outfitted for the new year

What will you be wearing when you ring in the new year?

pics from pinterest

as much as i'd love to be in one of these sparkle pieces, i plan on sporting a l.b.d. 

Mike and I will be joining our neighborhood newlyweds for a potluck party. We're bringing my rents too! No better way to celebrate the new year than with the people you love the most. 

old traditions. new traditions

One of my favorite parts of Christmas is the traditions. We've got a few from our parents we want to adopt but it is also important to us to make our own.

Old traditions we'll keep

1. One of my favorite traditions (that we will adopt) from my family is to give a 'gift' to Jesus. Each year we write a letter offering up our worries/something we've been struggling with that year/something we need help changing and/or thanking Jesus for all that he has done and who he is in our life. We wrap the letter and place it in the nativity. Christmas night, we make a fire outside and talk about what the Christmas story means to us, read some scripture, pray and then offer our letters by throwing them in a fire. It is solely symbolic and made up by us but it really is a great reminder of what Christmas is all about. This is by far my favorite tradition and one Mike and I will be doing together and when we start our own family.

2. Midnight walk - Mike's family goes for a 'spin' aka walk around the block after dinner and before bed. This is such a good time for everyone to make a little belly room and just enjoy one another. It's also really fun because you get to see all the neighbors Christmas lights one last time!

3. Yearly ornament - every year growing up I've always received an ornament that represents something I've done that year, something I've been into (drums, soccer, dance, etc) or something big coming up in the next year. I love this tradition. Not only because its specific to each person but because you can look back over the years through ornaments. 

 an ornament I made for mike out of our wedding invitation 

 our first christmas ornament from mi padres

 2010 ornament - ENGAGED :)

graduating from college ornament - no idea how my mom always finds the perfect ornament .. but she does.

4. Mike's uncle comes down every year from Pennsylvania and stops in Pittsburg on the way down where he picks up delicious chunks of cheese, olives, meats and wondermous wine. Needless to say, eating good food, drinking yummy wine and hanging out in the kitchen will always be something incorporated in ALL of our holidays! 

new traditions we'll make

1. handpick/cut down a tree from a local farm (we love to shop local!)

just a wee bit small 

 just right

taking our tree home

2. Take a Christmas hike - we love to hike (we got engaged while hiking, we hiked on our honeymoon, etc.). Our plan is to take a hike every year Christmas eve, Christmas day or the day after. Our parents live within a short drive (20 min) of the mountains so that makes it easy! 

3. Decorate and wrap presents with Christmas music, movies and eggnog

 i like to use whatever i can  find to decorate presents with - beige ribbon, straw and glittery random objects

 we went with a festive assortment of wrapping papers

 stockings=essential (another favorite tradition of mine)

 we used berries everywhere... this is in a large lantern filled with candles. this candle was a wedding gift with our wedding invitation  in it

our beautiful, perfectly-picked tree, Forest, with his handmade (paper) star

cheers to traditions and holidays.... 361 (ish) days till Christmas 2012 ;)

home for the holidays

I'm sad. I don't want Christmas to be over, and I def don't want to take down all the festive decorations. But, Christmas is over and I have to return our home to normal. Bleh. But, that doesn't mean I can't relive it here for a few days :)

This year was by far one of the best Christmas-es. Not only did Mike and I get to stay together the whole time but it was filled with lots of family, good wine and delicious food (homemade ravioli, leg of lamb, deep fried turkey.. and the list goes on!).

yup, that's my dad. we all received a gift ball  (click there for the tutorial) from my sister-in-law and brother. they were themed and so much fun to open. a little gift was in the middle but until we got there, we had to get  decked out in the little gifts inside! 

the mess after opening gifts at my parents

Arrrrg. Shiver me timbers... another gift ball.

Mike's parents' Christmas tree - how fun is that?!

merry christmas

merry christmas from  Mike and I!

this is Mike's paper mache face from high school.. I found it in his closet, ha ha 

over the river and through the woods...

to our parents house we go!

fact: I loooooooooooove Christmas.

I love the trees,
the decorations,
the traditions,
the lights,
the music
the food,
the family
eggnog
presents
shopping
the parties
etc.
etc.
This is my first Christmas as a wife  and my first Christmas with my Mikey-Mike (aka husband).
We always split up for Christmas (and every other holiday) and met up at some point when we were dating. Our parents only live 45 minutes apart so it worked well.
This year we get to be together the whooooooleee time! So far the entire thing has been awesome... we picked out a tree from a local farm, brought it home, named it (Forest) and decorated it while we watched Christmas movies and drank eggnog. We had a Christmas party. We went over to our neighbors house, Mal and Kyle, and watched Christmas movies while wrapping presents. It has seriously been the most perfect Christmas.
Fun. Relaxing. Festive.

We'll be spending the holidays at his parents house until Christmas day and then head down to my parents house for a few days. Our camera is dead (BUMMER!) and the charger is in Raleigh (ARG!) but we'll see what I can capture.

Merry Christmas Eve to all! Happy almost birthday baby Jesus!

here's a shot of us with Forest before leaving... once I get the camera up and running I'll share some of our holiday fun

Christmas came early

I love shopping. I love having stuff. I don't love spending money... somewhat contradicting, eh?

Well, Christmas came early for me (from me) and barely put a dent in my pocket. Muy beuno.

I am a popcornaholic.

I love it covered, salted, plain, dipped, sprinkled

anyway I can get it.

nothing makes popcorn like a Whirley-Pop

                                      

an early Christmas present to myself

thank you William-Sonoma sale and giftcard - I couldn't pass it up

there is nothing like making a big ol batch of popcorn and snuggling up with your hunny :)

ps.. clean eaters.. microwave popcorn made the naughty list!

 I do fundraising (as one of my many hats) for a nonprofit. We did a Lia Sophia fundraiser. Guess who reaped the hostess benefits (or most of them). Yes, me. Lucky, lucky me.

And, what a wonderful time for it to show up on my desk!

 here's the booty

 turq studs. yum

 holiday party,

work,

running to the grocery store..

these gals are perfect for any occasion

obsessed 

 and who doesn't love a simple bracelet and necklace

All this and it's not even Christmas yet!

I love opening packages. It never gets old :)

windy city getaway

This past weekend Mike and I took a trip to the great city of Chicago, aka the Windy City (despite popular belief... it is named after its politicians long-winded speeches not actual wind... just a little factoid to start your day).

We had an amazing five-course meal at one of Rick Bayless' (TV food guy) restaurant, Topolobampo. Sadly, I couldn't snap any photos... it wasn't allowed... meh. But, trust me.. it was delicious. We just spent the weekend walking around and admiring the city.

 My cutie hus.band, Mike, on our way from the train stop to our hotel, which was right on Michigan Ave... across the street from a four story Nordstroms...dangerous!

The view down from our bedroom window: Christmas lights = happy me


        beautimus view!

Oh, just a treat the hotel left us: two bottle of wine, fresh fruit in spoonfuls, and  a variety of spicy, dark and toffee covered chocolates.
                                     
Hello, snow. Thank you for surprising us Saturday morning! So, this is what Christmas feels like...
                     
                                         Weber grill = man heaven

                   
                    Can you spot Santa? How about 50 of them on bikes?

  There is something magical about a city at night, especially at Christmas.

Our view from the John Hancock building lounge. We met up with a college buddy of mine for a drink and landed the best seat in the house. I think an overpriced glass of wine was well worth the view.

Chicago, we will see you again soon. Thanks for cooperating and giving us wonderful weather, a peak at snow and filling our bellies with delicious treats. Till next time, xoxo.

a long time coming...

Finally... a year later I am starting the blog I always said I wanted to. Now, I'm a bit of a perfectionist when it comes to these kinds of things. So needless to say, I'd been designing (or making my husband design.. he's the artist of the family.. not me) this 'perfect' blog for the past few months and realized it's NEVER going to get started if I don't just bite the bit and start it. I can make it look pretty later, right? So, here it is. The first entry of a blog I've been blogging to (in my mind) for the past six months. YIKES!

I suppose I could make a formal introduction of myself, my super cool husband and this blog. Mike (aka super cool husband) and I have been married for, oh..., well two months now. We both LOVE food. We love to cook (he does most of it); we love to eat out; we love to try new foods and could literatly eat.eat.eat. all day long if given the chance. We also love to travel (and secretly I think it's because we like to try their foods - you will quickly find everything revolves around food in this household!). I've got an obsession with living abroad for a year or two.... we'll see if that works out. And, an obsession with getting a dog.. another thing to see if that works out.. Mike says 'no'.. for now... Mike is an artist, is full of ideas and can remember every little detail of everything and anything. I forget what I just said two seconds ago, am 'realistic' and the dream crusher :). But, it works.... really well.

So, for the bloggy blog part... After getting engaged last September (2010) to Mike, I started following tons of blogs. I found my best ideas came from someone elses and that their joys and troubles helped keep me level headed throughout the whole wedding process. I had this group of online friends that knew exactly what I was going through! Even if they didn't know I existed.. we were still friends, right? Anyway, so from there I decided I wanted to be a part of the blogging world. And, now that I'm married (September 2011), VOILA, the blog is born.