a winter christmas happy list // volume 6

dec. 27

happy christmas to everyone & happy new year!

i haven't posted for a bit so i thought i'd get a little happy list out there tonight just to take in everything & my many blessings! every day, there is more & more to be thankful for. recently i've been running out of space on my wix site for photos, which is sad, so hopefully all of my photography loads today.

by now, christmas is over & most of your christmas leftovers should be gone, your family beginning to pack up & make the trek back home...school break is still going (praise the Lord!), but most of us are bored haha. life for me has been overwhelmingly wonderful & i cannot be more excited & grateful. we were blessed with the experience to witness new life being brought into the world! our female great pyrenees, cathy, gave birth to a single baby girl this christmas season <3 she's the cutest lil thing & looks just like her momma. it is truly such an amazing thing to experience new life! her name is janet <3 enjoy some photos of the sweet thing.

grab a warm drink, comfy blankie, & enjoy this post!

• a crackling fire going almost every day

• the beautiful weather the Lord blessed us with!

• lots of photography

• christmas cookie baking with a few friends & my sisters, then delivering them to neighbors we don't know

• our neighbors' horsies!

• news of our great pyr, cathy, being pregnant (almost due!)

• christmas eve & christmas night dinners

• side by side rides

• a crackling fire going almost every day

• finishing my prayer journal

• watching the house of david on prime (highly recommend)

• sharing with everyone to stay away from the series stranger things!! (boo!!! never watch)

• watching movies (always)

• finishing our basement (almost! new trim + new rug)

• coffee tasting better simply because it's christmas season

• chocolate sourcream cake for christmas <3

• chatting on the front porch w my sisters & a friend, watching as they crochet & we watch the sunset

• the smell of sugar & butter

• homemade kombucha (always!!)

• cottage cheese!!!

• kansas city runs

• scheel's!

• mimi's quilts to keep me warm

• windows open letting the stars peek in

• geese!! I love them. so many migrating!

• hu salty dark chocolate <3

• paul the cat <3

• the beauty of a set table & oil lamps

• cotton candy sky in the winter

• string lights

• smoked turkey

• such heavy fog the week of christmas! i loved it

• windows open letting the stars peek in

• alice!!

• longggggg side by side rides

• waving to neigbors

• laughter!

• vintage-ish photography

• jeans <3

• core workouts!

• judee's coffee runs on the coldest of days

• thrifting (always a go-to!)

• getting back to the rhythm of workouts after a long break (due to sickness)

• homemade yogurt & granola (also a go-to)

• KOMBUCHA

• bows <3

• learning to crochet!!!! eeeek i've already made a small bow for my car mirror to hang & a lil keychain holder for my keys

• my gorgeous pothos plant still thriving away in the winter!! go Ray!!

• drying out oranges for garlands

• pinterest!

• quotes

• a.w. tozer

• r.c. sproul (always & forever - check him out <3)

• drizzle of frost each morning

• the roosters having crowing battles (Ed always wins, just fyi - he's the man of the coop...hehe)

• warm comforters & quilts during this chilly week

• pine trees <3

• journaling more often!

the Lord has blessed me with truly all i could ever want or need & I am so thankful for Him & what He has done for me this year & always. enjoy the photos & enjoy your family this winter season <3 enjoy life! hug your loved ones! be present. be happy. enjoy the simplest things. give thanks to Christ for what He has accomplished & given to you! rejoice w a glad heart always & pray without ceasing.

i adore photography oh so much!! i love photos of detailed eyes, they are so beautiful. & my sis hand-crocheted me a gorgeous bag that i am going to take with me literally everywhere!

here she is <3 more photos to come for she is still so young! i cannot wait until she grows up to be the cutest lil fluffy nugget hehe. so, welcome to the world, janet! and i'm glad you can join our family of now six doggies (omgoodnesssssss). overwhelming sometimes, yes. but worth it, always.

many blessings,

bylilyjohanna