four things

top left: COZY. October is in full swing and so are all things comfy. Who doesn't love the fact that it is the social norm to be walking around in thick sweaters & scarves all day, everyday? The downside: you may feel sleepy for most of the day; upside: its a real excuse for coffee (but that's in the next paragraph). This month I've been observing the Californians I follow on Insta being that we'll be living there in um...about two months (sdn!!sn!sjd!! regroup!). I like to watch what they wear although the temps don't really care for all those layers. Good news, they embrace the cozy styles nonetheless. And the best part, when the winter comes you're still dressing cozy without freezing! I can hardly contain my excitement for that, G knows! With every day in the 50's, which thankfully have been few, come ten thousand hallelujahs that we won't be living through another polar vortex (that cursed phrase) this year. Or the next. Ah.....

top right: LATTE. Because fall just makes me want it all. of. the. time. Just that feeling of something warm in your hands brings so much happiness. Oh the simple joys October brings.

bottom left: APARTMENT. Little by little, the Mr. & I have been on the search for a new place in the San Diego area to call ours. My number one musts (note past tense) were hard wood floors & large windows. The latter, we have enjoyed like we'd never thought we would in our first place in Chi. The former was never really an option. Bonuses would be exposed brick walls & a balcony. However, what we've been finding is not what we expected. Basically huge, one bedrooms with pools on site & carpet throughout. Almost every place we've seen has those three things. While I'm not complaining about the pools or the space, I am going to keep dreaming of our cozy loft that perhaps we'll one day find. Perhaps? lol 

bottom right: BAKE. Oh, it most definitely is on my mind! How about you? I find myself eagerly waiting for the weekend to come so I can splurge on something sweet. I've been thinking up some recipes to try in October - one being pumpkin spice scones. I'll keep you updated on those! G is not a fan of pumpkin anything. Clearly, he doesn't yet know he will be helping me with those so.....it should be fun. :)

For more cozy pins, let's be friends on Pinterest

four things

top left: Peonies! I know peony season is officially over, but a couple weeks ago our local TJ's finally had some gorgeous stems to purchase. That was the happy part but here's the sad part: they started to bloom the first 2 days, then stopped & slowly withered away. It was so sad. I think the unpredictable weather may have had something to do with it but either way I feel like I am the worst at taking care of flowers & plants. But I'm determined to get better, for their pretty sake. (I've also noticed that almost every four things post includes flowers; I'm more than ok with that!) // photo via: pinterest

top right: Italy! Just because I have traveling on my mind. There are so many places in Europe and around the world that G & I desire to go. & I can't help but think I don't want to be THAT couple who plans to travel but never gets to it. So we'll keep dreaming & planning & hoping that traveling will continue to be a part of our adventure.We sure hope so! I think this quote depicts how I feel about traveling well, "Travel is more than the seeing of sights; it is a change that goes on, deep and permanent, in the ideas of living" Miriam Beard // photo via: pinterest

bottom left: This Album! I know I' already mentioned it last month, but I've been listening to it everyday still- start to finish on YouTube & it has encouraged me again & again. This seasons life anthem for sure. If you haven't yet, take a listen. I don't think you'll be disappointed. // listen here.

bottom right: Summer Sunsets! I mean, they're gorgeous. A couple days ago I even asked G to remove our window screen so I could put my phone out of our 6 story window to capture a sunset. They just leave me breathless. // photo via: sunset picnicking post 

four things

all images via Pinterest

top left: Happy anniversary month! Every time June comes around it's always special because it's the month we became each others hubby & wifey for life. It's amazing to realize this 25th of June marks three years of marriage to g. Three years! - the hardest & best years of my life. I don't think it's easy for those who aren't married to understand what that really means, and I sure didn't realize what people meant by "marriage is hard work" until we entered into this divine reality together. But by God's grace in our lives we are learning how to love like He loves, forgive like He does, & serve each other willingly by remembering that God comes first, the other second and us third. I'm so excited to celebrate how far we've come & also to explore what gifts to give this year inspired by leather! I think it'll be fun! 

top right: Fresh eating! I'm not gonna lie - this year has been the hardest for me to enter into consistently eating healthy & exercising. Especially with being home last week, who could resist their Mom's delicious home cooked meals? Those rice & beans & strogonoff & mayonnaise & BBQ from Daddy...I couldn't say no! I mean, that would boarder on disrespectful right? Maybe? Well, outside of last week, I'm really not sure why I've been so resistant to make the effort to stay active & eat well, but this month I really want to fight the laziness & get back to eating right. With prospects of a trip to Brazil in August, that's really good motivation to get back in shape, right?! I think, yes!

bottom left: Cactus & succulents! If you follow me on intsagram you've probably seen that we bought a succulent last month. We really felt like new parents, entrusted to take care of this new life in our home. We named our little succulent Margot Magic, her first name was chosen because I love it & g doesn't so since we wont be naming our future child Margot our plant gets the name! Her middle name is inspired by Coldplay's "Magic" which was playing when we named her. We love her so. But she died. Yep. Died! I don't know what happened but I think we didn't give her enough water and maybe the pot we had her in was too big. It's pretty sad loosing your first plant, but we are not giving up on this! Hopefully we'll be picking up another succulent soon to love on & hopefully - keep alive! Pray for us. We need wisdom! (In more areas than one)

bottom right: Picnics! This summer there will be picnics! Every year we, well I, talk about how much I want us to have one on the beach, or at the park, or watching a concert at the Jay Pritzker Pavilion. But we never get around to doing it. Our first semester at Moody I even got an old picnic basket for FREE (you know how I love my free-bees!) but we haven't used it once! But this summer we're doing big things, and this includes picnics! Please, g? ;)

happy June 1st to all!

four things

SPRING!

it's finally here & the Lord knows we've been eagerly waiting! This four things is about all things spring!

top left: blooms! This week our local Trader Joe's got in some gorgeous ranunculus and they have been bringing in the spring fever into our home before the warmer days came. A favorite part of spring is the flowers blooming everywhere in the city. By may, Michigan Ave should be covered with tulips and I am so ready. // image via pinterest

top right: time outdoors! g & I very much love to take walks outside every night, and during spring time is when we're able to start doing that again. It's a sweet time I cherish to have with him because it's just us in a big city - walking and talking along the lake or through the streets. Maybe this sounds cheesy, but being together always feels like home to me. A time where even if life isn't easy or perfect, I feel so happy. It's the being part I really cherish. Without our phones to distract us or the TV on, being with the one you love is good for the soul. // image via pinterest

bottom left: new adventures! I feel like I'm commonly writing about adventures on this little blog of ours (not that our last two posts have the word adventure in them or anything... lol) and maybe it's getting repetitive, so I'll keep this thought short: adventures bring so many great memories with the people you love, so don't be so hesitant to go on more of them. That is all. :) // image via pinterest

bottom right: color! This past winter I was totally into neutral colors like no other; I felt like I always drawn towards grey, black, brown, and beige. Even though I still love my neutrals, spring tends to encourage us to get more colorful doesn't it? Well today, I bought my dress for a special wedding coming up this May (counting down Jen & Bruno!) and all I will say is that it is as far fetched from neutrals that a color can be! I'm pretty excited about discovering some new hues this upcoming march, april, may, & june! // image by me

cheers to spring! we love you!

four things

a random, just because series for remembering things that make my heart sing.

because as John Piper reminded me, you won't be the same person 10, 30, or 50 years from now, so my thought is this: why not document the things, style, verses, interests, places, foods, etc I love & am excited about today & see how much they change along the way.

top left: Valentines Day! I know, everyone has their opinions about it & I've heard many! From, "We are so in love, we give the most thoughtful gifts on Valentines!" To,  "I'm single, so this time of year is just annoying." And even, "We've always believed that you should show love every day of the year, so we don't really celebrate Valentines day." And, it can just go on! I'm pretty sure I have thought or felt all these things after going on my 23rd valentines day - but I can say I love it because I know for me when life gets busy and stressful, I tend to not think about how I'm loving people I talk to everyday, or people I only talk to once in a while. The truth is though, we are called to love each other.(1 John 4:7-10) So if there's a time of year that can reinforce and remind me to be loving to those around me, I'll take it! & besides - who doesn't like being told thy're loved, even if it's just by their parents. :) // image by Max Wagner

top right: Maternity style, in the future tense! I'm sorry Mom, Jess, and my Tia's who are reading - who encourage me more than often to have their next baby to love - Tears, I am not pregnant (yet!). But, I have been very excited about the thought of it & how cute clothes look with a big belly underneath. (oh, is that just me? ok.) lol Fashion has always been inspiring to me & the years since G and I have moved to Chicago I think my style & what I truly love to wear have evolved so much. If i could afford it I would live in Madewell, JCrew, and Anthropologie with no problem. But since that's not my reality I try to get inspiration from those stores and explore options I wont go broke over. Going back to maternity style though, something quite notable is how much it has evolved in recent years & I just love it because one day I'll be needing inspiration for a growing belly. // image via ontobaby.com

bottom left: Snow! It's a bit hard to believe, but this winter has been the coldest Chicago has ever seen with more snow than we've had since we moved here. I think God had us in mind when our first winter didn't even reach the negatives, and our second didn't come with one bad storm, but now for our third & probably our last winter here - it's worse than many remember Chicago winters can be. But along with the polar vortex and crazy wind has come the snow and it truly has been so beautiful to be around it everyday, for what feels like a month already. It's been too cold to melt, so with more snow coming at least weekly it just keeps piling up, so I've come to truly appreciate it's beauty more than ever, even though it means I've only worn my rain-boots-turned-snow-boots for the last 2 weeks straight. // image via our white as snow post

bottom right: California! G & I are officially going to be going to Cali for a few days during our spring break to check out a school G is looking into for his Masters Program. We were seriously considering going to Cape Town, South Africa for him to get his Masters Degree but after much prayer and counsel we feel that now is not the right time to go. Although we were both a bit disappointed, we are trusting that God is leading us. So, when G told me he was looking into a school in Cali. I was very much in shock & excited because ever since I visited for the first time in high school, I've wanted to live there. A dream of mine before getting married was to travel the world with my husband, and now I'm seeing we're off to a good start in the US, living wise. lol Maybe it just might be the next destination on this grand adventure we are on together, only knowing where we're going as the Lord leads. To me, there's no better place for us because it forces me to trust God with my whole life, no matter what happens or where I go. We will keep updating where our next steps will take us as we come to know them, but for right now I'm just exited about our mini vacation trip to a gorgeous place with my gorgeous guy, to see my gorgeous aunt & uncle who are already so thrilled to welcome us. // image via Pinterest

*cheers to the sweet beginnings of 4 things!*

Love, t Olive