces."

Sunflowers and a Ukulele

Hi friends!

There has been a game going around Facebook for quite a while now called 30 Random Things. Now I've done this game before on Facebook many years ago, but I am exited to do it again. There is so much about me that people do not know... and it is not like I get asked on a daily basis, "Kylie, tell me about you." So, enjoy!

1. My favorite book is Pride & Prejudice.

2. Sunflowers are my favorite flowers.

3. I will always put another person's happiness before my own.

4. Some say I am far too willing to see the best in people and I will put my absolute trust in them before knowing them.

5. I relate really well with adults. The majority of the people that I consider dearest to my heart are much older than me.

6. I have never read the Bible the whole way through...not because I do not want to. I fear sometimes that I will not understand it, or that I will interpret things differently than other people.

7. I love fruit in my cereal.

8. I want to get married in Vegas. Or on the rooftop of a building in San Diego.

9. I really want to learn to play the Ukulele.

10.  I will not eat any food that has gone in the freezer.

11. I'm afraid of flying.

12. I love white wine.

13. I love the rain. The smell of it. The joy of it. Dancing in it.

14. I am a terrible driver.

15. I have a super close relationship with my family. They are my life.

16. I think every guy should wear Argyle sweaters for the rest of their lives.

17. I love weddings.

18. I hate when people ask what I am going to do after I graduate. I have no idea.

19. My favorite color is purple.

20. I have 5 pairs of TOMS and I wear them almost every day of the year.

21. I wear contacts/glasses.

22. A good cup of English tea can make all of my problems go away.

23. I am usually freezing.

24. There is nothing I love more than Hallmark movies. They make me want to be in love.

25. My favorite season is Fall.

26. My Starbucks drink is a Soy light water Chai.

27. I cannot keep a plant/flower alive for the life of me.

28. I cannot wait to graduate and hopefully move back to Denver. Colorado Springs is not the city for me.

29. I think every day should be "Pay it Forward Day."

30. I wholeheartedly believe in the power of prayer.

Winter Break Bucket List!

Hello friends!

Winter Break is just around the corner! It is so hard to believe! Just a few more papers, and I have made it to my final semester of college!!

This year...being my last winter break ever... I refuse to lose my winter break to sitting on the couch, watching TV shows I probably don't really care about. Instead, I've created a winter break BUCKET LIST! 26 things that I want to accomplish with my 26 days off.

1. Learn to sew

2. Paint a canvas

3. Go on a picture adventure with my beautiful camera

4. Make a snowman (...if we ever get any snow!)

5. Make Christmas cookies

6. Apply for the TOMS Internship

7. Learn to knit/crochet a scarf

8. Cook a meal with a friend

9. Make homemade Eggnog

10. Bake some goodies for the neighbors

11. Have a Nertz Tournament

12. Apply for USC (Urban Servant Corps)

13. Get a pedicure

14. Go bowling

15. Make sandwiches for Project Angel Heart

16. Read Emma by Jane Austen

17. Take a picture a day (and post it) for all 26 days of winter break

18. Start a journal of favorite quotes

19. Take an art class at Michaels

20. Bake homemade bread

21. Give someone sunflowers

22. Write a poem

23. Make homemade cards

24. Go to a wine tasting

25. Sketch a self portrait

26. Take a Yoga class

My first official day of winter break is next Wednesday, December 15th! Can't wait to start. I would love to continue this bucket list into next semester, so please leave comments for ideas that I can add!

Take care! :)

A Fireplace and Wine

Sometimes I feel like there is nothing better than sitting by the fire, drinking a glass of wine, and watching cheesy Hallmark movies. But as I am sitting here, I cannot help but reflect on all the bright spots in my life-- people that have made me a better person. 

To my mom, a constant treasure. You are my best friend, my shining light, my everything. I am so blessed to have you as a constant companion. You have given me enough love and compassion to light a city. You have taught me strength. And mom, you have taught me how to be a great daughter and a great friend. 

To my sister, a gentle soul, a great friend. I can lose hours talking to you on the phone. There are so many moments that I wish we lived closer to each other. I can imagine weekend lunches at that great little cafe in Coronado, beach days, and wine. 

To L, you are a gem. One of my favorites. Sometimes goodbyes are so bittersweet. I am so joyful that you put your family first, and that you recognize what is best for you and your family. I cannot wait to see your daughter thrive and grow into a young lady. 

To Marta, you make my heart happy. I am constantly learning from your grace and spirituality. You are a great mother, a great friend, and you have such a beautiful soul. I like you!

To Bobbie, I am so blessed to have you in my life. Conversation and tea with you has this miraculous power to blow all of my problems away. 

To Katherine, a new friend. I am so so happy to have you in my life. You are such an inspiring person, and I am constantly amazed by your kindness. 

***

The beautiful thing is I could go on for days listing the people in my life that allow me to shine. Life can be so beautiful.