Christmas at 443 Teocalli.

It just dawned on me that I haven't shared any of our pictures from Christmas! To be honest, my camera has been MIA these days. I busted it out to capture some Christmas cheer for our families one night... And that was about it. I've been a busy bee, but the camera has not been forgotten forever...

Our Christmas was cozy and sweet. We went to a couple Christmas parties thrown by lovely friends Doug and Dawn, but Christmas day Tom and I stayed nested in the house. The only trip out was for church that morning; the rest of the day was spent cooking, FaceTiming family, opening presents and being jolly. Although Christmas 2011 was spent far away from my sisters, brother Mom and Dad, I know family isn't about how close we are literally... More than ever I know family is a bond of the heart. My family's bond has been my greatest gift in life. I am thankful everyday for that bond and the individuals I get to share it with. Tom and I look forward to creating the bond of family in our own home and spent the day being thankful for all of our blessings. And chances are if you are reading this - you are one of them. I hope you all had the best of Christmases and your New Year is off to a brilliant beginning.

festive.

Us and Christmas banner!



Christmas picture.



we each picked out a new ornament to remember our first Christmas together.

me + tree

our semi put together living room!

baking at this altitude is giving me a run for my money... the fudge never set up, but we still ate it :)

 baby bump!

my new ski jacket!!



our Christmas feast!



homemade apple pie... with homemade crust! it was a little too juicy, but delicious still.

the menu at Doug and Dawn's Christmas party. Doug is the culinary gambler... and a great one!

new years eve we went out with friends to maxwell's! UM!

..then jam sesh. rockin!

Our first Christmas.

C.

Oh, one more thing... I must share the first and cutest little pair of baby booties that one of my best friends Meg gifted us! They match Mommy's!

Location:Teocalli Rd,Crested Butte,United States

Daddy's Girls.

...Momma's girls too! I wouldn't trade my parents for the world! If you've known me for awhile chances are you've seen me wear a necklace with a pendant of a leaf dipped in gold. A long time ago Dad came home from a business trip with this necklace and a pair of matching earrings for my Mom. I remember being a little girl and always asking to try on my grandmother's rings... So it was no surprise when this jewelry set (never worn by my mom) made it's way to college with me. Well I started wearing the necklace, but not really the earrings. That's when my sister Megan said she would like to have one of the earrings and make it into a necklace. Great idea! I graciously gave Mom's earrings away to Meg and Amanda and soon we were all sporting gold leaf necklaces!

Now... I dont know if your Dad is like mine, but typically Dad did not have much to do with Christmas present shopping. Probably a good thing, as Mom always knew best. However, the past two years Dad has made big hits with his girls.

Christmas 2010 - Dad bought us all silver leaf necklaces - big hit.. What a sweet and thoughtful gift for the typical "black bag" Christmas gifter. I once received odor eater balls for my tennis shoes.


Christmas 2011 - Dad took his Christmas charm a step further by custom ordering us River rock necklaces. The three smaller stones represent my sisters and I and the longer stone is for our Mom. Mom got a necklace too, but with one extra stone for sweet Nicky Boy.

I LOVE IT!

Thanks Dad!!

C.

Location:Teocalli Rd,Crested Butte,United States

It's 4th of July Weekend!

Time to break out everything red, white and blue. I have to say, the 4th of July, I love. There is something so nostalgic about this holiday, that takes me right back to my childhood. and it is sweet. Block parties, pool days, cookouts, neighbors and our own firework display (the parachute firework was my favorite... where the firework goes off and then this little army man falls down from the sky attacted to his very own coffee filter:) It was great... and I could run fast.

This year I plan on spending the weekend on Lake Murray, again, with family parties and cookouts. We've got a close knit group of Chapinites that know, this is what we do. Nothing has to be planned, we just gather accordingly, like clockwork. The great thing about the grown up celebration is: a) I am 21. and b) the grown up firework display. It's held every year and I've been watching it for some time now. Saturday evening we'll be tuning our radio to the station that plays everything American and watching the fireworks light up the lake. (catch: no parachute firework).

Need ideas for a festive fourth? I took the liberty ;) of gathering some inspiration, from where else, but etsy. I hope you, too, have a fun and safe weekend celebrating America the beautiful!

a red, whtie and blue

happy weekend,

Christina