heart full of gratitude.

Gratitude... goes beyond the ‘mine’ and ‘thine’ and claims the truth that all of life is a pure gift. In the past I always thought of gratitude as a spontaneous response to the awareness of gifts received, but now I realize that gratitude can also be lived as a discipline. The discipline of gratitude is the explicit effort to acknowledge that all I am and have is given to me as a gift of love, a gift to be celebrated with joy.

. Henri Nouwen .

ps. It has been so good to be thankful with you this month!

oh my...

sparkle UGGs!

UGG Australia

ps. & how about this for a little sparkle in London's Heathrow airport?

http://www.tvkim.com/watch/553/kims-picks-a-homecoming-to-remember

More moments in life like this please!

random littles.

A few random little things I’m thankful for.

New socks.

Cheez-It crackers.

Pedicures with friends.

That hair grows.

Fresh snow.

Google.

Cupcakes.

& Sharpies.

ps. While shopping on Friday I bought a raffle ticket.

I didn’t even know what the prize was, I just wanted to support MaryAnne at Magical Scraps, the store I mentioned earlier today.

I got a call this afternoon that I won.

After getting really excited that I won I had to ask exactly what I won.

2 nights lodging & lift tickets in Breckenridge.

Just in time to celebrate my wedding anniversary.

Thankful!

if i worked at starbucks...

I don’t drink coffee.

In fact, there really isn’t a hot drink that I enjoy much.

I know, it’s kind of sad.

I think my mom thought so too when I was little & she once heated up some TANG for me.

It tasted horrible.

Needless to say Starbucks is not a place I have need to frequent often.

I’m more likely to go in to use their restroom & buy some Walker’s Shortbread {my mom taught me to always buy something from a business if you use their facilities} than I am to partake of a venti beverage.

This past Friday however, while doing my part to paint my little corner of the world pink {I like pink a whole lot more than black} & waiting for a store to open {no this was not 4 o’clock in the morning, around 9:30ish actually} I went in Starbucks with my mother-in-law & a dear friend.

I decided since it was so cold outside that I should order a hot drink instead of the pomegranate Izze that looked so good. 

So I ordered apple cider.

& when the gal called my order out this is what she said, very unenthusiasticly in my opinion but I could have made that up, ‘Hot apple juice.’

As I sheepishly stepped out of the crowd to claim said drink I thought to myself, if I worked at Starbucks I would call it ‘hot sparkling apple goodness delight.'

You know how I love things that sparkle.

ps. The shop I was waiting for to open?

Magical Scraps in Breckenridge.

Such a fun place!
Stop in & say hi to MaryAnne for me.

beyond good.

I’m thankful for God’s grace that allows me to be transformed each day.

The whole idea of transformation is so interesting to me in so many ways, on so many levels.

I don’t believe it’s something that I can make happen & yet I have to choose daily to abide in Him that He might transform me from within.

Sometimes it really hurts & yet I know enough that the pain leads to something beyond good.

& I absolutely love that this:

can be transformed into this:

I guess you could say I found my elf shoes over the Thanksgiving holiday.

ps. Enjoy the last few moments of November!

God's font.

A little shopping, a little football, a little chips & salsa.
It has been a fabulous day!
We head home tomorrow & I'm thankful we don't have far to go.
The place we call home is a tiny little dot on the map in Colorado.
From every window of my home I have a view of the mountains & they never look the same.
I'm thankful for God's majestic beauty that surrounds us & reminds me daily what an awesome Creator He is.
ps. I think I may have to write a letter to Santa asking him for an all expenses paid trip for 2 to the Rose Bowl!

sparkling glimpses.

I'm thankful for when I'm given glimpses of the fruits of my labor.
Kinda makes me sparkle on the inside.
ps. Like idioms?
Check out http://blog.carolinefontenot.com/idioms/ for a really great photo series by my friend Caroline who happens to be an extremely talented & clever photographer.

covering the miles.

drawpilgrim.com 

I hope your day has been full of love & gratitude.
I'm thankful for snail mail, computers, email, telephones, & digital cameras that help cover the miles between family & friends far away especially on days like today.
ps. I decided shopping tonight in 6 below {feels like 17 below} temperature did not sound like fun.
I guess you could say I'm thankful too that I sometimes make smart choices. :)

a lovely gathering.

We've come over the river & through the snowy woods this Thanksgiving holiday.
I'm thankful for family & friends to gather around the table with.
Have a lovely Thanksgiving!
ps. Chicken & beef fondue is the traditional holiday meal in my family.

ever blessed.

I’m thankful for a few things I’ve never experienced.

Hunger.

Chronic illness.

Poverty.

Lack of running, clean water.

Homelessness.

Not having someone to call for help.

I’m also thankful for the things I have learned through the small glimpses I’ve had of these situations being reality for people in our world.

We are starting to research & plan a family mission trip.

I’m so excited to see how this will change our perspectives individually & as a family.

We are truly blessed & it breaks my heart how often I need to be reminded of it.

ps. Would you believe I have never had a fast food hamburger?!

surprise & delight.

When I was in first grade I remember coming home from a doctor’s appointment to find a big, velvety, green hippo on my bed.

I can still remember the surprise & delight I felt.

I’m thankful for surprises.

I find joy in being on either side of a surprise.

I love little ones like leaving or receiving unexpected notes or a spur of the moment trip to 7-11 for slurpees.

I can’t wait for Christmas morning to see the delight on the faces of my two favorite little people.

& it always amazes me when I’m surprised by God.

In some ways I don’t think I should be & yet how can I not be when I abide in awe & wonder of Him & his amazing grace & love for me every day?

Delightfully surprising & then some.

ps. We are headed to Dillon, Colorado for Thanksgiving.

The predicted high for the day of thankfulness?

12 little degrees.

Oh my stars.

Mexico, where are you when I need you?

i like popsicles.

I’m thankful for Sunday afternoons & sewing.

ps. Remember the Straightforward Green paint I mentioned that was going on my kitchen walls.

I’m thinking the person that named this paint had quite the debate between Straightforward Green & Put This Paint on Your Walls if You Want Them to Look Like the Inside of a Lime Green Popsicle.

Surely the person, yes, that would be me, who selected said paint was CRAZY.

Let’s just say we’ve had a little revision.

& oh how thankful I am that my husband had only painted a tiny portion of one wall before I came to my senses.

I think I’ll go eat a popsicle now.

20.

20 places {in no particular order} I’m thankful I’ve had the opportunity to visit.

1. Kilkenny, Ireland
2. Paris, France
3. Any place in North Carolina
4. Austin, Texas
5. St. Augustine, Florida
6. Seattle, Washington
7. Charlottesville, Virginia
8. London, England
9. Pawleys Island, South Carolina
10. Santa Fe, New Mexico
11. Annapolis, Maryland
12. St. Lucia, West Indies
13. Hudson, Ohio
14. San Francisco, California
15. Carmel-by-the-Sea, California
16. Negril, Jamaica
17. Washington, D.C.
18. Edinburgh, Scotland
19. San Jose, Costa Rica
20. Nashville, Tennessee

ps. If you ever need an overseas tour guide I have the perfect gal for you.

She's my dearest friend from college & one of the happiest days of her life was when she had to go to the US Embassy in London to have pages added to her passport.

& she's responsible for getting me to almost half of my 20 so start packing!

time to rest.

West Willow Designs

Tonight I’m thankful for:

a stack of books & magazines

chicken noodle soup

Ultra Soft Kleenex

my electric blanket

ps. Can you tell I have a cold? :(

encouragement award.

Earlier this week I mentioned that I have forgotten to pick up my daughter for 2 out of 3 early release days at school so far this year.

Yes, I know school has only been in session 3 months & please know that due to this little statistic I am not expecting the ‘Mom of the Year’ award.

But I don’t really need it & here’s why.

This week I DID remember & I when I picked up my daughter she jubilantly exclaimed, ‘Good job mom, you didn’t forget!’

Oh how I love to be encouraged.

Makes me kind of glad I forgot a couple of times, is that terrible?!

ps. Happy Friday!

most important.

Let me share a little essay my daughter brought home from school today.

‘I Like Myself’

I like myself because I am very honest. When I was a baby Mommy and Daddy called me a peanut because I was little. I know that my GG loves me because she lets me play with her dolls. I know that I am special to God. He loves me and he blessed me that’s why I like myself. If something changes I panic hard! So that is why I like myself... so far.

M. Butler

A couple of years ago for some paperwork I had to answer this question, ‘What do you think is the most important thing a child should know?’ 

My response was & is, ‘The most important thing a child should know is that God loves them.’

I’m so thankful my daughter is 7 & she knows this!

& it’s oh so helpful to know how she feels about change, I can certainly relate.

ps. I love that even on the days I don’t like myself, God loves me still.

today.

Sometimes I think it’s good just to be thankful for today.

I’m thankful today that I was available when needed to take a change of tights & shoes to my oldest so that she didn’t have to walk around school all day smelling of spilled milk.

I’m thankful today that laughter was the response of my child when her classmate accidentally spilled milk on her.

I’m thankful today I got to visit one of my favorite places in town, Serendipity Yarn & Gifts where I am always greeted by warm smiles, yummy smells & then am pleasantly overwhelmed with wanting to buy at least one of everything.

I’m thankful today that I had time to read & be creative.

I’m thankful today for a beautiful sunset behind snow covered mountains.
I'm thankful today that my youngest said she's going to snuggle with me tomorrow.

I’m thankful today is almost over & I have something to look forward to. :)

ps. Thank you all for your comments, such an encouragement to me in this!

2 mile radius.

Today I was helping my youngest daughter put stickers on a really sweet note she wrote for her dad.

We found some ‘scratch & sniff’ stickers.

Remember those?

The moment I smelled the berry pie sticker I was taken back to piano lessons with Leanne Hedges in the Music Preparatory School at TCU. 

I can still see the various ‘praise’ stickers on the sheet music of songs I learned to play.

& since several years later I actually attended TCU as a student I started thinking about my education.

I’m thankful for the education, preschool to college {all of which were within a 2 mile radius of home}, I received so easily.

Not to say it was always an easy education {helllllooooo college biology} but that I didn’t have to work hard to show up & the supplies & resources were readily available.

I’m thankful for the value my parents placed on education & yet there was no pressure like that one dad in ‘School of Rock.’ 

Oh my stars I love that movie!
& most of all I’m thankful for teachers & their amazing dedication.

Aside from huge raises they all deserve every kind of scratch & sniff stickers ever made.

& if you’re a teacher reading this, send me your address & I’ll send you some! 

ps. Mr. Young, the other first grade teacher {meaning he wasn’t actually my teacher}, really loved bananas.

Why can I remember such things & yet I have forgotten to pick up my child for early release 2 out of 3 times?!

meet Bill.

He is funny.

He hiked the Colorado Trail.

He owns an 8 track player.

He absolutely loves to ski.

He has 18 rules of life.

He can fix just about anything.

He eats a pop tart almost everyday.

He is a square dance caller impersonator.

He is the son of two amazing people.

He is an incredible father to two girls that adore him & want to wrestle with him everyday.

He once rode is bike from Hays, Kansas to Washington & back.

He makes life better.

He is my husband & I couldn’t be more thankful for him.

ps. He once met me at the airport with a wildflower book.

He said he wanted to buy me flowers but they didn’t have any.

He is also resourceful.

I think that's what you call it.

detours.

Today I’m thankful that we don’t always get where we think we’re going in life.

Helps keep me mindful that I’m not in control after all.

ps. http://tinyurl.com/3yqw825 

This is the color that is about to go on the walls in my kitchen.

Kinda nice that paint can be straightforward even when life isn’t. :)

221.

memories of summer.

thankful.

ps. 221 days until we get to do it all again & then some.

catfish & bikinis.

So today I found myself standing in the middle of an AutoZone half an hour from home praying on the inside, asking on the outside for someone to come help me jump start my car {a GMC, that’ll be important in a second} across the street. 

The sales clerk was very helpful in offering the use of a handy jumper cable gadget thing but said he didn’t have anyone available to actually assist me.

The only other customer in the store?

Angel Joe.

‘I can help you. I work in the service department at the GMC dealership here.’

Don’t you just love it when God answers your prayers right in front of your face?
Turns out Joe wasn’t sure if he was going to stop in AutoZone this afternoon but he did. 

& I know exactly why.

Also turns out that Joe just moved to Salida from Texas two months ago.

I told him I grew up in Fort Worth & how much I miss Texas BBQ.

He told me he misses ‘catfish & bikinis.’

Hilarious.

Thank you Lord for a new battery in my car, Angel Joe, Texas BBQ, catfish & bikinis.

That could quite possibly be the funniest prayer I have ever prayed.

Ps. I’ll be baking cookies to drop off at the GMC service department very soon.

Snickerdoodles are my favorite, how about you?

sweet tea & remembrance.

Hot air balloons always remind me of my dear Uncle Charlie who loved them.

Uncle Charile was a sweet, sweet man of God & we said a tearful & yet jubilant filled goodbye to him this past May.

I am grateful for the difference he made in my life. 

He left an amazing legacy of faith, service, love, humility & kindness.

& as my oldest daughter so poignantly said, I miss his ‘earthly life.’

ps. Uncle Charlie made the BEST sweet tea, I miss that too.

& a special pps. On this day of remembrance I am beyond thankful for the men & women & their families who have served or are serving our country.

10.

1.Dr. Pepper

2. Snail mail from family & friends {especially my mom & my friend Jenna, they both have lovely handwriting}

3. My cruiser bike which I often refer to as my ‘happy place’

4. Carolina basketball - go heels!

5. Chips & salsa

6. Memories of flying with my Pop

7. Hymns

8. Quiet

9. Target

10. Aspen trees

10 things I’m thankful for on the 10^th.

ps.I'm thankful it was difficult to limit the list to 10 things.

Life is beyond good!

made for this.

In the spring of 1987 I was in the 8th grade & Blake, a cute, older boy who lived down the street, invited me to something called ‘YoungerLife.’

I had no idea what he was talking about & because I had not quite learned the equation of cute boy + invitation = say yes, I did not accept his invite.

But thanks to good friends I did end up going & I truly believe this is one of the major events that shaped the course of my life {& no, it’s not because of the cute boy, I actually don’t recall seeing Blake again}.

YoungerLife was simply an introduction to YoungLife.

YoungLife is an outreach ministry to middle school, high school & college age kids & I have spent the past 23 years involved with this amazing organization in some way.

In high school I was a YoungLife club kid & went to weekly gatherings as well as Campaigners which is a Bible study {not a time to campaign for local political issues which is what I initially thought it was!}.

YoungLife helped me realize that this God thing is an everyday thing, a personal relationship not just something to be found at church on Sunday mornings.

I spent one of the ‘best weeks of my life’ as a high school camper at Frontier Ranch, one of YoungLife’s camps in Colorado {a mere 7 miles from my home now}.

During the week I rode horses, rappelled down a cliff, square danced, learned more about this amazing God that loves me no matter what & got bit by the camping ministry bug.

In college I was a volunteer leader & helped put on the very same types of gatherings that I attended in high school.

During the summer months I volunteered at Frontier Ranch.

After college I took a summer internship at YoungLife’s family camp, Trail West.

I thought I would be at Trail West just for the summer but I’m still there & that was 15 years ago.

I even met my husband through Young Life, guess I finally figured out that equation!

So tonight as I head to our local area’s annual fundraising banquet I am thankful for the ministry of Young Life.

I’m thankful for all the Blakes, Mallorys, Jaces, Leslies, Randys, Petes & countless others that are reaching out to kids in mighty ways, earning the right to be heard that they might have the opportunity to share of the hope found in life with Jesus.

I'm thankful that YoungLife has played such an amazing role in my own story.

ps. Don’t forget about the sparklestudio giveaway!

Visit Jamies Precious Peas to enter!

the world of a story.

Today I am thankful for books.

The sound of my older daughter reading to her younger sister & the giggles that ensue is surely one of the choruses of heaven.

This older daughter of mine is a self-professed bookworm & one day last week she told me 'I got lost in the world of a story.'

Isn't that delightful?

I hope you 'get lost' this week!

ps. Are you on Goodreads?

Let's be friends! You can find me under 'Clare Butler.'

I love to know what people are reading!

loli.

A little over a year ago I found out I have a ‘sewing angel.’

This little angel gifted me with an amazing sewing machine that has truly been the best gift anyone has ever given me.

Sorry, Mom & Pop, that digital watch with the light button you gave me for Christmas in 1980 isn’t at the top of the list anymore.

This machine has helped me create in a whole new way & discover a kind of jump up & down & scream ‘this is so much fun’ love of sewing.

I’m thankful for my sewing angel & I am determined to someday find my own 'wings' & pay it forward in her honor.

Do you ever find it difficult to be on the receiving end of the generosity of others?

Humbling & yet so good.

ps. I named my machine Loli after my totally fun, creative, sassy, LSU Tigers loving sewing angel!

contented exhaustion.

creativity  is inventing, experimenting, growing, taking risks,

breaking rules, making mistakes & having fun. 

∙ Mary Lou Cook ∙

This is the exact definition of what my weekend has entailed & I am so thankful.

ps. 3 cheers for an extra hour of sleep!

dear winter.

I grew up in Texas where summer came early & stayed late.

I now live where winter comes early & stays late.
For example, last week I called my girlfriend that lives in Palestine, Texas & mentioned to her that it was snowing.
She told me it was 80 degrees there.
Crazy.

So today I’m simply thankful that it’s November 5^th & it’s in the 60s instead of the 40s.

Dear Winter, 

Thanks for letting fall hang around.

See you soon,

Clare

ps. Have a glorious weekend!

a whole lot of inspiration.

inspire.

Today I am thankful that I have people of all ages in my life that inspire me.

This weekend I will be attending a calligraphy workshop with my mother-in-law & a dear friend from my college days at TCU {go Frogs!}.

Two women that inspire me in wonderful ways.

& because I like things that come in 3s, the workshop is being led by yet another woman that has quite the inspiring affect on me & most anyone around her actually.

Such a delightful thing to be inspired.

ps. I hope I’m able to inspire even a fraction of the amount that I am inspired!

meet jamie & a giveaway!

My husband & I work for Trail West {trailwest.younglife.org} which is a Young Life camp for families in Buena Vista, Colorado. 

In the summer we have the privilege of meeting & serving alongside Young Life staff & their families from all over the country & sometimes a few other continents.

This summer I met cute Jamie Underwood.

She’s a wife & a mom like me & she introduced me to the world of ‘review blogs.’

Companies contact her or she contacts them to review their products. 

Talk about fun & she gets lots of freebies!

To learn more about Jamie & read some great product reviews visit her site:

jamiespreciouspeas.com

& you just might see a little sparklestudio goodness on there!

Jamie is reviewing the ‘encouragment totes’ & you could win 2 totes, one for you & one for a special someone.
So go check it all out & enter already! 

ps. This is so much fun! :)

heart at home.

u

      home.

Today I'm thankful for such a warm, comfortable, love filled place to call home.

I think I've always thought the saying ‘home is where the heart is’ was kind of cheesy.

Until now.

I get it.

It’s good to be home.

ps. don’t go too far, sparklestudio news is coming soon!

crazy kind of thankful.

I think I started compiling the list of things to do & make for the holiday season the second the calendar turned to November 1st.

Walking by the already completely displayed Christmas section at Hobby Lobby may have had a little something to do with it.

Are we really in that much of a hurry?

I say we all slow down a little!

While I do hope to get started on ‘the list’ I also hope to do my best to not miss Thanksgiving altogether.

Too much to be thankful for to let that happen.

I’m wondering if I’m crazy to think I could write about something I’m thankful for every day this month.

Maybe I am a little crazy seeing as how I’m already a day behind! ha!

How about I share two things for today & yesterday & we’ll call it good?

Thanks.

I’m thankful for time spent this past weekend in beautiful Santa Fe, New Mexico with my even more beautiful & dearest friend from college.

We talked, walked, slept, ate, shopped, knitted, laughed, shopped some more & left plenty to do for many trips to come.

My mouth is watering just thinking about our scrumptious eats at ‘The Shed’ & the queso at the ‘Blue Corn Cafe.’

If you are headed that way {lucky you} & need some suggestions let me know.

Or if you’ve been there {lucky you} & have some tips for our next trip, do tell!

& today I’m thankful for the right & privilege I have to vote.

Beyond blessed to live in this country.

Bring on the thankful!

ps. coming really soon: a little sparklestudio goodness with our first ever giveaway!