Georgia Woods

Sometimes you need a quiet getaway.  Noise can take a lot of different forms, but it mostly clouds your mind with rubbish and makes. you. crazy. That's when it's time for a wooded walk. One of the most beautiful parts about the great state of Georgia is its natural beauty. If you let nature captivate your attention, somehow your problems just seem to shrink.

The other day, Stevie and I stole an hour away for an adventure through the woods on his parent's land. We walked and talked and sat cross-legged in the leaves and stared up into the sky. We let the quiet settle around us until we realized it wasn't really quiet after all. The sound of the birds filled our surroundings and we realized that we had stopped listening to nature because the sound of our own problems in our head somehow seemed bigger. I realized I hadn't had a quiet moment in a long, long time. When the outdoors finally had my attention the chaos in my heart quieted down. 

I've learned that my logic does not always answer questions best, but getting outdoors and listening to nature often clears up the patches of stress inside my brain. Sometime I just need to be reminded that I am a teeny tiny person in a humongous world. Discovering a minuscule chute springing up from the Earth directly next to a hundred year old Oak reminds me to never despise small beginnings. Dreaming of the days to come, I'll have to keep that in mind. 

Adventure: A Few Good Men

Skiing with Five Guys.

Each year my husband's family men take a ski trip together. Is it just me, or are the ladies getting majorly gypped on such a fun tradition? I am not a master skier, but if I skied as often as they do then I would be a regular Kelley Clark. Or the skiing equivalent of her mad skills.

So this year, I insisted on joining the fellowship.

My request was (surprisingly) met with complete enthusiasm from the male camp. They were down with me joining their trip, and I didn't even experience any hazing to get initiated into the club. Was I prepared to be one of the men? Absolutely. I expected to be shocked by their disgusting behavior, inappropriate conversation and general smelliness. And I prepared to keep my game face on and remain unaffected by their inherently bad behavior. But you know what? I was wrong. Hanging with the guys was just, well, normal.

Map + Mmm.

We flew out to Denver and skied for a day at Breckenridge and another two days at Copper. We celebrated my father-in-law's birthday one evening with dinner at an Italian restaurant called Millonzi's. Get this: when we arrived at Millonzi's, we were informed that it was Irish Night and they were featuring a special on their mojitos, if you wore a Hawaiian shirt. I cannot make this stuff up. This is real.

The weather got progressively chillier during our 4-night stay. We skied in -11 degrees on our final day. I wore 9 layers of clothes. I coveted my toe warmers much like Gollum with the ring.

Me and Them.

These boys are fun. I am so lucky to have inherited a bunch of bros. I grew up with two sisters, so my household was always pretty girly. Sharing makeup and clothes and fashion magazines was my norm. When I say sharing, I mean fighting until my little sister showed me how to be generous. She shared everything without a second thought and pretty much wrote the book on the life lesson of sharing. Am I ridiculously indebted to her? You bet. Oh my, I digress.

With my bros, I shared gloves, hand warmers and bottles of water. Oh, and Advil, sunscreen and lip balm. And socks. And peanut butter and banana sandwiches, slope-side. Even though I'm a grown adult, I relish the fact that I now have older and younger brothers and they are SO. MUCH. FUN. I love them. I simply can't help it.

The Skills.

While the boys are all righteously talented skiers (double black? More like double EASY for them.) I, on the other hand, am extremely happy to ski on the easy greens. I like to spend the day like a fresh snow bunny, navigating the gentle rolling, easy green hills. But these boys had me addressing new challenges, so I was flying like a bat out of hell down the difficult blues. My oh my. But you want to know what? I kind of liked it. Skiing a little bit fast is fun. And less stressful on the thighs.

The Sermon on the Mount.

My husband is always kind enough to ski with me, even though I choose the path of least resistance. When I hit an impasse he pep-talks me through the challenge. And this year, I didn't stand at the top of the mountain and weep with fear. We've progressed from the dark ages. I zipped down the blue runs of Copper Mountain, belting out Lumineers' 'Ho Hey' lyrics, "I belong with you, you belong with me, my sweetHEEEEEEAaarrrtttt..." Stevie's mountaintop encouragement gave me confidence to rule the slopes. The ground was bumpy, but I bumped right back at it. That's right. Take it.

Do I love skiing? You bet. Do I love my bros? You bet even more. Would I hit up the man trip again? Anytime they let me. Brothers are the bomb, skiing in Colorado is sick and toe warmers are inexplicably valuable. If you have a brother, give him a bear hug today, because sometimes (just sometimes), boys are the best.

Dreamscape: Celebrating the Musicia

Let's Celebrate.

I think it's important to take time to recognize people in your life who have accomplished extraordinary things. Ordinary people who dream of spectacular and impossible things. As children, we actually believe that we can become ballerinas, doctors and astronauts. In reality, those professions are next to impossible to actually do. The training, education and experience is often cutthroat, demanding and, even if you submit your life over to such a dream, the success rate is oh-so low. Which is why I want to take a moment to celebrate Josh Fisher.

Throwback.

I've known Josh my entire life. Our families are old friends and we grew up vacationing together, going to church together celebrating holidays. Josh is several years older than me, so he was always the cool older brotherly-type guy in the church youth group with the long wild red hair and wicked sense of humor. Josh dreamed of playing drums for a living. You could chalk this up to a nearly-impossible profession like the astronaut. So few people ever really make a spankin' living as a musician. But Josh was relentless. He pursued his love for drumming and sharpened his talent throughout middle and high school and had the opportunity to play with some significant, professional Christian bands during his twenties. You can only imagine my excitement when Josh officially became a part of the family, marrying my stunningly-beautiful cousin Lisa (who rivals him with her fiercely witty humor and altogether awesomeness.) A match made in Heaven. Lisa, being the kickass wife that she is, fully supported Josh's pursuit of music. I have watched them in amazement over the years, knowing that it probably isn't always easy pursuing one's dreams. They have remained unfailing in their love for one another and their passion for music. It's one thing to talk about dreams. It's entirely another thing to fight for the dream, sacrifice for it, never knowing if the sacrifice will be worth it. Training for that hoped-for moment of success. Waiting with fear-laced, bated breath for the day the scales tip in your favor, the day someone recognizes your talent, the day you are promoted into living your dream. Josh and Lisa have displayed that die-hard vigor for pursuing the magic in their hearts. They are some of the few who know what it means to walk in faith.

Enter, Jesus Culture.

Last week, I went to see Josh play in front of 70,000 people at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta with his band, Jesus Culture. I watched in thrill and awe as this inspiring, unfailing man rocked the house with his hypnotizing, rhythmic talent. I looked around and saw the faces of strangers all around me, moving to the music, lost in the moment. I saw him on the big screen as the cameras zoomed in on his drum solos. It was an epic moment. He was living it. His time had arrived. There he was, living in the middle of his dream, down there on that impressive stage.

Hope.

Josh's life is a testimony, an inspired omen to all of us who hope and wonder if our time, and our dreams, will ever come to pass. He has proved that getting in the business of pursuing dreams is the most fulfilling way to live. There will surely be moments where fear creeps in, but that fear is a choice. In his case, he smashed that fear like a cymbal (that's my only attempt at drum humor, I promise).

It's Time.

What does Josh's story mean to me? I think it is so vitally important to celebrate those around you who have their crowning moment of dream glory. It is a such a beautiful and rare thing to experience the pure joy of dreams come true. If you have a dream that scares you to pieces, the best way to overcome that fear is to take a selfless moment and celebrate others. Stop thinking about you. I dare you to look around; I'll bet you will begin to see people all around you that are truly extraordinary, accomplishing significant feats. Focusing on another's dream will create a raw gratitude in your own heart, and will give you ammo to move forward in your own pursuit of excellence. Thanks to Josh, I am sure of the powerful strength of our human nature. We are brilliant, beautiful, curious and a reflection of our maker. Let's get on it. 2013 is ripe and ready for our mark on this world.

Spotted: Cabin Decor

Cabin Chic.

Winter is the perfect time to shack up in cabin in the woods. I recently spent a week in Blue Ridge, Georgia and I was really taken with the quirky decor I found in the cabin. It set the tone for a cozy week of inside activities with the family, and I wanted to share a few of the decor takeaways.

1. Do You See What I See.

There was a common theme in the cabin: owls. In every room of the house, there were little owl eyes peeking out, watching. Okay, that sounds a bit creepy, but since I LOVE Owls (shout out to my Alma Mater, KSU!) I found their presence really fun. It was like a tiny little surprise in each corner. Here are just a few of the cuties I found around the house. It was like a scavenger hunt, trying to capture them all on camera.

2. Getting Rich: Color.

The colors in the home were dark and rich, mixing warm and cool elements. Golden cedar walls, warm plummy paint and robust brass accessories lent to the impressive, old-world feeling of the big airy home. The art hanging on the walls displayed sharp scenery in thickly-painted, slightly careless brushstrokes.

Delightfully dark. Kind of made me have a hankering for a snifter of brandy.

3. Pattern & Texture.

The detailing of the house was impeccable. The upholstery was deeply textured and antiquated. The furniture displayed carefully hand-painted fleur de lis. I wanted to photograph everything, from the books to pictures to the bowls we ate out of. It was all just so beautiful and unique, but different than my style. It wasn't feminine and anthropologie-esque, but it was more earthy and hearty. Strong stone, weathered cedar. Lived-in furniture. Yes, that chair has been sat in. A lot.

Recipe for Cozy.

Staying in this home in the woods for a week was like being transformed to another world. A world of books, fireside chats and coffee time. The cozy details only lent to the wonderfully warm charm of spending a week with family. All of these elements got my brain ticking about how to produce such a cozy and inspired effect in my own home. If you're not an interior designer, these few elements will create the desired, winter wonderland setting. Choosing a strong theme (in this case, owls) along with dark colors, warm textures, wooden and stone accents and aged furniture is just the ticket. Just remember to include blankets; it can produce a chilly effect!

New Years Review: Jell-O Shots and Sparkling Flannel

Sorry, Mayans.

New Years Eve 2013. It went down a week ago (plus two days, but who's counting?), and oh what a mighty fun time. Being that I celebrated with my family in the warmth of a cabin in the north Georgia woods, I rang in the New Year with pizazz. And in flannel. Don't worry, we wore a few sparkles in honor of 2013. We just rocked them along with our pjs and makeup-free faces (I think I accidentally left on an Origins facial mask for most of the day. Ah, the joys of not leaving the house. They were lucky if I even brushed my teeth.) The lovely Spencer family rang in the New Year in our own special way (specifically, my sisters and mom. The men avoided the sparkles, although I'm still not sure why. Steven Tyler has no problem with such things.)

Hello, Jell-O.

My knockout-of-a-model sister Kara has a 3-year old son, so naturally Jell-O is a big part of her world. If you know her at all, you will know that her kind of Jell-O is probably home-made, organic and quite possibly biodegradable. However, she came across this recipe (which can be found on her Pinterest page, Get In My Belly) for Jell-O Champagne New Years shots and couldn't pass it up. She whipped them together for our little soiree (I was the taste-tester.) Yes, we lived it up. We partied like it was 1999. Do you remember New Years 1999? Good times. I was like, 13.

Kara made some slight alterations to the recipe. We couldn't find White Grape Sparkling Jell-O mix (there are some rumors that it has been discontinued), so we went old-school with the Strawberry flavor. That was a win. Even the boys partook. We are pretty lucky we found guys that embrace our shenanigans. Like, really really lucky.

Flannel + Sparkles.

We wore sparkles (duh, it was NYE), but it was a bit chilly so we cozied up in our slippers and flannel as well. My mom, being the classy broad she is, went with a honking-long strand of pearls. I love these ladies. They indulge me in all forms of silliness (evident here and here) and they just know how to celebrate well. We watched the Biebs and T-Sweezy perform on ABC and played poker whilst enjoying our Jell-O. This is my favorite way to celebrate the New Year, with my sweet family, a silly outfit and spiked gelatin. Bring it on 2013. Show me what you got.