Making A Home

Since getting married and moving, I have had so much fun making our little apartment into our first home. Family photos on the wall, handmade coasters on the coffee table next to a beautiful onyx chess set, a handknit blanket on the couch, baskets and shelves overflowing with yummy yarn, law books stacked neatly by the study chair, a furry little kitty running around – there is no mistaking this for anyone’s home but ours.

I’ve been working on creating a bit of an entryway, so we have a place for our snowy boots and coats, along with our handknit scarves, hats, and mittens. Sticks and berries from the nearby park and stones from the beach make for some truly natural beauty.

One of our favorite songs is Home by Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros.

“Home is wherever I’m with you”

Gives Thanks to the Lord, our God and King

His love endures forever!!

These are the opening lyrics to one of my favorite songs that I sang while I was a part of the Worship Band at Chapel in Madison
Here and here are some of our performances on our drummers blog.

I am home alone this Thanksgiving. I have to work for Black Friday, so hubby made the trip home by himself this year. No doubt, it's a bummer to be away from my family, and especially my husband, but I have more than enough blessings to bring me joy this holiday. This year has been SO full of blessings. I must keep God pretty busy.

Firstly, I thank God for my husband. He has brought my more joy than anything or anyone in this world has ever brought me.

For a marriage founded on Christ Jesus, the rock of our salvation

For my always lovely friend, Katilyn, and her and Jason's wedding that I was blessed to be a part of

For the many ways God shows us His glory

For the rewards of work

For my lovely, growing family (I have a new niece!!!!)

For my new family! Wow, I love these people

For my silly best friends

For a safe landing in our new home

For the support of these wonderful people to go through life with

For the incredible opportunity to travel to China

For the peace and productivity that my knitting brings me

For my graduation from a world-class university

For the blessings of Prayer

For our precious, goofy Theseus

The list is truly endless. Praise God for his innumerable blessings!

There is so much to celebrate this Thanksgiving! Woo-hoo!!

Target Volunteers

I spent Veteran's day morning with over one hundred other Target team members and community volunteers while we helped Brenneman Elementary School get some much needed work done. 

We started our morning with huddle warm-ups – the exercises we do together at the beginning of every morning and evening shift. I see some lovely form for those arm circles!

We were then divided into groups for different tasks. Some went outside to clean up the yard and playground. Some went to the kitchen to do a deep cleaning. I was assigned to the group that got to repaint a teacher’s classroom! I was so thrilled to be in the painting group. I love painting and haven’t been able to do it much the past few summers.

The classroom was already bright yellow, and the teacher wanted red accents on the beams, the built-in bookshelf, and the inside of her closet doors.

I am so thankful for the opportunity to do this! I wouldn’t have rather spent my morning any other way. I got to paint, spend time away from work with my awesome co-workers, and we were fed a great lunch! They were so thankful for the help, and we were so happy to do it.

I think I need to spend more time in elementary schools. They are just way too precious. 

Taylor

Taylor is a very dear friend and classmate of mine, who also made two of my lovely bridesmaid dresses.  She is an incredibly talented design student and she is sure to be successful no matter where she ends up or what she does. Taylor is studying at FIT (Fashion Institute of Technology) in New York this year and will certainly need something warm and cozy to get through the New York winter, and many chilly nights at the studio if it’s anything like UW-Madison.

I saw this gorgeous pattern at The Knitting Tree while completing my internship there this summer and I knew it had to be Taylor’s. The mustardy-gold is such a Taylor color and she is always wearing triangular scarves.

After many months of knitting away at this, it is finally done! I can’t wait to send it off to New York!

I learned a lot about knitting lace with this project. It was the perfect blend of extreme focus and mindlessness. 

So many beautiful memories were knit into this – the wedding, the U-haul drive to Chicago, the first few chilly nights in our new apartment, bus rides to and from downtown to visit my hubby. There is so much love in every stitch.

 The shawl in progress, just after moving to Chicago

My very dear Taylor, thank you for everything you’ve done – for spending hundreds of hours with me at the studio, many of which were spent making wedding garments, and for being such a stunning example of a textile and apparel designer. You are such a wonderful friend! I love you and miss you so much!

Welcome Theseus!

The Seib family is growing! Theseus joined us just over a week ago. Yup, the Greek king, founder of Athens, and minotaur slayer – that’s the one! Pretty ferocious, huh?

Theseus fighting the Minotaur by Étienne-Jules Ramey (French, 1796–1852). Marble, 1826. In the Tuileries Gardens, Paris.

Theseus is actually our 3 year old kitty that we got from Treehouse Humane Society. It’s a great place for cats. When we met, it was definitely love at first sight for all of us.

He has certainly made himself at home. He is the goofiest thing, always rolling around, snuggling, and being on the lookout for possible intruders. He is so protective of us! We think Theseus is actually a dog. Then again, he’s much to curious not to be a kitty.

He’s such a perfect kitty – so angelic!

Welcome home Theseus!!

Seiberian Tigress

The lovely in-laws visited again last weekend. We had a great time, once again. We went for a nice walk along Diversey Harbor, which led us to the Lincoln Park Zoo.

We ended the evening with sushi and thai cuisine. Yumm!! I couldn’t have been happier!

September and October have been full of birthdays among our family and friends. I thought it would be kind of fun to embroider on a blank card and I am really happy with how it turned out!

I haven’t embroidered in a very long time and I really started to miss it. It is such a lovely technique for adding beauty in the most unexpected and overlooked places.  

Speaking of birthdays, Hubby turned 25 this month! To celebrate, we went out for a lovely brunch after church. Since he had school all day long, and I worked on his birthday, he came home to a brand new reversible cabled scarf (pictures coming soon!) and a pumpkin muffin with chai frosting, fully adorned with a birthday candle! 

Happy Birthday Baby!! Here's to 3 more quarter centuries together!!