11. Rain… and the way it refreshes the mind and feels on the skin.

12. Baking with the family.

13. The countless opportunities God has offered me in the last few years (and in my life).

14. My dad’s Chili!

15. All of the yummy & adorable blogs I get to read EVERYDAY!

16. Rain boots!

17. Cozy Chairs.

18. Music… and the way its makes me want to dance around or think deeper depending on the song. So many varieties!!!

19. Yoga.

20. Pottery.

 Well, that is all for now! I would love to hear what you are thankful for! :)

Love,

me

The Book Cover of One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp

So recently the Ladies’ Book Club at my Church has been reading One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp. First of all let me start by saying, these ladies are absolutely wonderful! Every other Thursday, my mom and the ladies go to a local coffee shop, Alternative Fuel, and discuss different Christian books. They Skype me in, which I absolutely love! The discussions are so thought-provoking, yet light-spirited and fun! I always look forward to my Thursday nights. :)

Anyways, the book has convinced me to create a list of 1,000 things I, too, am grateful for. I believe there are so many times in life that we forget what it is like to find joy in everything regardless of the situation. In the book, Ann creates a list of things she is grateful for from the big picture thankfulness to the smallest details; from serious topics to goofy experiences. Thus, I am driven to do the same. Every Sunday I will post 10 things I am grateful for. They will range from very serious topics to silly items I just can’t help but love. If you want, feel free to join along by posting comments of the things you love or simply start your own list! I am excited to share this process with you! :D

1. Tanner holding my hand through this life’s journey.

2. My empathetic and loving mom & dad.

3. For a talented and intelligent sister to share ideas and life stories with.

My Amazing Sister! :D

4. Cupcakes! :)

Vanilla Bean Cupcakes Pinned on Pinterest :D

5. My creative mind that forbids me to follow any “normal” path.

6. My ability to move and to create movement through choreography.

7. Walking Barefoot. EVERYWHERE!

8. My Eggshell Blue Nail Polish.

Barrowed & Blue :)

9. Natural Light.

10. Earl- My Beta Fish!!

I can already tell I am going to LOVE this journey! :)

Yours Truly,

Brittany

Tiffany Hard at Work

So Many Dots! (Work in Progress)

Yep… We are a creative pair! it felt so great to share a conversation over some artsy hours and a hot cup of tea. Tiff and I both agree we must do it way more often! Well, that is all for now!

Brit

So your’s truly has made a significant change in her life…. I have left my graduate program at Adler. Why? That seems to be the question asked by many… So, I will take a minute to jot my thoughts down here.

1. Money- There comes a time when a girl has to decide whether she wants to live comfortably with little debt or richly with loans up to her eyeballs. After spending hours upon hours of budgeting, planning a financial future, and doing the necessary calculations; I could not feel comfortable with the Quarter Million life commitment required to obtain my education at Adler. And please do not get me wrong, this commitment is doable for many, just not for me. I learned a great deal about myself with this key point… I would rather find another path to life, than take out even $150,000 of loans. It is just not feasible for the life I wish to live.

2. Small Town, Big Family- My move to Chicago has also made me realize how much family, friends, and Tanner mean to me. I always thought I could do the distance for a short amount of time, but the truth is, why would I want to? I miss riding my bike to the local coffee shop and seeing all of the familiar faces I love so much. I miss the dance classes and the growth of students. I miss the human connection and the ability to go home to spend time with the family. I miss waking up, cooking with, and seeing Tanner daily. I miss being there for my friends… and no a phone call does not cut it. I miss feeling the grass, the smell of FRESH air, and well world, this girl is a SMALL TOWN girl! So why would I go anywhere else for my education?

3. The Stats-  I need stats I can feel confident in. I need communication between various departments, the community and the individual. I need to feel as though I can go “anywhere from here”. SD… that is for you. :) I learned a lot about what I want to gain from a school, the experiences I wish to obtain, and the things to ask when considering a program. However, please note the instructors I had the opportunity to meet at Adler were wonderful. They genuinely cared about my success as well as my departure. It just simply was not the best program for me as an individual.

So the next question that comes to mind when I have this conversation is, What is your plan now? So… Here is what I got…

IDK! Just kidding… anyone that knows me, I always have to have some sort of plan. :P For the time being, I intend to stay in Chicago until I feel I have gained what I wish to gain from this big city so many people have fallen in love with. When do I plan on leaving? I don’t know necessarily… May? or August? Somewhere in between? I will keep you posted… but for now, this is what I hope to gain:

1. Art Equals Mind-  Through this process and move, I have been reassured of one thing; I need art. I am a creative being who believes the mind is expressed in the movement, in the paint, in the streams of words. Thus, I need to expose myself to the unlimited amount of art Chicago has to offer. I need to abuse my privilege of having dance in every neighborhood and paint brushes at my fingertips. Yes world, I plan to dance… no… create, more.

2. Volunteer- There are a couple of wonderful organizations I have found that I must dive into. One is Girls on The Run. I feel like empowerment and positive direction is crucial for young women, and this organization devotes itself to exactly that. So, yes, I would love to volunteer eventually.

3. Experience, Experience, Experience- I also hope to build my Curriculum Vitae over the next year in order to apply to other, more affordable, psychology programs. Thus, research and work experience is a MUST. So any legit opportunity that presents itself, I will take with open arms.

4. Get a Job- Yep, loans are due! Well and rent, and groceries, and well… you get the picture… Life costs money! So getting a job is a requirement. I am currently still working at Caribou, so that helps. And they are simply AMAZING! But I will need something to go along with this wonderful job. :)

But world, let me tell you…. I AM COMPLETELY OPEN! There are so many opportunities and experiences in life. I am excited to see what God brings into my life. Whether it is a studio, a coffee shop, a collaborative opportunity, art, traveling, a wellness center, or more education to reach my end goal of opening a Women’s Wellness Center; I am ready. I am really going to try to give my life to Him. (I must admit this is quite hard to do for a perfectionist). But if there is one thing I have learned through this whole process it is… I DO NOT know everything and thus I must be flexible with what God has in mind for me. So…. LOOK OUT because Brittany is coming home to her small town roots! :D

1. Be Kind to Myself- This may seem silly, but it is a BIG one for me. For the next year, my goal is to become OK with change, and grow in the things I love and with the people I love. To heal my wounds and love the person I am becoming.

2. Be Holistically Healthier- I have decided to put this one on my list for a second year. Why? Because I was doing pretty well at this in Brookings, but after moving to Chicago, I kind of got off track. So… The goal is to get more involved in the dancing I love so much, yoga, and the healthy foods I used to eat consistently. Yep, the healthy Brittany is about to kick it into gear! Look out!

3. Be Creative- I used to be so good at this area as well. My love of the arts has gotten off course with the move. It is going to take a conscious effort to make sure I make room for this passion in life. I want to paint, to be crafty, to write, to inspire and be inspired. So be ready world, Brittany is about to get creative!

4. Be More Active, Less Lazy- If I could describe this in one sentence it would be…. Wake up before 11am even on the days I don’t HAVE TO! haha That is right, this girl likes sleeping in. But this leaves little time to do the things I want to accomplish in this lifetime! So, less sleeping in, more accomplishing!

5. Budget Better- I have always been pretty good at this, but I want to be better. With changes taking place, and a lot of education left, it is important to manage your money.

And this BIGGEST goal of them all, and one that is always on my list, is to grow closer to my Lord. Let Him love on me, and show me what it feels like to be forgiven. To go to Church regularly and read the Bible daily. To live in His ways, and show the world His kindness. Yep, without Him I would be nothing.

What is your resolution? :)

Two Love Birds :)

Every year the family gets together and has a huge potluck with wonderful appetizers, main courses, and of course DESSERT! Soo… for this special occasion, Tanner and I decided to make Espresso Chocolate Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting! They were so Yummy! The process was a lot of fun and Tanner is actually a pretty amazing chef! :)

Cupcakes Fresh Out of The Oven

Tanner Mixing Away!

Making Chocolate Covered Espresso Beans

The Finished Product!

I Cannot Help but Smile :)

My Dad and Two Wonderful Cousins in Their Stylish Hats!

I believe the pictures speak for themselves. Needless to say, my dad ended up with a very stylish pink muppet hat and matching pink gloves. Guess who ran off with this gift? Yep, yours truly. (I still think the hat looks better on my dad). :)

Tanner also gave me the BEST GIFT EVER! He knows me better than I know myself I think. As you all know, when Tanner visited me in Chicago, we went Banksy seeing. We spent the day looking at his wonderful street art as well as other great pieces. Well….. For Christmas Tanner got me…. drum roll… TWO Banksy Prints AND a BLICK gift card! Inspiration and the materials to inspire! Seriously, what more could a girl ask for?!

:D

The rest of break was just as wonderful! Dad and mom made my favorite meals, my sister was also in town, and well… it just felt great to be home! I am such a lucky girl!

That is all for now, but be ready for this girl’s New Year’s Resolutions!

Love,

Me

Soul Charred

Lack of Movement Inevitable.

Tattoos of Tattered Shreds,

They belong all over.

She questions life.

And those that make it up.

Change is a gift.

Look at those eyes,

They shatter the brittle bones.

Money a S.T.O.P. sign.

Freedom found in the poor.

Exhausted by the noise.

Please just let me begin,

I have so much to offer.

Journey has left.

Existential philosophy relies on this.

Spirit Broken.

My thoughts swimming in this Broken Coffee Cup.

Who will drink them up?

Patterns are grey.

Let me sing for you.

The acoustic trembles.

Voice Quivers.

Legs Collapse.

Wake up Morning.

Roll Over.

Your eyes Charcoal Green.

Crystal Clear.

Mirror, I stare back at you.

Hold Me,

Just as I hold this dance.

Do you understand this?

Here in the dark,

You can touch me.

Warm me up inspiration.

Fill my fingers with love.

Movement is a blessing.

Come back today,

I’ve missed you.

Exquisite Scribbles.

Intricate lines.

Lost Directions.

Directions Meaningless…

I think.

Help me… Create YOU.

Beautiful Lover- Movement.

You Judgemental Prick

Destruction Filled Fear

She’s Beautiful.

Her words selective

Everything

Intention.

She dances circles.

Spins the falls

Around you,

Nothing at all.

Wasted Time

Time Brings out the Truth.

Yes,

For you too.

I’ve heard time heals.

You have a lot of healing to do.

Breath is breathable again.

Art gone interesting

Those that Matter,

Stained Green

Growth inevitable

Stretch Limits

Perfection boring

STOP.

Stop Answering,

Only Question.

Stop Following,

Rather Guide.

Stop with Patterns,

Create Paths.

Stop Listening,

Select Ignore.

Stop…. Stopping Yourself.

The creative self

Is inheritant and beautiful.

It will push and pry.

It will force you to create and grow.

And forget the insignificant around you.

So create beauty.

Inspire those that inspire you.

Push Boundaries

And collapse instruction.

You are one of the independent few.

The Crazy Creative Couple :)

So last week Tanner was in Chi Town. It was so great to see him! It seemed as though it had been forever since we had seen each other! I really cannot wait until he is here to share each day and night with me, but until then we can continue to create fantastic memories when he comes to town! Here is a quickie version of all the fun things we did! :D

So Tanner and I share a love for art and last week we spent a day wandering the streets looking at the amazing street art that fills Chicago’s sidewalks! It was such a fun time exploring! One of the street artists we follow is Banksy; he does fantastic work that has a character all to itself! Here is some of the beautiful work we were able to discover:

Banksy

Love this Little Blue Man :)

Detail is Amazing!

Little Boy- His dream land took up the entire wall!

We took so many pictures of the amazing work of these wonderful artists! After we scavenged the city, I took Tanner to this delicious place called Piece Pizzeria! The pizzas are huge and they brew their own beer! It was so much fun and we had leftovers to last nearly a month! (Granted we still demolished the food in 3 days) :P

THE GIGANTIC PIZZA!!

The mini shooters

The food was wonderful and the brewery offers $1 shots of their beer so you can try multiple kinds of their delicious creations! It is a place everyone should visit if they are ever in Chicago!

Tanner and I also took some time to create our own AMAZING art! The table was a place of chaos, splatter, sprays of water, stroke of genius, and bouts of creativity. After the chaotic process was complete, this is what we came up with:

Mine's on the Left, Tanner's on the Right

It was so great to share this experience with Tanner! I am so lucky to have a partner who shares in the love of painting and art with me! There will be many more $1,000,000 pieces of work to come! Look out!

We also were lucky enough to share an evening with my great friends Kerry and Ron! We went to this fun little cafe called Blind Faith. It is a vegetarian restaurant with deliciousness on every plate! We then went to Cafe Mozart where Tanner got the wonderful pleasure of trying FroYo for the first time! We ended the evening by seeing the movie Like Crazy. Saddest movie ever! But the music was wonderful, her writing ability breath-taking, and the scenes picturesque… overall it was a wonderful and thought-provoking evening.

Tanner and I also shared a fabulous Thanksgiving filled with food and love! And many evenings filled with cuddling, sleeping in late, and stuffing our faces! It could not have been better… and the best part… I GET TO SEE HIM IN LESS THAN 2 WEEKS!!!!!! YAY!

Thanks for sharing our week with us! I will try to write the other 100 thoughts running through my head soon (computer is about to sleep on me :P)

Love you all,

Brit

But now onto the more exciting stuff!!! So I had my Pumpkin Party and had such a wonderful time! All of the ladies were sooo wonderful and we just had a lot of creative fun…. There were a ton of yummy treats and thanks to my mom and aunt, some fun decorations too!!

My Pumpkin w/ The Help Of Melissa :)

I also had to dress up for Halloween at work! What an experience… Having chosen not to buy a costume this year, I rummaged through my closet about 30 minutes before work and came up with the Urban version of Raggedy Ann. I hope you enjoy! Apparently, Halloween is a BIG deal here in Chicago! There was an enormous parade right outside of Caribou. It was fun to watch all of the interesting costumes pass by.

Urban Ann

Finally, there was an Adler Cocktail Party held at McGee’s Bar and Grille. There were a lot of fun people and $5 of the wristband money went to charity. The best part of the night though was what I got to do afterwards! My friends Cori, Amanda, Jessica and I went to this place called Red Hot Chicago. It was a little hole in the wall fast food joint with amazing Chi Dogs and… CHILI CHEESE FRIES! SO GOOD! They stacked ‘em nice and high, plenty to go around. It was fun just chatting up the girls and stuffing our faces. Here are a few pictures for you to enjoy:

My Wonderful Friend Cori and Her Chili Dog :)

 I think I may have had some mustard on my phone lens ;)

Jessica's Chicago Dog

Overall it was a fun night with wonderful ladies!

As far as the rest of my life, I have been trying to paint more…. I hope to show you a few of them soon! I also have realized I need to work on having more “Brittany” time. I find that often times I am so busy with helping others, work, or school; I appear to have saved no time for myself. So… a new goal… More Me Time. :) I will let you know how this goes.

Well, I think that is all for now.

Oh except…… TANNER COMES IN TWO WEEKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am soooo excited! I have desperately missed my better half lately! Turkey carving and full tummies here we come!!! :D

Brit