is it friday already?

1.   New Year's is (awesome/lame/other)       refreshing. the night itself isn't that exciting for me, never has been but I love the idea of a new year, a fresh start.

2.  Last New Year's Eve I   was with friends of all ages in our community. we ate a lot, talked about our year, played a 2009 trivia game, and wrote letters to ourselves about how we want 2010 to be, our goals etc. We'll be getting our letters soon in the mail :) 

3.  My New Year's resolution is      newness, i am excited for a whole brand new me and life. new job, new outlook on life, my resolution is JOY .

4.  The best way to spend New Year's Eve is  " with friends in a low-key environment." - well put Lauren. stickin with that :)

5.  My prediction for an up-and-coming trend in 2011 is     oh gosh i have no idea 

6.  This New Year's Eve I will      .. not sure, should probably figure that out... most likely going to my sister-in-laws house to hang :)

7.  A fresh start is    so so wonderful. we all need fresh starts. i get in to ruts of living life a certain way and always love a chance to get to do a different dance.

how are you feeling about new years??? write a post and come link up with Lauren :)

wish I was here wednesday

friends, i would looove to see:

where do you wish you were today???

write a blog post or a picture post and come back and link up!!!

Grab this button if you'd like to put into your post
so everyone can link back and swoon over all of the wonderful pictures and ideas:

<center><a href="http://oliviakcarter.blogspot.com/search/label/wish%20i%20was%20here"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1atyxni7RAXcT1TA8o1L4rV90MGLcCR_llvXJE1wnXHj-SlVG3v2vU0p89tEdVQEOih5r4OREF2c6tateazJhX1RWJpvHh2hXI_cU4mBtSf3uxulHW9W0Dn_4OJGJZ6imTAt9ZDzQHQA/s1600/wish.jpg" /></a></center>

natural

beautiful cream & rustic wedding inspiration

{via wild & precious}

{some pictures from my friend Casey's wedding}

santa's on his way

 This old house, sure is looking good
Got ourselves the finest snowman in the neighborhood
Ain't it fun, always on the run
That's how its done on Christmas Vacation

wish I was here wednesday

friends, i would looove to see:

where do you wish you were today???

write a blog post or a picture post and come back and link up!!!

Grab this button if you'd like to put into your post
so everyone can link back and swoon over all of the wonderful pictures and ideas:

<center><a href="http://oliviakcarter.blogspot.com/search/label/wish%20i%20was%20here"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1atyxni7RAXcT1TA8o1L4rV90MGLcCR_llvXJE1wnXHj-SlVG3v2vU0p89tEdVQEOih5r4OREF2c6tateazJhX1RWJpvHh2hXI_cU4mBtSf3uxulHW9W0Dn_4OJGJZ6imTAt9ZDzQHQA/s1600/wish.jpg" /></a></center>

pretties for your hair

monday surf while i enjoy sleeping in

great idea to share the power of our stories

wonderful yarn decor

cutie first birthday party

recipe to try

oh goodnesssss. take me here

YUNMM for tomato soup

wonderful gift guide

displaying christmas cards

just love her

yay winter lights

thank you

Friends, thank you so much for your supportive and encouraging comments yesterday. Each one meant so much to me.

the exciting part to me about my next chapter is that I don't have a super set plan.
God has been teaching me so much about giving up control and fully trusting in Him (Luke 9:23)

I know HE can do my life way better than I can, it's just time to finally live that way.



what i hope my next chapter looks like:

doing something I love everyday
feeling healthy
spending lots of time with the Lord each day
getting to spend more time leading Young Life with the Freshman girls
getting to walk life with my Young Life girls who are away at college
home organizing
small event organizing
working for myself
working out of my home
being a good wife, cooking meals, keeping our house clean
focusing on healing my body which will require lots of foods being taken out of my diet :(

NOW: for a little Fill in the Blank Friday with Lauren

1.   Giving is       not as much fun when you feel obligated to. in the future, i want to do a better job of shopping for Christmas all year round :) i want to be sure i am giving something of meaning

2.  Receiving is   sometimes awkward. i always feel soooo appreciative of ever receiving anything and i really want my friends and family to know how much it means to me

3.  The best gift I ever received was   stuff for my American Girl Doll

4.  The best gift I ever gave was   ... ooo i have no idea...

5.  Something intangible that I wish I could receive is      ....wow. ummm... a great singing voice??

6.  Something intangible that I wish I could give is     the understanding of who Christ is and the love He has for us all and how to have a relationship with Him

7.  The one gift I always wanted as a child, but never got was       i'm sure that there were little things here and there but nothing that i still remember to this day. my parents were really good on not spoiling us and it really helped me

{last day}

today is my last day at my office job.

i can't begin to tell you the freedom I will feel as I drive home today
it has been a hard road the last 2 years in regards to my job.
The Lord has been teaching me so much through this whole thing. I know that I was in His hands as he worked in me as he continues to knit more of me each day. I am so grateful to be coming out of the wilderness, a time where I knew He was there, but had NO idea where He was taking me and why.

I'm so excited for the next chapter of my life, the next season will be a great one, full of joy.

wish I was here wednesday

where do you wish you were today???

write a blog post or just a picture post and link up!!!

Grab this button if you'd like to put into your post:

<center><a href="http://oliviakcarter.blogspot.com/search/label/wish%20i%20was%20here"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1atyxni7RAXcT1TA8o1L4rV90MGLcCR_llvXJE1wnXHj-SlVG3v2vU0p89tEdVQEOih5r4OREF2c6tateazJhX1RWJpvHh2hXI_cU4mBtSf3uxulHW9W0Dn_4OJGJZ6imTAt9ZDzQHQA/s1600/wish.jpg" /></a></center>

i can show you the world

{1}.  etsy travel treasury

{2}. 20% off discount at my shop until Thursday in celebration of my last week at my office job :)

(code: fireplace)

{3}. on twitter?? come follow me :)

surfin

super cute craft idea

mm dose of dash

great flower idea

beautiful vineyard wedding

burlap stockings

baby elephants!!!

why just do 1 wreath?

must try recipe

interesting thoughts- what will you tell your kids about Santa

Christmas is NOT your birthday

It's that time, Christmas time is here. everybody knows there's not a better time of year

finding the perfect tree to cut down

with our fabulous friends

beautiful cold day in Oregon

the boys working hard to put our picks on the top of the car

the carters pick :)

 all decorated

 the mantle

 pictures of us when we were kids on christmas. me and my sister & brian and his sister

 a wreath from my shop

 stockings

 cutie little town that was my favorite decoration to put up in my parent's house that my mom gave it all to me to have in mine

 the whole family room

 santa on the fridge :)

Christmas card collection (just starting... )

who else has Christmas decorations up?? would love to see them :)

cold hands warm hearts

so excited about my package that came today!!
This whole thing was such a great idea and so fun!!

My wonderful swap partner, Laura from A La Mode et Plus got me all of these great goodies :)

{a beautiful purple scarf, raspberry tea, cutie headband, beautiful long necklace, 4 shades of nail polish, a Santa hat, a Bible Verse calendar annnnd of course my wonderful blue gloves.}

I SOO don't feel like I deserve all of these goodies-- Laura, you are the best, you did a great job picking out things!! I love them all. thank you SO SO much for everything

Sandy & Ilene, thank you so much for putting this all together.
It was a blast :)

Be sure to check out all of the others in the Link Up Party
yahoooo