A New Year

It's always important to start the year off right with the good stuff... Vintage please.

Who thought that emerald green Formica was a nice accent to a kitchen? Because I sure as heck didn't!

It is back to the grind tomorrow. Back to the routines, the early wake ups (wait that didn't stop), but I like structure, as weird as that might sound. It will be nice to get back into those high heels that have been waiting for me for 10 days, although my feet haven't, and get back to looking a bit more put together.

To celebrate my last night of vacation and the start of the new year I plan on sipping on some nice Chardonnay, eat some frozen pineapple and watch "How I Met Your Mother", because there is no better way to start off the year.

Eve of Eve

Last night I went out with some girlfriends from high school to celebrate the Eve of New Year's Eve. Well, actually it was my friend's birthday. Either way, this is me cheesing it up before I went out to get some drinks. It was so cold out so I had to dress warmly.

I love the princess dress up box that is making an appearance.

Hope everyone has an exciting New Year's Eve! Hubbs and I are out to a nice dinner and from there we will probably find ourselves on the couch trying to stay awake for a countdown.

Open Cardigan: GAP
Tank: Old Navy
Skinny Jeans: GAP
Heals: Alfani
Belt: Forever 21

Loop it Up

We celebrated Hanukkah with Hubbs' family this past Saturday night. Instead of getting gifts for everyone and their mom, literally, we drew names and only had to get one gift each. It was great! My trendy and future sister-in-law gave me a really cute heather gray scarf loop thing. I am not sure exactly what they are called but basically it is a huge circle that you loop around your neck as many times as you would like. I busted it out this morning. Looking at this picture it looks super sloppy, however, I have since made it look better.

I have a feeling this is going to be a staple this winter. So easy and so soft. Two of my favorite things.

Except for the scarf, the entire outfit is GAP. The sweater is from 2000 or 2001. Super old and I rarely wear it.

Holy Guacamole, 16 Days Left...

How is it there are only 16 days left before the main event? Good thing Santa has been doing online shopping this year because there are only a few gifts left to get, but unfortunately will have to brave the stores for. Shoot.

I know one person who hasn't done his Christmas shopping yet....and that would be Hubbs. To him 16 days is about 14 days more than he needs. He is known for the late night shopping on the 23rd just so he can say he wasn't out on Christmas Eve. Okay, some years that's the case, but usually when I point out EXACTLY what I would like, he takes care of things earlier.

Things I still need to do in the next 16 days:

- Get manicure/pedicure
-Start exercising so I can combat the holiday cocktails/cookies I have been indulging in lately
-Make some cookies. My favorites are usually good ol' Sugar Cookies, Special K bars and toffee.
-Wrap presents
-Watch Love Actually, National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation, A Christmas Story, It's a Wonderful Life, Home Alone and Elf
-Take Miss S to see Santa Clause

I was in a crazy rush this morning, but I had to show you my shirt. I busted out my  Canadian Tuxedo denim shirt  from 10 years ago. Seriously, I wore it in my SENIOR PICTURES!!! But, I never got rid of it. I had some sort of attachment to it, and now that they seem to be more popular, it is making its way back into the rotation.

This was taken at the end of the day. My skirt and belt looks messy at this point.

Skirt: Old Navy
Denim Shirt: GAP circa 1999
Cardigan: Kohls
Belt: Forever 21
Bracelet: Metropolitan Museum of Art NY
Tights: Hue
Socks: Hue
Boots: Entienne Aigner

Baby, It's Cold Outside

Folks, Thanksgiving is behind us. My ass is a bit fuller thanks to the load of carbs I demolished for four days straight. It was wonderful having a stretch of days off. I was able to clean, decorate the house to look like a Christmas Pottery Barn catalogue (well, attempted to) and got a nice start with my Christmas shopping. I said "f- the crowds! I take my my money online!". I finally ordered my holiday cards from Shutterfly after taking about two weeks to finally decide on a design. Now, I sit here second guessing the picture I chose. Ah well.

Aside from the lounging and visiting with family, Miss S took a nice tumble off the back of the couch while I was in another room. She followed that off by barfing all over the couch, not sure if it was the crab she had tasted for the first time, or the fall. Needless to say our couch cushions are still in disarray in the garage as they air out from the stench of puke. We might need to get them cleaned.... To top off the week, she took a nice header into the sidewalk yesterday evening as we gathered in the front yard to admire the lights that Hubbs so happily put up on the house, a la Clark W. Griswold. She had a nice pink scrape on her forehead this morning as she greeted her friends in preschool.

Oh... and it's been frigid. Well, frigid for the Bay Area. Here are some pics to prove my point.

Close to taking ski's out and trying some tricks.

This picture taken from my Blackberry Bold, really doesn't depict the amount of ice. Not frost, ICE.

When it's 28 degrees outside, I decide to wear a dress. Because nothing goes better than peanut butter and chocolate, like freezing weather and dresses.

Charcoal Cardigan: The LOFT
Silk Black & White Dress: Banana Republic
Tights: Hue
Faux Crocodile Black heels: Alfani
Necklace: J.Jill
Belt: Forever 21

Why I Love this Time of Year

Halloween kicks off my three month period of gluttony. What with the leftover candy at home and at the office, it is amazing I am not 400 lbs. heavier. Then we launch right into Miss S's birthday, followed by Thanksgiving, Thanksgiving leftovers, holiday parties, holiday cookie baking, Christmas and New Year's.  I have to say though, so far I've been pretty good about not eating too much candy, so hopefully that parlays into the rest of the season. But besides the mashed potatoes and gravy, the artichoke dip, stuffed mushrooms, cheese balls, truffles, glasses of bubbly, fondue, prime rib and other treats, there are many reasons why I love this time of year.

1) I have a lot days off in a short period of time. From Thanksgiving to New Years I get a total of 3 weeks off (including weekend days) which is pretty frickin' awesome.
2) The Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown, A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving, A Charlie Brown Christmas
3) Uggs
4) Plaid Flannel Shirts
5) Hot Cider
6) Dean Martin Christmas classics
7) Hot cider
8) The smell of a fresh cut Costco Christmas tree, no plastic one in this house!
9) The smell of fires burning in chimneys
10) Brisk walks around the neighborhood
11) Need I even say the awesome colors on all of the leaves?
12) Love Actually
13) Pot Roast
14) Monday Night Football
15) Pea Coats
16) Online Shopping deals
17) Christmas lights
18) Holiday Cards
19) Peppermint Ice Cream
20) The red cups

Hurricane Holiday

Hurricane Holiday 2009 swept through the house starting on 12/23 when I began frantically cramming all of my "to-dos" into a 48 hour window. Once all items were tackled (Christmas night), I looked around to see what the storm left in its wake:

Crumpled wrapping paper sat under the couch and just out of reach even with the help of the back scratcher, multiple hairballs the Swiffer missed swirled around by the air of the floor vents like tumbleweeds on the highway between Tucson and Phoenix, pine needles were scattered out further and further into the living room, there was a never ending supply of crumbs grazing the counter tops from the late night cookie munching Hubbs, a dried up poinsettia I neglected before I even brought it home begrudgingly as a favor from a party sat glaring at me on top of a cabinet, a sweater for Hubbs that already had a snag in it rested on top of the couch waiting to be tried on and lastly, a ripped apart Leap Frog drum box which had required a Swiss Army knife and Wustof scissors to break into in order to satisfy an excited toddler.

Despite the Category 4 Hurricane Holiday, we made it out safe. It was memorable, people. Now, I can get back to eating 1,800 calories a day, only wear my sunglasses at night and drinking just one glass of Chardonnay with dinner and not another while wrapping presents, and then another when fixing the lopsided star on the tree. My digestive tract is very thankful for this.
Now, a little bit of proof of the damage around these parts.

I like Cheese. Anything, with Cheese- I like.

Hurry Up Day....

Been up since 7 going non-stop. Prepping two lasagnes, making spinach dip, baking cookies, etc. All the while, the Hubbs is "Sick" i.e. has a cold and little Miss S has been ultra cranky. I have been non-stop getting ready for the in-laws tonight. Things we (I) still need to do:

1) Set table
2) Get drinks chilled and organized
3) Get appetizers ready
4) Vacuum
5) Clean kitchen
5) Sweep/swiffer
6) Take shower
7) Fold Laundry
8) Manage to veg on the couch for 5 minutes before I put on my best "hostess with the mostess" attitude.

I love Christmas, but hosting really makes things stressful. Good thing we will be at my parents house tomorrow. I couldn't entertain again. I think I am too much of a rookie, or something. At least my presents are all wrapped, darnit.

Have a wonderful Christmas Eve and I hope Santa is good to everyone.

The Big Man

A first meeting of the Big Man....Not so sure what to think of it.

Full of Thanks

It's post Thanksgiving. The turkey coma has worn off, I have caught up on some zzz's and that slight Prosseco buzz is fading. But it is still the holiday weekend, thus not too late for my reasons that I am thankful this year.
-My little unit of Miss S and Hubbs. We are doing mighty fine if you ask me. If there were Four Legged Races, we would win! Hubbs and I are a total team and I wouldn't have it any other way. Our Miss S is the apple of our eye. We are such proud parents, its insane.
-My mom. Because she's my best friend (after Hubbs). She gives it to me straight, is always there for me when I am happy or sad and is the worlds greatest grandma to Miss S. Seriously, without her, I would be one lost mom.
-The rest of my family. They are all great too.
-My dog and cat. Because they give us just enough grief (late night puke fests, endless gas, expensive vet bills) to keep things interesting around this joint.
-Our house, it's cozy and I like it.
-My CHI flat iron. It takes me from cowlick crazy lady to smooth operator in 10 minutes flat.
-My job. Seriously, it might give me a headache a lot, majority of the time I enjoy it and the people in it.
-Mad Men. Before I met Don Draper and Roger Sterling, I was a lifeless wallflower and roses did not smell right. Now I am a changed woman. The life of the party, am known to toss back scotch on the rocks whenever I shall please, have great fashion sense and a knack for one-liners (Okay, not all of those things are true).
Aight fools, off to sit my ass on the couch and eat some chips.

Birthday Bash

Okay, so a bit out of order. Still crafting my summary/letter for the past year. Here are some pictures of the festivities of Miss S's birthday party this past Saturday.

P.S. Not sure why these pictures are looking so goofy.

Minnie

Mouse, that is.

I Love the Smell of Dreft

Seriously, I do. At first it smelled weird to me, but now it smells so clean. Taking a look around the house here is where we stand...
Number of loads of laundry which need to be folded: 4
Height in feet of the dirty laundry in our closet: 3
Stacks of maternity clothes which need to be boxed up and put away: 5
Dishwasher waiting to be emptied: 1
Pounds of chili which needs to be eaten in the refrigerator or else I just wasted a crap load of food: 2
Number of dogs which need to be walked: 1
Thank you cards that are awaiting to be sent: 4
Christmas presents that are waiting to be put away: Too many to count
Number of garbage's to be emptied: 3
Bathrooms that need cleaning: 3
You get the picture. And in protest of doing anything house related we will be celebrating the New Year tonight with friends while I drink my first glass of bubbly in....well, about a year!

Happy New Year!

Happy Holidays

I can not believe Christmas has come and gone. Sonya had her first Christmas! It was so much fun opening up all of the fun toys and clothes she got. This year we got some good memories, in particular, when I hosted Christmas Eve and I made the worst lasagna ever by adding two cups extra of wine to the sauce. I have made the dish dozens of times but for some reason my breastfeeding brain was in full swing. Everyone was getting tanked just off the pasta and not their glasses of wine! I think I owe my family an apology. Here are some pics from Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.

O Christmas tree...

Hubbs' brother and his girlfriend
My little gift!