NINTENDO Wii

I got Nate a Nintendo Wii for Christmas. Besides being impossible to come by at the store, this game system is pretty fun. I played the sports pack with Nate and beat him at boxing and bowling. Nevermind that I woke up the next day with a really stiff shoulder muscle.

DARLYBIRD + NATE = PRETTY EARRINGS

Nate went shopping at Darlybird and got these pretty Swarovski Austrian crystal earrings. I wore them on Christmas and got lots of compliments. As it turns out, Nate has quite the eye for great jewelry.

MERRY CHRISTMAS FROM CLEMANTINE!!

There's snow outside, presents under the trees, and lots of family to spend time with. My wish is that you get to do something traditional and something completely new this holiday. I'll try to post a few times in the next few days but I will be quite busy packing and moving. Thank you for reading and Merry Christmas!
Love, Tonia

A VERY THOMPSON CHRISTMAS

Tonight at the Biggs Family party {Nate and I are in Logan now} we went around and shared our favorite Christmas memories. Because it's Christmas and because they are favorite memories, I've decided to share them with my Clemantine readers.

As a young married couple, my parents didn't have a lot of extra money to purchase Christmas specific records. Instead, they would play those my dad already owned. His selection was primarily Marty Robbins, Hank Williams, Sons of the Pioneers and Johnny Cash. Now every time I hear these artists I'm reminded of decorating the Christmas tree; hanging my very own ornaments; spending time together as a tiny little family {then of only five - ha ha}.

On the days leading up to Christmas and the days following Christmas my dad would provide lots of joyous fun in the snow. I was lucky enough to grow up with a real live cowboy for a dad. The boots, the hat, the horses. On snowy days, much to my delight, my dad would tie an inner tube to the saddle horn of one of his fabulous horses and pull us around for hours. Now this was the 70s and before the city would completely clear the roads of snow and ice. Back then the roads would remain snowy for days and the banks would build up over five feet. Imagine my delight - skidding around the neighborhood pulled by the musclely legs of our quarter horses Prom's Child or Miss Burly Bar; wind in my hair; tight grip to the knotted ropes. It is one of my fondest Christmas memories. Thank you Dad!

THIGHS LIKE FIRE!

I knew I was out of shape. But everyone gets out of shape at different times in their lives. Not so pathetically out of shape that they can only make about three turns in a fabulous amount of fresh powder before their thighs burn like fire. To achieve this kind of out of shapeness you have to sit idle for many, many days. Eat atrocious amounts of fattening foods and then sit idle some more.

As you can likely guess, the ski day was great. I'll take a cold, stormy day on the slopes over sitting at my computer any day. Nate introduced me to my "worst nightmare ever". Mogules as tall as me and deeper then the ocean. I stabbed one particularly large mogule right in the gut with my ski and shot out of it like a cannon after which I popped out of my remaining ski and walked down. Novice move? Maybe. But I successfully avoided any broken bones and kept explitives to a minimum! All in all it was a great day at Alta; the chili was delicious and I didn't miss the snowboarders a bit.

MELIE BIANCO HANDBAG

Amie so generously gave me this lovely white Melie Bianco handbag for Christmas! I'm so excited to carry it over the holidays and listen to passers by talk about how cute it is in hushed tones! Thank you Amie!

AIR DRUMMERS UNITE!

Nate is always teasing me because I air drum. I can't think of a better gift for me then drumsticks that actually plug into my iPod - allowing me to play along with my favorite tunes! Get them here for $30 and buy me a set please.

ORGANIC KNICK KNACK

I love the idea of these balls made of shells {ala the hands of a Filipino}. If you live in Chicago, stop by C and C Floral and pick them up for $11. If you don't live in Chicago, the website is coming soon. Group them with other stark white knick knacks and create a great uniform and modern look.

HANDBAG MUST HAVE!

I don't go anywhere without a notebook in my handbag. This gives me the perfect {and consistent} place to jot down things to remember; the title of a book I want to read, a good song or restaurant. Too often I have a brilliant thought and then I forget it almost instantly - keeping a notebook nearby is a sure way to stay organized and "on-to-of-things". Look at the cute letter press notebooks at Dauphine Press here {they are just $12}!

10 HAIR COMMANDMENTS

From Instyle.com. Read more details here.
1. Cut layers into long hair {got mine freshened up on Tuesday}
2. Use heat to create shape {think curling irons and rollers}
3. Always make updos look effortless {even though the good ones aren't}
4. Mix up your shampoo routine {give hair what it needs}
5. Make your blowouts last more than a day {hair conservation}
6. Blast hair with cold air to create shine {Utah winter mornings take care of this for me}
7. Don't touch curly hair after applying products {so hard for me. i always touch}
8. Choose sideswept bangs over short blunt ones {mine are short now and i love them}
9. Embrace hairspray {get in touch with your inner aqua net}
10. Tweak your hair color seasonally {darker in winter, lighter in summer}

Here are some examples of good hair.

SMELLING GOOD IS A FULL TIME JOB

I love to smell good. I like getting compliments that sound something like, "Wow, you smell great", or "You must tell me what you are wearing...I'm in love." Once, when I worked at Novell, I was riding up in the elevator with a typical engineer {Nate, of course, is a-typically handsome} and he said, "You smell fabulous. What is it so I can buy it for my wife?" I nearly skipped off the elevator after that compliment. Another of my favorite compliments came this last spring. Emily and Jonathan were visiting Utah and we went to lunch. When I got in the car Jonathan said sweetly, "Tonia, you smell like a spring day."
Much like dessert, perfume needs to be carefully weighed. If it's too rich and heavy you'll notice people back away. If it's too faint then why are you wearing it? The perfect kind of scent is the kind that gives everyone else the impression that you were born with the most sweet smelling skin, naturally.
I haven't tried Monyette Paris {roll on oil} before but the description, " An intoxicating blend of Tahitian gardenia, French muguet, and other exotic notes with long-lasting essential oils" sounds like a winner. Get it at Beauty.com for $45 and keep it in your purse 24/7.













If you are likely to wear something with more citrus/floral notes try Coquette Tropique {also a roll-on}. Either way, when your lover rolls over and hugs your pillow he'll smell the same scent that is always on your skin and he'll settle in for an extra 10 minutes of sweet dreams.

PARTY NECKLACE

I love this necklace...of course you have to wear this neckline too {which I can't} but a girl can dream can't she? Get it at Banana Republic here.

I LOVE GREECE IN THE SPRINGTIME?

If you find yourself dreaming of blue rooves and white stucco - you may want to look into a recent trip posted by TravelZoo. Read below for details. If you are interested, click here. The Greek Islands are hands-down my dream trip.

How does spring in the Greek islands sound? Viva Voyage is offering a 10-night Mediterranean cruise on one of Holland America's newest ships for just $1299 per person. Upgraded staterooms are also reduced: Oceanview cabins are $1399 per person; Verandah staterooms (each with private balcony) are $1999 per person. Similar cruises we are seeing in the marketplace price at hundreds more. Book this deal with Viva Voyage by Dec. 27 and receive FREE travel insurance (valued at $70 per person.)

You'll sail the ms Westerdam, ranked one of the "Best Cruise Ships in the World" by Condé Nast Traveler. It departs May 10 or 30 and sails roundtrip from Civitavecchia, near Rome.

Ports of call include: Dubrovnik, Croatia; Corfu, Greece; Olympia (Katakalon), Greece; Santorini, Greece; Kusadasi (Ephesus), Turkey; Piraeus (Athens), Greece; and Messina (Taormina/Naxos), Sicily.

HOORAY FOR RUTH THOMPSON

Ruth received her Master's degree in Psychology on Saturday. Nate and I weren't able to make it to the ceremony, but we both agree she seems even smarter now!! Congratulations to the brilliant graduate!

SILHOUETTES MAKE A COMEBACK

I know I'm about a year late making this announcement, but you can't step into a boutique anywhere without seeing the silhouette of a young girl or boy on anything from paper to dishes. If you are ready to stick your toe in and see how it feels, take a trip to Petite Prints. Please don't buy the t-shirts, that's just tacky. Note cards and that adorable "note for our babysitter" pass without ridicule.

ROSANNA DISHES

If you are in the market for pretty dishes with fun patterns and shapes, stop looking. Rosanna Inc. has lovely dessert plates, cake plates, bowls, tea cups, etc. It's definitely eye candy for those of us who love to be visually entertained. I included just a sampling of the cuteness.










































































Now, before you become so enchanted, look at the pretty packaging you can expect your dishes to come in. These would definitely make a bride blush with excitement to open.

MATT LAUER'S NEW BABY

If anyone wonders how to pronounce the new Lauer boy's name spelled Thijs, it's "tice". He has an older brother named Jack and a sister named Romy. Yes, it is a standard Dutch name but can you imagine his kindergarten teacher trying to pronounce it?

PAPER + CUP

Paper + Cup is a lovely little place to peruse if you are looking for charming letter pressed journals, note cards, tags etc. The images on the site aren't fabulous but they should give you a good idea of the design. I especially liked the travel and animal journals $16 and the folded silogirl card collection {$20 for 10}.

TRAVEL + SHOPPING

If you happen to be planning a trip {business or pleasure}, make sure you stop by here and read up on all the hot shops to visit. Granted they will likely be way out of your price range but still very much fun to browse.
For instance: Heading to Telluride for some skiing? Stop in at Polka Dot. 224 E. Colorado Ave.
Telluride, CO 81435, 970-728-7928. Looks like a great place to outfit the fashion forward tot.

BIRD VASE

I stumbled onto these bird vases at a boutique in SLC called Hip & Humble which is a really cute shop with lots to look at. Priced just a bit cheaper then the $15 you'd pay at Golden Calf {which doesn't happen to have an online shop...but if you are in Brooklyn any time soon}. I bought two for me. You can expect to see them nesting in my kitchen window or on my office desk.

CHRISTMAS ORNAMENTS

Nate and I have lots of these blown glass balls on our tree. I think they are so pretty and when you turn the lights on the tree they glow with rich, vibrant colors. I still can't bring myself to pay $20 for a tree ornament but I thought these were worth calling attention to. Quite pretty from Anthropologie.

CHERRY BLOSSOM LIGHTS

I'd love to encorporate these into my dining room. They might look just right on the sideboard or in the corner. I think the pink ones would create just the right mood for a quiet dinner party or dinner just for the two of us. Thank you to Something Old, Something New for this find. Buy them at Graham and Greene here for only $26 each.

PERFECT CHRISTMAS

As a young couple with no children, Nate and I haven't experienced a holiday at home--among our things, sleeping in our bed with clothes in the closet and not in a suitcase. Of course we want to be with family during the holidays, but sometimes I imagine what a Christmas would be like if I were at home. If everyone came to my house and I played hostess. No forgetting your favorite moisturizer. No sleeping on the couch or floor. No depleted hot water heater spitting out cold showers. Stressful, yes!
Lately, I go into a Christmas coma when I think about it. It's oh so perfect with everyone in gorgeous sweaters with rosy cheeks and tan faces. We'd go snowshoeing and cross country skiing on Christmas Eve and eat a delicious dinner that looks like this.























After dinner, we'd all sit around and tell family stories and keep the fire rolling. Nate might pull out his guitar and play some Christmas songs and we'd listen while sipping cider or hot cocoa. When the kids got tired we'd tuck them away and hang out as adults, playing games and nibbling on left overs. We'd all put out the final Santa touches and slowly disperse to our own beds topped with down and 400 thread count sheets.
The morning would be dazzling with no shortage of shiny paper and excitement. Late in the morning everyone would get bundled up and go sledding {at my house my dad pulls us on tubes behind his horses and it's great fun}, ice skating on the lake or compete in a grand snowball fight.

Could this ever really happen?

VANESSA BARRANTES

I'd like to wear this Vanessa Barrantes tulip skirt over the holidays. Get it here.

MAN EATER THREADS

I happened onto this site and I found several things I'd love to open on Christmas morning.
1. Pade Vavra, bird hoops $99 2. Made Her Think, swallow bracelet $250 3. Holly Lauren, cream ring $85 4. Alex+Cloe, black heart necklace $48 5. Pade Vavra, gold bird with ruby {my birthstone} $165