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Little Things // December 2018

January 3, 2019January 3, 2019 Crystal // Dreams, etc. Post a comment
Little Things // December 2018

Each month I like to practice gratitude by looking back at the little things each month. For me that usually means looking through the photos on my phone and remembering moments that might not come to mind so easily. Let’s take a look back at December!

Mina starts out the month.

Practicing gratitude by celebrating the little things each month. December 2018 included dogs, holidays, birthdays, and beautiful scenery. // dreams-etc.com

My niece celebrated a birthday, so we had cake and coffee with a dollop of ice cream after dinner.

Practicing gratitude by celebrating the little things each month. December 2018 included dogs, holidays, birthdays, and beautiful scenery. // dreams-etc.com
Practicing gratitude by celebrating the little things each month. December 2018 included dogs, holidays, birthdays, and beautiful scenery. // dreams-etc.com

I met up with a friend for a long overdue coffee date to chat about life and poetry.

Practicing gratitude by celebrating the little things each month. December 2018 included dogs, holidays, birthdays, and beautiful scenery. // dreams-etc.com
Practicing gratitude by celebrating the little things each month. December 2018 included dogs, holidays, birthdays, and beautiful scenery. // dreams-etc.com

There was a holiday harp concert at my coffeeshop, so my niece and I attended. So many people stopped by to talk to us and there was someone else who I knew in high school who I think wanted to talk to me, but didn’t, even though he stood right by our table the entire time.

Practicing gratitude by celebrating the little things each month. December 2018 included dogs, holidays, birthdays, and beautiful scenery. // dreams-etc.com

That same weekend my niece and I looked at a filming setup so that we can film her piano playing.

Practicing gratitude by celebrating the little things each month. December 2018 included dogs, holidays, birthdays, and beautiful scenery. // dreams-etc.com

We had a few days of frost and it looked like Narnia. It was so gorgeous!

Practicing gratitude by celebrating the little things each month. December 2018 included dogs, holidays, birthdays, and beautiful scenery. // dreams-etc.com
Practicing gratitude by celebrating the little things each month. December 2018 included dogs, holidays, birthdays, and beautiful scenery. // dreams-etc.com
Practicing gratitude by celebrating the little things each month. December 2018 included dogs, holidays, birthdays, and beautiful scenery. // dreams-etc.com

I mean…

Practicing gratitude by celebrating the little things each month. December 2018 included dogs, holidays, birthdays, and beautiful scenery. // dreams-etc.com

In December I began each day by setting an intention and planning out my day. It made such a difference in each day and I noticed how different I felt on the days I didn’t do this.

Practicing gratitude by celebrating the little things each month. December 2018 included dogs, holidays, birthdays, and beautiful scenery. // dreams-etc.com

I purchased a Norfolk Island Pine and the people at the nursery said I should be able to wait until spring to repot, but after a few weeks it was so rootbound that it was starting to curl and the roots were dangling out of the nursery pot, so I repotted it.

Practicing gratitude by celebrating the little things each month. December 2018 included dogs, holidays, birthdays, and beautiful scenery. // dreams-etc.com

And then I irritated Mina by taking pictures of her in front of it. 😂

Practicing gratitude by celebrating the little things each month. December 2018 included dogs, holidays, birthdays, and beautiful scenery. // dreams-etc.com
Practicing gratitude by celebrating the little things each month. December 2018 included dogs, holidays, birthdays, and beautiful scenery. // dreams-etc.com
Practicing gratitude by celebrating the little things each month. December 2018 included dogs, holidays, birthdays, and beautiful scenery. // dreams-etc.com

I spent a weekend with my niece and Tino during which my niece said I traumatized her by making her watch all the Twilight movies. She thought they would have been so much better if Edward and Bella weren’t in them. Also, the final movie. For a few minutes we thought I might have misled her about things would end and her fangirl heart (which is still reeling from the loss of one of her fave characters) almost couldn’t take it.

Practicing gratitude by celebrating the little things each month. December 2018 included dogs, holidays, birthdays, and beautiful scenery. // dreams-etc.com
Practicing gratitude by celebrating the little things each month. December 2018 included dogs, holidays, birthdays, and beautiful scenery. // dreams-etc.com

I gave my niece my money plant when we thought it was on its way out. Since it was floundering in my care, she decided it should go to a good home that loves it in its final days. Only… it started to grow!

Practicing gratitude by celebrating the little things each month. December 2018 included dogs, holidays, birthdays, and beautiful scenery. // dreams-etc.com

The light and shadows in this room. 😍😍

Practicing gratitude by celebrating the little things each month. December 2018 included dogs, holidays, birthdays, and beautiful scenery. // dreams-etc.com

A friend had a studio open house/winter solstice party right before the holidays.

Practicing gratitude by celebrating the little things each month. December 2018 included dogs, holidays, birthdays, and beautiful scenery. // dreams-etc.com
Practicing gratitude by celebrating the little things each month. December 2018 included dogs, holidays, birthdays, and beautiful scenery. // dreams-etc.com
Practicing gratitude by celebrating the little things each month. December 2018 included dogs, holidays, birthdays, and beautiful scenery. // dreams-etc.com

And a week (week and a half at the most) later, look at how it’s grown!

Practicing gratitude by celebrating the little things each month. December 2018 included dogs, holidays, birthdays, and beautiful scenery. // dreams-etc.com

I hired a coach! (This is where I was during our phone call.)

Practicing gratitude by celebrating the little things each month. December 2018 included dogs, holidays, birthdays, and beautiful scenery. // dreams-etc.com

And puppy sat Tino over Christmas.

Practicing gratitude by celebrating the little things each month. December 2018 included dogs, holidays, birthdays, and beautiful scenery. // dreams-etc.com
Practicing gratitude by celebrating the little things each month. December 2018 included dogs, holidays, birthdays, and beautiful scenery. // dreams-etc.com
Practicing gratitude by celebrating the little things each month. December 2018 included dogs, holidays, birthdays, and beautiful scenery. // dreams-etc.com
Practicing gratitude by celebrating the little things each month. December 2018 included dogs, holidays, birthdays, and beautiful scenery. // dreams-etc.com

And we had a cozy time filled with books and the fireplace.

Practicing gratitude by celebrating the little things each month. December 2018 included dogs, holidays, birthdays, and beautiful scenery. // dreams-etc.com

And then it was Christmas Day!

Practicing gratitude by celebrating the little things each month. December 2018 included dogs, holidays, birthdays, and beautiful scenery. // dreams-etc.com

Miss Mina and I went on an adventure. (Gotta love that blurry first picture I chose from all the photos I took that day. 🤦🏻‍♀️😂

Practicing gratitude by celebrating the little things each month. December 2018 included dogs, holidays, birthdays, and beautiful scenery. // dreams-etc.com
Practicing gratitude by celebrating the little things each month. December 2018 included dogs, holidays, birthdays, and beautiful scenery. // dreams-etc.com

And tried to take a few selfies. Well, I was, at least. She was trying to see where we should go next.

Practicing gratitude by celebrating the little things each month. December 2018 included dogs, holidays, birthdays, and beautiful scenery. // dreams-etc.com
Practicing gratitude by celebrating the little things each month. December 2018 included dogs, holidays, birthdays, and beautiful scenery. // dreams-etc.com
Practicing gratitude by celebrating the little things each month. December 2018 included dogs, holidays, birthdays, and beautiful scenery. // dreams-etc.com

We celebrated my mom’s birthday with brunch and dinner.

Practicing gratitude by celebrating the little things each month. December 2018 included dogs, holidays, birthdays, and beautiful scenery. // dreams-etc.com
Practicing gratitude by celebrating the little things each month. December 2018 included dogs, holidays, birthdays, and beautiful scenery. // dreams-etc.com
Practicing gratitude by celebrating the little things each month. December 2018 included dogs, holidays, birthdays, and beautiful scenery. // dreams-etc.com
Practicing gratitude by celebrating the little things each month. December 2018 included dogs, holidays, birthdays, and beautiful scenery. // dreams-etc.com
Practicing gratitude by celebrating the little things each month. December 2018 included dogs, holidays, birthdays, and beautiful scenery. // dreams-etc.com

And we had a rainy day in December.

Practicing gratitude by celebrating the little things each month. December 2018 included dogs, holidays, birthdays, and beautiful scenery. // dreams-etc.com
Practicing gratitude by celebrating the little things each month. December 2018 included dogs, holidays, birthdays, and beautiful scenery. // dreams-etc.com

Every time he went outside he sat and let me dry him off when he came back in. He’s such a sweetie. 💙💙💙

Practicing gratitude by celebrating the little things each month. December 2018 included dogs, holidays, birthdays, and beautiful scenery. // dreams-etc.com

And those were my little moments in December. I’d love to hear about YOUR little moments from the month!

About Crystal

About Crystal

Hi! I'm Crystal, a millennial learning how to live slowly and sustainably, while still seeking adventure and following my dreams, etc.

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hi!

I'm Crystal, the storyteller behind Dreams, etc. I'm all about learning how to live slowly & sustainably, while also seeking adventure as we follow our dreams, etc.

If only we always remembered to be in touch with o If only we always remembered to be in touch with our loved ones regularly; to tell them that we love them.

This thought has been on my mind the last few weeks as I’ve been in touch with one of my best friends almost daily. They’ve been navigating a scary situation.

But that’s what everyone says, isn’t it? Reach out to those you love. Tell them you love them. Don’t let a lot of time pass.

We all know that. We think about it sometimes. We hear about it when others are in crisis. We’re thankful that we aren’t the ones in crisis and we can remember this lesson through someone else.

But eventually we get caught up in life. Our daily “I love you’s” are reserved for those we live with and sometimes we forget to text someone back… or it takes a few days to do so.

This week as I wondered why we don’t remember this more often I realized it’s probably a good thing. It’s a good thing that we can live life without worrying that tragedy is right around the corner. That would be an exhausting way to live.

It’s also good that we can get little reminders, sometimes not from our own life. So from someone who spent one week numb, another week weepy, and this week sad, remember to send your friends a text. Tell them you love them.
I took these in early January when the snow still I took these in early January when the snow still felt a bit magical, but right now I’m just ready to walk barefoot in grass.

When I was younger I used to imagine what it would be like if we got so much snow that it would be piled high above our doors. I wondered if we’d be able to create tunnels in the snow to move around in.

And this year might just be the year we find out. I’m kidding, of course, but at this point I feel like we’ve been buried in snow. We’re even on track to beat some snow records I think (the amount of snow and the number of consecutive days with snow on the ground.

So. What’s the weather like where you are?
February was here and gone in the blink of an eye February was here and gone in the blink of an eye but contained moments I’ll carry with me forever.
When it’s almost halfway through February and yo When it’s almost halfway through February and you still haven’t posted January’s recap. January was filled with lots of family time. 💙
Hello, friends! 👋🏼 Swipe through for a few g Hello, friends! 👋🏼 Swipe through for a few glimpses from January. As 2022 came to an end I had this feeling that I was preparing to hibernate and I guess, in a way, I have. I’ve been slowly easing into the new year, focused on getting back into a few routines after Iceland and the holidays. And it’s been a great month. I can’t believe it’s almost over. What have your favorite moments of January been?
2022. Looking back on this year it was the year of 2022. Looking back on this year it was the year of so many dreams experiences. Whales. Cape Cod/Nantucket. Iceland. I saw musicals that have I’ve been dreaming of with Moulin Rouge, Wicked, and Six. 

It wasn’t without its stresses and rough moments but I’m grateful for the good that can be found, even when it’s hard.
Let’s journey back to November for the second we Let’s journey back to November for the second weekly dam walk of the month. My dad joined me for this one and we made it somewhat fast because it was a chilly day. “The water looks cold,” I said when we back to the car.

Between Iceland and the below zero, windy, and snowy weather we had last week (which came with requests from my parents not to go) it’s been a few weeks since I’ve been to the dam and I miss it!
Years ago I celebrated Christmas and New Years in Years ago I celebrated Christmas and New Years in Vienna and it still lives in my memory today as such a special time. I know December in Reykjavik will be the same—and not just because I came home with a little over $100 worth of ornaments of all 13 Yule Lads AND their mom AND the Christmas cat. (There was a little bit of miscommunication between my mom and me on that shopping trip. 😂)

It might have been cold (and when that wind hits you don’t want to be outside or by the harbour…I speak from windswept, breath-stolen experience and will forever be grateful for the library we eventually found respite in) and we only saw the sun a few hours each day, but seeing this already charming city decked out in Christmas lights with a skating rink and the prettiest tree secured it’s place in my heart.

Reykjavik, I hope to see you again one day. Soon. Probably not in December, but I’m glad I got to see you in December once.
Last year my niece and I visited New York at Chris Last year my niece and I visited New York at Christmastime and it was fun to see the city decked out in lights. I can also now say that I’ve seen the Rockefeller Christmas Tree and skating rink and the Saks Christmas lights, but I’ve also seen the crowds they draw.

It was completely different in Reykjavik this year. You actually had a chance to skate on the ice rink if you wanted (and I never did the conversation, but I think it’s cheaper) and you could actually walk up to the Christmas tree. Two very different Christmas in the city experiences.
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