Cheers to 2021!

1 retiro do casados in the Poconos simply being together with some of our favorite people, big and small
2 trips taken this year where every flight got delayed, and they were worth every hiccup.

3.1 miles run in Hoboken for our first Turkey Trot 5k with friends, and my mom's first 5k ever! So proud!

4 months with Vovo living with us, telling stories from the past and singing hymns every day along with

5 kindergarteners in our Breakout Class & all the kids who also love to sing and make our hearts happy.

6 x 7 = 42 songs in our first Christmas playlist with friends! Some of whom were there to see the...

7 hot air balloons that seemed like they'd rise into the air but gave us a light show instead LOL

8 months of Sisterhood with many beautiful ladies sharing conversations, food, tears, prayers and laughs.

9 minute long voice memos were common between Erin & I with so much love + wisdom in-between them.

10 beautiful years of marriage celebrated where it all began, Chicago & in our favorite home yet, SoBe!

11 different exhibits to walk by before seeing the Obama Portraits in person, and they did not disappoint!

12 months of seeing God move through many amazing people at CCP and point people to Jesus plus...

13 weeks of gratitude journaling on the journey of thanking Him in all things, with so much grace.

14 thousand average steps walked every time we visit NYC bc after all this time, it's still our thing.

15 lattes a month at Sihana between the girls! Probably more, thanks to D & K for making it a second home.

16 deep breaths before I felt I wouldn't pass out in front of everyone at Burn (thanks Julie! LOL)

17 times we reconsidered watching Survivor this season, only to remember how much we love it!

18 books on my reading list I did not finish, but I did spend a lot of time listening to...

19 songs on repeat! I Thank God, Revivals in the Air, and Gratitude to name a few. We had about...

20 weeks of Lovely Day CrossFit which blessed our bodies, hearts and souls. And finally...

21 + 12 weeks into the year I received a promise from God that I will hold in my heart forever.

Ready for you, 2022!

<3

a merry olives christmas with friends 2021

After an entire year of quiet on the blog, we are back to share our first COMMUNAL CHRISTMAS PLAYLIST FOR 2021!!! I had the idea last Christmas and excitedly kept it to myself all year. It almost didn't happen because I've been logged off IG since November, but after coming back for my birthday on the 20th (yay!) and my sister repeatedly asking me when the playlist was coming (love you Michi!!), I decided to go for it and am so so happy I did!

Thank you to everyone for sending in your responses! This is most songs I've had in a playlist yet! It's over 2.5 hours long, covers several genres of music, and has songs in three languages. Can you guess which ones? haha I hope you're as excited as I am to hear your picks!! I rearranged the order of the songs so some of your choices are not back to back, but some are! If you have Spotify Premium the best way to listen is straight through. If you don't, I believe it shuffles the songs for you.

My hope and prayer is that this playlist brings a little bit of cheer to you this season, even in the midst of loss, canceled holiday plans, sickness and pain in our world. 

This is why I am so thankful for Jesus - He is our Light, our Strength and our Song; He is the reason for Christmas and the hope we have and carry in our lives no matter what. Wishing you a very merry Christmas everyone! 

With so much love, The Olives

2021 Contributors: G, Fabz, Hannah, Renata, Priscilla, Kevo, Silvia, Jess, Michelle, Joe, Bianca, Lu, Ana, Ashley,  Tia Ana, Yonna, Merc, Kez, Juju, Julie, Ellie, Melissa, Thressa, 

Greg, Taylor, Kristen, and Milla and Les!

Cheers to 2020!

1 perfect shell given to me by a stranger with Maverick City's "I'll still bless you" on my mind
2 preaching series that changed me: "FU" + Relationship Goals by Mike Todd

3 COVID tests taken between G & I in the last 2 weeks of the year, and it didn't hurt! YES!

4 miracle babies born - AJ, Noah, Josiah & Gio - and so many cuddles.

5 women that impacted my life in a huge way this year: Erin, Mom, Tia Ana, Emma & Jeanny 

6 days of breaking & reckoning, healing, and grace on a sacred week in September

7 months of G working from home #covid + a promotion for me; God went above & beyond! I watched..

8 sunrises that changed me, lifted me up, and gave me hope in a wild year where we celebrated

9 years of marriage! What?! We swam with the sharks (crazy!) & had a private rooftop dinner for two

10 episodes of The Crown watched in our new home of NJ (a God story) after...

11 final months spent in South Beach, which will forever be in our hearts <3

12 laps around the track was G's workout plan, but I usually only lasted 4 in the Miami heat

13 and a half books read meaning my goal of 12 was beat for the first time!*

14 weeks going on sunset walks almost every night, and it was magic

15 x 500 people singing outside that JESUS IS KING in Downtown Miami with Sunday Service!

16 to 26 MILLION people protested for the #blacklifematters movement in America this year - incredible

17 hours of snow perfection, plus every season experienced! Fall, Winter, Spring and Summer

18 days spent with Michi & Joe laughing at all the things while they spent Christmas break in Jersey!    

19 family members that support and love each other through our ups and downs. So so grateful

20 hours of surprises for my 30th bday that blew me away. Thanks to my precious babe - I love you G

//  2020 - I bless you because you broke us, and in the breaking we were healed and made whole  //

* Books read:

• Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert
• The Girl For The Job by Jess Connolly
• The Four Loves by C.S. Lewis
• Invitation to Solitude and Silence by R. Barton
• A Spirituality of Caregiving Henri Nouwen
• Making All Things New by Henri Nouwen
• The Way of The Heart by Henri Nouwen
• Men, Women and Worthiness by Brene Brown
• A Thousand Mornings by Mary Oliver
• The Book of Forgiving by Rev Tutu
• The Little Book of Hygge by Meik Wiking
• Making Vision Stick by Andy Stanly
• Dream Big by Bob Goff
• Becoming by Michelle Obama -  halfway done but started in February. This just wasn't the book for me to finish this year

to the season ahead

2020 has been quite the year for all of us! So this Christmas, I wanted our card to encompass hope for what's to come! Because we have Jesus, we have hope. I am so full of gratitude this season! The best is yet to come.

**Thanks to Artifact Uprising for another beautiful card!