November Twenty Twelve

Another month has come and gone. And so has another playlist.

1. Soon, My Friend - M83
2. Purity of Heart is to Will One Thing - The Welcome Wagon
3. Second Chances - Paper Route
4. Love is All I Am - Dawes
5. Devastate Me - Rachel Yamagata
6. Letting Go (feat Sarah Green) - Lupe Fiasco
7. Far - Canopy Climbers
8. Lay Low - Shovels & Ropes
9. None But Thee - Young Oceans
10. House of Gold - Patty Griffin
11. Swallowed In The Sea - Coldplay
12. O' Be Joyful - Shovels & Rope
13. Someone - Future of Forestry

Any recommendations? 

'Tis the Season

Shirt: F21. Sweater: JCrew. Denim: Citizens for Humanity.
Boots: Frye boots. Earrings: JCrew. Pin: Gift from mom 

It's finally here. Christmas time. It's amazing how immediately after Thanksgiving everything happens to be in full blown Christmas mode. It seems everywhere you look, twinkle lights are on and Christmas Carols are playing. 
And I am not mad about it.

 The day after Thanksgiving, JJ and I decided to have a date day instead of participating in any sort of Black Friday sales. We walked around downtown (I must admit, ducking in and out of stores because it was so frigid!), drank some hot chocolate, ate an early dinner and went to see Skyfall. 

It was the perfect way to begin the holiday season.

Things I Learned...

... this Thanksgiving holiday in photographs.

1. Sweet & spicy sweet potatoes with red onions are a dream. This was the first year at Thanksgiving we didn't serve traditional sweet potatoes. It was the right decision. Especially for the left overs.

2. I'm grateful that my family lives so close to one another. JJ and I got to spend Thanksgiving with both of our families. It was nice that we were able to share the holiday with both of parents and grandparents.    

3. There is such thing as "smart casual" or "dressy jeans." On Saturday I went to tea with my two best friends from high school, Gwen & Alex, and Gwen's mom for Gwen's birthday celebration. We called ahead to make sure that we were dressed appropriately for the event and we were instructed that the attire was "smart casual" and if we were to wear jeans, they need to be dressy jeans. Who knew that was even a thing?

4. Puppies just never get old. Here's Alfie. 

5. JJ surprised me last week with some beautiful fall flowers and they really just make a room feel better. There's something special about fresh flowers. 

Enough

we were just there together.

and that was enough.

- perks of being a wallflower [stephen, chbosky]

Things I Learned...

... This weekend.

1. It's good to take time and reflect on where you come from. On Sunday afternoon I had the chance to attend a fundraising banquet for Young Life in the town I grew up in with my mom. Young Life has played such a huge role in my life and has been the foundation for my faith. I was so encouraged by the way God is continuing to show up boldly in the lives of high school kids there. 
2. In the same vain, I had brunch with my closest high school girlfriends on Saturday. There's something so wonderful about catching up over an egg scramble and a bloody mary. High school girlfriends are irreplaceable. 
3. I've been a terrible long distance friend lately. Right now as I sit here typing I can think of 4 different friends of mine that I owe not just a phone call but probably a long weekend of undivided attention. 
4. I've overdosed on chinese food. Last week I ate chinese food three times in five days. It felt like a wonderful idea at the time. I assure you, it was not.
5. I'm an ENFJ. My roommate Kelly became obsessive about personality test and has been making everyone in her life take it. They really are fascinating, I learned a lot more about myself... like I prefers harmony to discord, I often have a diverse range of friends and acquaintances, and I seek approval from other people. Other ENFJ's? Abraham Lincoln. I am in good company. 

Java Break

Coat: Free People. Cords: Citizen for Humanity. Tee: American Apparel.
Boots: Target. Sunnies: Ray-bans. Scarf: TJMaxx.

The University of Kansas has been good to me in many ways. 
One of those being allowing me to spend four years of my life living in the same city as this woman.
Ladies and gentlemen, the third guest post on Echo Grace, Lisa.  

When Lisa and I met for our very first coffee date during our college orientation we could not have been two more different people. Lisa wore baseball hats and thought bike riding was fun. I liked sperry topsiders and watching movies. That didn't stop us from becoming quick friends. Lisa helped me pick out my very first baseball hat and I helped her pick out an outfit for Thanksgiving break. We had met in the middle. [Bonus: her mom still credits me for all Lisa's style and to this day I will never correct her!]

You may recognize the coat Lisa's wearing from this post. 
One jacket, worn two totally different ways. 
Lisa and I, two really different people, 
one awesome friendship. 

Things I Learned...

... This weekend.

1. I actually like high school football. The high school where I lead Young Life at is undefeated and in the state playoffs. And I really find it exciting. Minus sitting out in the freezing cold, it's fun to watch the kids I know and love, be excited and proud of their peers and their community. I'm honored that I get to play a small part in that and participate in their excitement. 
2. No matter how many puppies I see, they're always exciting. On Sunday my parents got the cutest little next puppy named Alfie. I'm in love. He's a havanese. Don't worry, I'm sure there will be plenty of pictures to come.
3. Lake Michigan is gorgeous. On Saturday my dad and I drove up to western Michigan to celebrate my grandma's birthday and to be with family. My grandparents live in a small town with one stop sign (not even a light, just a stop sign!) right on Lake Michigan. I think that God has blessed us abundantly by painting beautiful skies for us but there is something different about a fall sky over water. 
4. The book Perks of Being a Wallflower is just as good the second time around. I read the book going into my freshman year of college and loved it. I'm in a book club with some friends and we chose it again. There are so many different things that stuck out to me but I loved it all the same... "Charlie, we accept the love we think we deserve." Gosh, gets me every time.
5. As I was following the Kansas Jayhawk football score on twitter this weekend and was yet again said to see a loss. I had a moment realizing that the Kansas Jayhawks play their first regular season game on Friday. Watch out southeast missouri state. I'll be wearing my game day flannel Friday. 

October Twenty-Twelve

It feels like a sick joke that it is already November. I feel like I blinked and October happened. This past month the organization I work for held our biggest fundraising event. Pulling off a fundraising event meant lots of long hours and late nights in the office. Grateful for these sweet tunes to get me through the month of October. 

1. Over the Moon - Rosie Thomas
2. Hoping for Home - Trent Dabbs
3. Diggin' in the Sand - Josh Rouse & The Long Vactations
4. Soliders - The Rocket Summer
5. Now is the Start - A Fine Frenzy
6. Under Streetlights - Brooke Annibale
7. Spirograph (from Hands of Glory) - Andrew Bird
8. Poisoning the Well - Matthew Perryman Jones
9. You and I - Paper Route
10. Ghosts That We Knew - Mumford & Sons
11. Broken Horse - Freelance Whales
12. O Theo - Matthew Perryman Jones
13. Broken Crown - Mumford & Sons

Got any good recommendations for November??

Significant Moments

Dress: Madewell. Blazer: Gap
Bag: Marc Jacob's (via Nordstrom Rack)

Kate has been mentioned in about 50% of my blog posts so it only seems fitting for you all to meet her! Here she is ladies and gentlemen, my best friend and my roommate.

I'm really grateful for Kate's companionship. She's been around for a lot of big moments in my life and just as many silly moments that have been the most significant moments. 

She's stood next to me during times that my heart is broken but also in times where we watch mindless reality TV and laugh together about gossip magazines. I've spent countless nights in her trundle bed and gone on more shopping trips than I'd like to admit. I also wouldn't make any huge life decision with out her wisdom.

Everyone should have a friend like this.