Life is good.

Life is good.  Since we have been back from our Europe trip I have loved having a schedule.  I am back on track at the gym (yes, I love step aerobics, and yes I may be the only non-soccer-mom in there) and work has been busy.  At my firm, Open Air Design  we just finished a Master Plan for Briarwood Lutheran Retreat Center just outside of Dallas.  This project is the reason I was hired back in May and I am glad to see it wrap up.  It was fun to work with the Design Development team and help them with their vision for the growth of Briarwood.  I have also been busy helping my friends Paul and Michelle design a new bedroom to go in above their garage.  A few years ago I would have never imagined I could take on a project such as this on my own.  Its been crazy, but as I truck ahead I figure out that I sort of kind of somewhat know what to do (or at least am figuring it out along the way!).  Last fall I helped with the drawings for a renovation on their porch.  Check it out:

In my free time (yess..without school I finally have free time!!)  I have been busy crafting.  I don't know what has gotten into me, but I have had so much fun exercising creativity in the kitchen, on the sewing machine and with glitter.  My recent theme has been Christmas (clearly).  So far I have made a tree skirt, glittery bird ornaments, Christmas photos and cards, knit and sewed gifts and made a few homemade recipes at Thanksgiving that will be repeated at Christmas.  Some of these adventures include:

Knitting with tea

Homemade pumpkin pie from a real pumpkin..so good!

The beginnings of homemade cranberry sauce

Amazing wheat rolls, recipe here: 

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/light-wheat-rolls/ 

Making glitter ornaments

The final glitter ornaments

My awesome photographer friend Laura took a few photos for our Christmas card