This year I have teamed up with a few of my favorite Seattle merchants and bloggers to share with you some fantastic holiday gift ideas. Having grown up with our family's livelihood depending on the success of my father's small business; I firmly believe in doing my part to support local small businesses. I prefer to buy products from people who believe in what they are selling and love what they are is doing.  Also, I am a big proponent of reducing my carbon footprint and this philosophy extends to my gift giving as well. 

Today and everyday I am grateful for the abundance of love and beauty in my life. I am blessed beyond measure. 

Happy Thanksgiving to all my lovely readers!

While browsing through a local art gallery in Banff I came across this amazing artist named Mitchell Fenton. It is uncommon for me to want every single painting by a particular artist, but Fenton is an exception. His large scale landscape paintings are breathtaking as he perfectly captures the Canadian landscape.  Something incredibly unique about him is how he sells his plein air panels too. 

As an avid hiker I love how he has captured his adventures on canvas. It certainly makes me want to consider not only bringing along my camera, but trying my hand at some paints too.

When tragedy, disappointment or heartache strikes it allows your friends the unique opportunity to show you how much you mean to them. I think of my friend who called me everyday for months after Asher passed away to see how I was doing, the friend who happily continued to help me work on my baby quilt (although I had no immediate use for it) or my friend who brought us over a delicious meal (even though we were fully capable of preparing one) when we had family visiting for the memorial.  My thoughts turn toward my parents who demonstrated the full measure of their love for us, complete strangers who left kind words in my inbox or the people who rallied together to lighten my load in anyway they could. 

The source of (almost) everything good in my life stems from the loving relationship I have with one tall, handsome, good natured man. Our hopes, wishes, fears and dreams are woven together to create our beautiful life. Oftentimes, we think the same thoughts or know what the other one is thinking without saying a word. Sometimes it feels as though we share the same heart or brain. 

From the beginning of our marriage we decided to make traveling a priority. One of our first vacations was a long road trip from Seattle to Southern California stopping at both our grandparents homes on our way. Eight years later we have been able to criss cross the globe and visit many awe inspiring places. I have cherished memories of watching monkeys swinging through the trees in Costa Rica, witnessing the brilliance of Aurora Borealis off the side of a highway in Iceland, swimming with a school of fish in Moorea, eating dinner out on Valentine's Day in New York City or being pulled over by the police in Nicaragua and trying to cry my way out of ticket. 

The first thing people say when they hear I like to run or hike is "I don't like running/hiking" This phrase always makes me think of my personal mantra "As long as I can, I will." I might not always feel like running, or hiking long distances but because my body is able to do so; I feel this ought to be celebrated through my actions. 

In honor of Thanksgiving. This is my first post in a series entitled What I Am Grateful For.

Although I have done a lot of traveling over my lifetime, not many places I have visited can hold a candle to the Pacific Northwest. We are spoiled to have mountains, lakes, streams, trees and islands all within a couple hours drive. Although Seattle gets a bad wrap for having a constant drizzle outside, we experience not only a wide range of scenery, but color throughout the year. Our temperate climate makes for exploring outside possible all year long. I am grateful to live in place where the natural beauty is second to none. 

One morning, I awoke to a kind note in my inbox, it was a letter of appreciation from one of my readers. In it she expressed gratitude for my blog which really struck a chord with me. Over the past five years this blog has transformed from a family record to a public platform. I have learned first hand there is beauty in life's struggles and allowing yourself to be vulnerable does not make you weak. Opening myself up to others, especially after our son passed way has been one of the scariest and most rewarding experiences of my life. 

Over the past five years I have been blessed with wonderful readers. As a way of celebrating my anniversary and expressing my sincerest gratitude I have teamed up with several of my favorite Seattle vendors to put together a fun gift basket for one lucky reader.

Here is a round up of some of my favorite Thanksgiving table settings and decor from years past: