For the past few months, I've been rather quiet online. My desire and inspiration to blog ebbs and flows...and lately I've been feeling quite introspective. My heart is aching to spend more time with Jesus and spend less time thinking about me. I seem to have have lots of words and thoughts flowing...but my words want to stay inside for some reason. I need time to really sit with myself and figure out what is going on in this brain of mine before I open it up and share with others.

Sometimes the internet is an amazing open road for me to wander upon. My heart skips a beat when I come across something that speaks to my soul. But it can also be completely overwhelming. So many people to catch up with and connect to...I open my Facebook page and immediately close it. It's like walking into a huge party that has been going all night long and I just don't have the energy to mingle :) If you have emailed or sent me a message on Facebook lately and I haven't answered, please don't take it personally. Feel free to send another message to jog my memory. It's been hard to keep up with it all and "real life" has been much more attractive. And we've been busy busy busy.

I would love to start sharing more of my "real life" with you. Often times, I feel like I have to to write a "grand" topical blog post and the sheer intensity of that endeavor makes me want to run away and hide. So instead, I think I will try to share snippets. Photos, links, quotes...things that are inspiring me. I'm thinking about doing a "photo a day" project again (but with my iPhone) or perhaps some video blogs.

So I'll start today. Here are a few things that have my affections this week, online and off:

I've been making TONS of ice tea. Every morning, I make a big batch of unsweetened mango raspberry mint herbal tea and then add just a touch of Sweet Leaf Mint and Honey tea. Heaven.

I miss my sweet Becky sooooo much and yesterday she wrote a beautiful piece on her blog about her solitary retreat for one in the woods. A must read.

We're living at a beautiful state park in Colorado right now and the view from our window is amazing! Trails, pelicans, lakes, and mountains, right out our front door.
I experienced hot yoga here for the first time. I got up at 5:30am 8 times before we moved to a campground farther away and then I quit going regularly. It rocked my world. I brought my mom and she loved it too. Getting up that early is probably what threw a wrench in my online activities because I started going to bed earlier...and my prime time for browsing the web was 10pm-2am. My body is thanking me for getting out of that routine!

How scrumptious is this swing?

I'm in love with this print and this print. Ok, I pretty much love everything in her shop.

I'm obsessed this this CD. Best kids music ever!

I'm looking forward to the Boulder Farmer's Market tomorrow morning and a little trip up the mountain to Nederland. I'm going to hoop in the mountain air.

My mom has been staying with us for the past 2 weeks and my dad came for the last week...and they left yesterday. My heart is light with joy as I recount the amazing memories we made...but it's also heavy with the weight of goodbyes. Above is a photo from the balcony of our hotel room in Golden. We spent one amazing "getaway" night there during their stay...eating, drinking, laughing, and being refreshed. I love them so.

Have a wonderful weekend!