Category Archives: Life

I-Phone (mega) Photo Purge

Thanksgiving Recap

It was part an attempt to thank everyone for what they did to make our wedding possible, but mostly it was fulfilling a dream I’ve had since living in Colorado. For Thanksgiving, both the Kinkade’s and the Hendrickson’s made their way to Beaver Creek Colorado for a week long vacation hosted by Jon and I. We found the perfect house in the perfect location, planned and plotted for months, bought all the food and alcohol our cars could carry and crossed our fingers for good weather.

It turns out when it comes to being hosts, we’re not too shabby.

I don’t know what I can say about this week without coming off too sappy. After dropping everyone off at the airport, I cried in my car the whole way home, not so much because people were leaving but because the incredible week had ended.

There are no words to describe what it’s like watching your family experience and enjoy for the first time a place you’ve grown to love and call home. To see all your planning be so worth it you can hardly believe it. To watch your brothers (who never get a vacation like this) grinning ear to ear for days on end. To see your dad (who never just shuts down) relax with a glass of wine and let someone else do the dishes. To make it possible for your Grandpa to see his big sister (possibly for the last time) and show off his own family to her. To watch 16 people leave all their cares at the door and do nothing but enjoy themselves for 6 days straight. It was a magical, once in a lifetime sort of experience, for me anyway.

I’ve got about three blog’s worth of photos dedicated to this week, but for today I’ll just post the one’s from Thanksgiving. That’s what it was all about after all.

Chalkboard art by Livi.

MindyTurkeyDay-22 Some of you may know that my Dad is a chef extraordinaire who has owned his own restaurants and currently runs a catering business.

Thank God we decided to invite him : )

Had I been the one required to cook Thanksgiving dinner for 16 people we would have been having tacos. One of the requirements while searching for the house we stayed at was a beautiful kitchen that he would enjoy cooking in. I’d say we nailed it.

MindyTurkeyDay-30 We spent most of the day trying to stay out of Bob’s way, helping when asked, and watching him work his magic. My Mom, Grandpa, Aunt Megan and I spent a chunk of the afternoon out on the patio soaking up the sun and the amazing views and just enjoying each others company. My Grandpa’s version of this day involves seeing bear on a nearby mountain…we think he’s losing it. : )

We all started smelling the food so we got dressed for dinner and began setting the tables. Yet another requirement of the house was that it seat comfortably 16 people for Thanksgiving dinner. The house we chose sat that many…exactly.

When we knew dinner was close we gathered outside for some nice photo’s before the daylight was gone.

Then it was time to get down to business.

Thanksgiving-72 Thanksgiving-79 After a few wonderful words from my Dad (tears) we chowed down with the gorgeous Beaver Creek sunset in the background. Like I said earlier…magical.

Thanksgiving-80 Following dinner, Jon and I emceed the first annual Hendrickson/Kinkade trivia night. We were filled with trepidation, but it ended up being a really fun way to close out the night. It ended up being one of my favorite parts of the trip. The winning team was declared (Mindy Kinkade, Tyler Hendrickson, Livi Kinkade and Ryan Kinkade) and the evening ended with people hot tubbing, card playing, relaxing and snoozing.

The day was a huge and delicious success. My Dad cooked two 20+ pound turkeys for the purpose of leftovers (what can I say I’m brilliant) and we enjoyed the meal for days to come. Easily my favorite Thanksgiving to date.

There’s a 100% chance we’ll have many more great Thanksgivings, but this one was special, and this group of people might not all be in one place at one time to share a meal ever again.

Every time I look back at this photo filled with grinning people I love…

…only one word comes to mind.

A new challenge.

1 Reply

As some of you may know, I recently quit my job.

Finally.

I immediately felt like I lost 20 pounds, all my muscles loosened for the first time in years, and I didn’t wake up to an instant feeling of anxiety and dread.

It was time.

Actually, the correct ‘time’ to quit passed longer ago than I’m willing to admit. Better late than never I guess.

The job very much served its purpose for me and from it I gained relationships that I cannot imagine my life without. That being said, it had become an absolutely toxic influence on my life, spreading negativity into every single available space.

It was time and since leaving I feel like I’ve got a new lease on life.

I’ve also got some time on my hands while I figure out my next move.

Enter Anna Karenina.

I have started this book approximately 14 times, usually get a good 80 pages in, and then I slowly quit.

Well, Keira Knightley is currently in starring in a movie adaptation of this book and it looks exactly like my favorite kind of film. I can’t WAIT to see it. I decided (after finding myself spending way to much time on pinterest lately) to spend an hour or so during my mornings alone attempting to finish this book.

My motivation? I am not allowing myself to see the movie until I finish the book.

To get from here…

…to here……takes reading this many pages. Woof.Considering I want to see the film while it’s still in the theaters, I need to get my ass in gear. Luckily for me I truly enjoy reading and have always been fast at it. I just need to keep my interesest piqued in the slow moving, complicated, and epic storyline. My books of choice lately have been embarrassingly easy reads (Twilight, Hunger Games, 50 Shades of Grey) that I just blow through in a few days, so this 800 pager will be a brain stimulating change of pace.

I’ll keep you updated (it really just keeps me accountable) and I’d love it if somebody would join me! Otherwise, wish me luck.

P.S. Have any of you ever read this book cover to cover? What did you think?

Weekend Recap

1 Reply

I’ve been avoiding talking about the fact that I haven’t been posting very religiously as of late. Hopefully that will change in the coming days, but until then I’m going to continue avoiding it and distract you with some photos of our weekend.

I call this post “Christmas comes to the Hendrickson House and Marlo is unimpressed”.

“Marlo! Here kitty kitty kitty… We know you’re an indoor cat that really wishes she could be an outdoor cat so we knew you’d be really excited to see that we brought the outdoors inside to you!”

“No? Well maybe once we get some ornaments on it you’ll be more excited.”

“Marlo! Look over here! Look at how pretty these ornaments are!”

“Huh. Still no holiday excitement outta you? Well let’s decorate some more and see if that helps.”

“Don’t you just love the glittery snowflakes?!”

“Not a fan of glitter? Ok then. You probably won’t like the rest of the decorations.”

“Oooh Marlo what do you think about the entry table? Isn’t it festive and holiday cheer inducing?”

“C’mon…you won’t even look at it?”“Marlo…just come see it! It’s so sparkly I just know you’ll love it!”

“Wow cat. You are being such a snot. Does little miss prissy pants need some help getting in the holiday spirit?”

“Now THAT’S better.”

“Hmm…still not quite right. I feel like something is missing.”

“Perfect.”

A tough decision.

9 Replies

I don’t want to turn this blog into a political argument. I really, really don’t.

Some people can get so heated and nasty when arguing over politics and I don’t want to pollute this happy place with that behavior.

That being said, and in honor of my 100th blog post (woo hoo) and the importance of this (and every) election, I felt compelled to share this quote:

“I wish my moderate Republican friends would simply be honest. They all say they’re voting for Romney because of his economic policies (tenuous and ill-formed as they are), and that they disagree with him on gay rights. Fine. Then look me in the eye, speak with a level clear voice, and say, ‘My taxes and take-home pay mean more than your fundamental civil rights, the sanctity of your marriage, your right to visit an ailing spouse in the hospital, your dignity as a citizen of this country, your healthcare, your right to inherit, the mental welfare and emotional well-being of your youth, and your very personhood.’

It’s like voting for George Wallace during the Civil Rights movements, and apologizing for his racism. You’re still complicit. You’re still perpetuating anti-gay legislation and cultural homophobia. You don’t get to walk away clean, because you say you ‘disagree’ with your candidate on these issues.”

-Doug Wright, Pulitzer winning playwright

I was undecided where my vote was going up until a few days ago. That might surprise a few people, but it’s true. Most people (I think) assume that I would automatically vote for Obama. That makes sense. I did last time and I totally get that assumption. The thing is, it’s just not as simple as it used to be, the decision that is.

Turns out i’ve wrestled with it a lot this time.

It’s not like when I was in college, an idealist with little to no responsibility. Things are a lot different now. I’m married to somebody whose business (and our livelihood) is greatly affected by things like tax laws and who is in office.

He and I are a family now and thus my responsibilities and priorities have changed dramatically. My priorities now involve things like having a healthy family, saving money, our financial future, investing, buying a house, sending our future kids to college, even retirement. Unfortunately a lot of it revolves around money, but that’s life.

I’ve started to truly understand how the way I vote doesn’t just affect the ‘greater good’ in an abstract sense, but it can and will affect mine and my families every day life directly.

Grown up life complicates things.

It’s just not as simple anymore.

You don’t get to walk away clean, because you say you ‘disagree’ with your candidate on these issues.

Or is it?

That’s what the quote made me ask myself and you know what? It really is that simple. For me. This time.

I just can’t be complicit. Some maybe can and will, but I feel like I couldn’t look at myself the same way. I, and my priorities, have changed since being 20 and 24…absolutely. But what hasn’t changed is my belief in the absurdity of the idea that gay people don’t deserve equal rights. Or that women don’t deserve equal pay and decision making power over their own healthcare.

I just can’t look someone in the eye (especially my future children, whether boy or girl, gay or straight) and say that my (or my husbands) take home pay meant more to me than their rights.

So I’ve decided.

It’s pretty simple.

Favorite Autumn Cocktail

2 Replies

Trips to the mall this time of the year involve some of my favorite shopping rituals. Searching for new comfy sweaters instead of skin tight summer wares. Gazing longingly at the beautiful array of fall boots at Nordstrom while envisioning myself a super chic ski bunny. And of course, the smell of apple cider wafting from the doors of Williams Sonoma.

I was their latest victim this week. I went in to get a piece of our blender replaced and came out with the bizarrely large amount of ingredients it takes to mimic their impossible to resist cider.

–Five Apple Cider Concentrate

–Mulling Spices

–Cinnamon Sticks

–Floating Mulling Spice Ball (yes I’m serious)

–Milling Spice Mugs (didn’t buy these…going back for them)

I love apple cider any way I get it, but there’s something magical and comforting about the smell you can get by using the W & S mulling spices. It also just makes it feel a little more special. I decided to ‘create’ a cocktail that would be perfect to enjoy in a new comfy sweater while looking chic in my after ski boots up in the mountains. : )

It’s ridiculously easy.

Gather your ingredients (pumpkin not necessary).

Mix one part Five Apple Cider Concentrate with three parts water and begin to simmer.

Add 2 tablespoons Mulling Spices to apple cider mix and continue to simmer for 20 minutes. Enjoy the delicious scent for all 20 of them.

Add your desired amount of Gentleman Jack whiskey. I think this makes the best choice because it’s meant to be used as a mixer in cocktails and is so smooth.

Insert an overpriced W & S cinnamon stick and stir to mix.

I love cinnamon so I also like to rim the edge of my mug with it before drinking.

Only one thing left to do…drink and enjoy. I hope this inspires you to cozy up your home with the wonderful smells of apple cider, cocktail version or not.

Midwest Mountainess

Musings from a Minnesota girl living in Colorado.