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On Giving Thanks

August 1, 2011August 25, 2015 Crystal // Dreams, etc. Post a comment

In February, I posted about taking on the challenge of The “Thank You” Project on my own by writing down at least one thing I am thankful for each day on a post-it and hanging it in my room. I ended up taking these down for a while, as we had some work being done in the house, which created a lot of movement in my room. I was worried that the movement would pull the post-its off the wall. But now that the work is done, I’m ready to start writing everything down on post-its and hanging them up again. Hopefully soon I’ll have the photo that Julia requested!

I find that taking time each day to think of something that I’m thankful for makes me more peaceful. I’m more cheerful each day and I handle the curveballs of the day much better than I do when I don’t contemplate the good things in life. Because of this, I’d also like to start writing this feature, and each week post things that I’ve been thankful for throughout the week. If you would like to post your own thankful thoughts in the comments or in your own blog, I would love to read them!

This post was supposed to come with pictures, however I can’t find the cord to hook my camera up to my computer. I’ll keep looking for it and hopefully I’ll find it soon! If I’m able to post the photos, I’ll let you know. A lazy Sunday, curled up on the couch with the dog, a cup of coffee and a book of poetry. Is there anything better?

The chance to watch a movie with my niece and nephew. I’m the aunt that provides them with entertainment: books and movies. We haven’t watched a movie for a while but they were over this week so we watched Pocahontas. It was their first time watching it and when it was done my niece gave it two thumbs up. My nephew is only four, so he got a little bored after awhile but stayed with us throughout the whole thing. My favorite part of the movie this time: my nephew looking up at me after Pocahontas talks to Grandmother Willow for the first time, asking, “Her grandmother is a tree?”

Finding root beer from my hometown in a grocery store here. My hometown has a brewery and sometimes I’m able to find the beer in MN. But, finding Point brand root beer in a local grocery store was even more exciting! I stocked up on regular root beer and black cherry cream.

The chance to introduce a friend to a new church. I invited a friend to attend my church with me on Saturday. It’s a really unique and fast growing church. It’s a great place for young people to gather and worship, so I was thrilled to have a chance to introduce her to the church. And she loved it!

For a perfect batch of biscotti. This is the first time I baked biscotti with the new oven and it turned out to be the perfect batch of biscotti. It was wonderful! Our old oven was on the fritz. I spent four hours one afternoon baking biscotti and by time I gave up, the biscotti hadn’t baked through completely. Another day, I put biscotti in the oven and within five minutes it had burned the bottom, without baking anything else.

A dog that wakes me up each morning. Even though it sounds awful to a night owl like me, the dog I’m currently dogsitting for an extended period of time, is just the sweetest thing! She comes into my room in the morning and jumps on my bed, taking advantage of the few minutes it takes me to wake up to lick my face uninhibited. And when I’m awake and tell her to stop she curls up at my side.

For finding the perfect cookie recipe. This week I finally decided to try Giada De Laurentiis’s Double Chocolate Espresso Cookies. I tweaked the recipe a little bit (as I do with all recipes) but they are still delicious! They are the perfect blend of being chocolately but not too sweet, thanks to the espresso possibly, and they are slightly crispy on the outside but nice and chewy on the inside. Wonderful!

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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