The Style Bar

well it wasn't planned, but i've been on quite the blogging hiatus.  the craziness in our lives peaked with work travel and then the opening of my business....but i'm back and i'm feeling so blessed these days.  i'm going to try and catch you up to speed on the events leading up to the opening of The Style Bar by giving you the quickest version that i know:

on the way to our LifeGroup christmas party last year, my friend, Julie reminded me of a discussion we had close to a year prior about opening a boutique with some shared office/salon space and we decided that now was the time to act on this idea.  a short time later we found some space on 120th and Pacific St. that looked appealing.  we checked it out, put in a bid to the owner for building improvements and shortly after were denied.  we took a step back and after a little bit more time, found some space in the Morgan Place building that looked interesting.  in the meantime, Julie and i were introduced to a wonderful lady, whom we now call our friend, Georgy Collier.  Georgy is a private jewelry consultant who was looking to venture into her own business.  it was a perfect fit that she join us in our quest for shared working space!  shortly after our introduction to Georgy, the three of us agreed to call Morgan Place our business home.  after some back and forth with the previous tenant, some much-needed improvements and several hours of planning we can finally call ourselves The Style Bar!  at The Style Bar you'll find me-the hairstylist, Julie and her assistant Rachael-the interior design specialists with Julie Hockney Design, and Georgy-the private jewelry consultant with GC Gems.  we also have a fabulous boutique in our storefront!  find us on facebook to follow more of our journey.

the support that has been shown to me over the last month is absolutely humbling!  THANK YOU doesn't even express gratitude i have for each of your kind words, helping hands and visits to my new business.  i'm so blessed and i hope to return the kindness at any chance i get.  i don't think i'll ever be able to repay my husband, though.  his support and hard work are hard to match!  he is my number 1 fan and i wish i could even do half of the work for him that he has done for me.  it's incredible.

the glory though, goes to God.  for without him, i am nothing and i wouldn't be where i am.  my cup is overflowing.

Julie, me and Goergy toasting to our new business!

Rachael (Julie's assistant) joining us for a photo.

the mural in our boutique.

thankful

so much to be thankful for these days!  new business on the horizon for me, new office space for chris and positive changes within his company. 

i'm so thankful for this man.  thankful that he wants me by his side at his work conferences.  thankful that i'm able to travel with him while we don't have kids.  and i'm thankful for our marriage.  

i'm thankful for our health.  thankful we have a place to live.  thankful for the daily blessings that come our way.

my heart is full.  thank you, Lord.

my recent Pinterest finds

today we had a major snowstorm!  i loved every minute of it.  i called myself a snow day (as i was supposed to work), did some laundry, cleaning, made some yummy oatmeal chocolate chip cookies (and yes i added the ground cloves), took a nap and did lots of Pinteresting. :)
as i pulled up my blog, i couldn't help but notice my last post.  Winter Snow.  as this is a bit irrelevant, i did smile because today, the 4th of February, was our first actual snowstorm of the season!  no complaints here!  
anywho, i just wanted to share a few photos i've found on Pinterest lately.  i've added these photos to my pinboard titled "lovely photos" because i think they're absolutely lovely!  hopefully you enjoy them as much as i do!

wouldn't it be fun to live on this street?  even just for a bit?

i would go to this Starbucks ALL of the time, just because it's so pretty!

take me here!

 who wouldn't die for these flowers?

lovely.

just by looking at this photo i can smell the fresh air and the flowers!

 pretty! 

i mean, i know this isn't realistic but i'd love to have this set up in my house!

i want to be at this party.

 God is such an amazing artist!

 i want it to be summer so i can do this!

take me here!

 this takes me back home!

one word: summer.

i wish this were in my backyard!

awesome!

God is good.

 is this real?  take me there.

Winter Snow

this song is so moving, the lyrics so touching.  during this crazy season, this song is such a great reminder of the real reason for the season; Jesus leaving the perfection of heaven and coming to earth as a humble baby to live a life on earth.  wow!  i am so thankful for this reason to celebrate!  i encourage you to take a minute to listen to this song and read the lyrics as well.  i hope it touches your heart like it did mine.   Merry Christmas!

Winter Snow

by Audrey Assad and Chris Tomlin 

Could've come like a mighty storm
With all the strength of a hurricane
You could've come like a forest fire
With the power of heaven in Your flame

But You came like a winter snow
Quiet and soft and slow
Falling from the sky in the night
To the earth below

You could've swept in like a tidal wave
Or an ocean to ravish our hearts
You could have come through like a roaring flood
To wipe away the things we've scarred

But You came like a winter snow
(Yes, You did)
You were quiet
You were soft and slow
Falling from the sky in the night
To the earth below

Oh, no, Your voice wasn't in a bush burning
No, Your voice wasn't in a rushing wind
It was still
It was small
It was hidden

You came like a winter snow
Quiet and soft and slow
Falling from the sky in the night
To the earth below

Falling
To the earth below
You came falling
From the sky in the night
To the earth below 

Luke 2:13-14

my top 5 favorite Christmas movies!

i couldn't resist posting my favorite Christmas movies.  there are so many to choose from but narrowing it down to 5 wasn't too hard for me as i tend to get obsessed with one in particular...see if you can guess which one that is.  :)  feel free to comment below with your top 5!  

5. HOME ALONE 

"Guys, I'm eating junk and watching rubbish! You better come out and stop me!"

4. CHARLIE BROWN CHRISTMAS

"Merry Christmas, Charlie Brown!"

3. NATIONAL LAMPOON'S CHRISTMAS VACATION

"Clark, I don't want to spend the holidays dead!"

2. ELF

"The best way to spread Christmas Cheer, is singing loud for all to hear!"

1. THE GRINCH WHO STOLE CHRISTMAS (with Jim Carrey)

"The nerve of those Whos.  Inviting me down there on such short notice!  Even if I wanted to go my schedule wouldn't allow it.  4:00, wallow in self pity; 4:30, stare into the abyss; 5:00, solve world hunger, tell no one; 5:30, jazzercize; 6:30, dinner with me-I can't cancel that again; 7:00, wrestle with myself-loathing....I'M BOOKED!  Of course, if I bump the loathing to 9, I could still be done in time to lay in bed, stare at the ceiling and slip slowly into madness....BUT WHAT WOULD I WEAR?" 

"You don't have a chance with her, you're 8 years old and you have a BEARD!"

"One man's toxic sludge is another man's potpourri....I don't know, some kind of soup."

"Saving you?  Is that what you think I was doing?  Wrongo!  I just noticed you were improperly packaged, my dear!"

"Blast this Christmas music!  It's joyful AND triumphant!" 

"Hate, hate, hate.  Hate, hate, hate.  Double hate.  LOATHE ENTIRELY!"

"Down a size and a half!  And this time, I'll keep it off!"

"Give me that!  Don't you know you're not supposed to take things that don't belong to you?  What's the matter with you, you some kind of wild animal?  Huh?"

 

"There'll be no sad faces on Christmas!"

"I'm the Grinch that stole Christmas....and I'm sorry."

"So they wanna get to know me, do they?  Spend a little quality time....with THE GRINCH!"

"That's what it's all about, right?  That's what it's ALWAYS been about!  Gifts, gifts, gifts, gifts, gifts, gifts!  Do you know what happens to your gifts?  They all come to me...in your garbage!  Do you see what I'm saying here?  IN YOUR GARBAGE!  I could hang myself with all the bad Christmas neckties I found at the dump!  And the avarice...the avarice never ends! "I want golf clubs!" "I want diamonds!" "I want a pony so i can ride it twice, get bored, and sell it to make glue!"  Look, I don't wanna make waves here, but this WHOLE Christmas season is STUPID! STUPID! STUPID!  There is however, one teeny, tiny, Christmas tradition that I find quite meaningful....mistletoe.  SO PUCKER UP AND KISS IT, WHOVILLE!"

give thanks.

i'm so blessed.  so so so blessed.  i have so much to be thankful for, it's ridiculous.  as i sit here and think of all the "things" i'm thankful for, i'm reminded of a song i sang in Sunday School growing up.  here are a few of the lyrics:

I will enter His gates with THANKSGIVING in my heart,

I will enter His courts with praise.

I will say this is the day that the Lord has made,

I will rejoice for He has made me glad.

He has made me glad, He has made me glad.

I will rejoice for He has made me glad!

what a wonderful, yet simple, reminder.  how about a couple verses which remind us to be THANKFUL:

GIVE THANKS to the Lord, for He is good; His love endures forever.

Psalm 136:1

And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, GIVING THANKS to God the Father through him.

Colossians 3:17

Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us BE THANKFUL, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe.

Hebrews 12:28

Enter His gates with THANKSGIVING and His courts with praise, GIVE THANKS to him and praise His name.

Psalm 100:4

i could go on and on and list a hundred more things i'm thankful for but i'll spare you the details and only list a few....

• i'm thankful for my salvation.
• my hilarious, caring, loving, devoted, faithful husband.
• i'm blessed to have such fabulous family members, both immediate and in-law.
• my material posessions such as food, a warm house, a comfortable bed, clothes to wear, etc.
• i'm thankful for my job in this not-so-wonderful economy.
• i'm blessed to have been raised in a Christian home and having been introduced to Christ.  i'm thankful to have been taught the importance of doing what's right and having morals.
• my loyal friendships.
• i'm thankful to live in a country where i'm free to worship.
• my wonderful church family and lifegroup.
• i'm thankful for the friendship i've developed with my parents as i've entered adulthood, and also for the friendships i have in my siblings. 

THANK YOU Lord for my blessings, both material and intangible.  i am so GRATEFUL.

* side note, i'm pretty excited to host Chris' family for thanksgiving and cook the traditional feast!  i'm also pretty excited to try my new 'Champagne Turkey' recipe!  wish me luck!  i'll post the recipe if it turns out a success!