It's the Most Wonerful Time of the Year

Casa de Carle's 2nd Annual Countdown to Christmas To-Do List

1.  Listen to Christmas music

2.  Buy a new Christmas picture book

3.  Wrap Christmas gifts

4.  Make a new Christmas decoration for the house

5.  Sip hot apple cider

6.  Make a treat and take it to a friend

Poppy Seed Bread and Peanut Butter Balls

7.  Watch a Christmas movie

8.  Drive around and look at Christmas lights

9.  Put a puzzle together

Peaceful Prince

10.  Make a gingerbread house

 

11.  Add a new ornament to the tree

We bought this ornament at the Palace of the Governors in Santa Fe, New Mexico this summer.

12.  Attend the Advent Party at church

13.  Make a gift for someone (Jen)

Casserole Carriers

14.  Make a gift for someone (Ian)

15.  Attend a holiday party

16.  Participate in Operation Christmas Child

17. Volunteer at Harvesters

An Attitude of Gratitude

As the Thanksgiving festivities come to an end, Ian and I are filled with gratitude.  We are so thankful to have our families close.  We are proud of the roof over our head that we get to remodel and update together.  We are so fortunate to have jobs that we enjoy and that allow us to spend breaks together.  We are blessed with good health.  We are thankful for a loving and supportive marriage.

I recently had some Pinspiration for the holidays.

Burlap Utensil Holders

Thanksgiving Centerpiece

Carle Table for 6

This weekend, Ian and I made a quick trip to St. Louis to pick up some dining room furniture.  Our brother-in-law's generous parents gave us their old dining room set.  We tripled out seating and gained a beautiful hutch!  It could not have been more perfect timing since we are hosting my family at Thanksgiving.  Here's a look back at our dining room transformation.

This is the dining room when we moved in.

We lived with the dining room looking like this for a year!

 

 

This summer we had the walls refinished and then painted them parakeet green.

On Friday, Ian and I loaded up a truck and brought home this dining room set.

We are so thankful for this new set of furniture!  We look forward to being able to host more gatherings now that we have a place for guests to sit!

Ghost Ranch

In June, Ian and I drove to New Mexico to spend a week at Ghost Ranch.

We took the Outdoor Adventure Course.

One of our activities was the High Ropes Course.

Suspension Bridge

Spiderwoman

Suspension Bridge

Rock Wall Champion

It's a bird, it's a plane, it's Ian on the Eagle Walk!

Outdoor Adventure - Hike Box Canyon

Our Outdoor Adventure Group

View Inside Box Canyon

Looking Up from Box Canyon

Outdoor Adventure - River Rafting Trip Down the Chama River

Jen chose the raft, while Ian chose the funyak!

Double Rainbow

Outdoor Adventure - Hike Kitchen Mesa

The trail goes behind Kitchen Mesa before it ascends to the top.

This more difficult hike includes a 15-foot chimney through a cleft in the cliff.

Happy Hikers - We made it to the top of Kitchen Mesa

View from the top of Kitchen Mesa

Ian at the top of Pack Point

Outdoor Adventure - Bandalier National Monument

Tyuonyi Pueblo Ruins

Cavates or Cave Rooms

Macaw Petroglyph

The Alcove House can be reached by 4 wooden ladders and a number of stone stairs.

The view from 140 feet above the floor of Frijoles Canyon.

In the Alcove House, there is a reconstructed kiva and the viga holes and the niches of former homes.

Jen making the 140 foot descent from Alcove House.

Ian making the 140 foot descent from Alcove House.

Outdoor Adventure - Waterfront
Ian and I spent the morning canoeing.

Abiquiu Lake

Chimney Rock

We had a wonderful vacation!
We spent an entire week free from cell phones, computers, television, and air conditioning.
Now that we are home, we hope to tackle a few DIY projects around the house!