HAPPY DECEMBER 1

I know it's cliche, but this year has literally flown by. It seems like just yesterday I was planting the garden and driving home in the sunshine. And now...now it's dark almost all the time and my office is so chilly I huddle around the space heater like it's my little private campfire. To celebrate December in style Nate and I are doing something December-ish every day.
December 1: eat homemade butternut squash soup {thank you Carrie}, kiss under real mistletoe {this must be added to regular routine}.

Tomorrow we'll put up the tree while listening to Christmas music. Agnes will certainly LOVE having a tree to bat around.

OH. THE. SHAME.

Subtitle: It's a good thing we aren't parents.





























It's Easter. I've known Easter was coming for weeks now; it's hard to overlook a holiday ushered in by lots of chocolate candy lining the shelves at the grocery store. Nate and I had just waved our friends goodbye this morning and had just hunkered down on the couch to relax for a bit when I remembered, "IT'S EASTER". Luckily I had purchased a few measly things to put in a basket for Nate and he had managed to do the same for me.
With the realization that Easter was upon us, we turned our back to one another, assembled the baskets, and then turned in surprise. Later at church, I realized that I hadn't purchased anything special to make for Easter Sunday dinner. At home, Nate dug into some leftovers and I nibbled on chips and salsa.
I guess what I'm trying to say is, It's a good thing we aren't parents.

p.s. Our camera broke. Just one day it decided it was done performing and broke right there in my hands. So until we replace it with a new one, you'll have to enjoy stuff I find in google images.

MERRY CHRISTMAS: BRIT STYLE

Christmas. I blinked and it was gone. Nate and I spent the holiday with our families in Logan. It was cold and snowy; just the way Christmas should be. We even got an obligatory snow storm on Christmas eve that left everything absolutely beautiful. Caught a cold? Check. Played Rock Band and watched movies with family? Check. Shopping with my mom? Check. Nate hit the slopes? Check. Cool rocker converse shoes? Check. Tickets to a reunited Blur concert in Hyde Park London? CHECK!
That's right. Nate surprised me with tickets to the reunion tour in London. Look out Britain...I'll be rocking with you in July!

























*image from Talis Source Blog

PAPERWHITE UPDATE

I planted my paperwhite bulbs exactly 2 weeks ago. And voila! Here's a few before and after photos. Nate and I are going to pull on our boots and deliver them to our neighbors tonight.

BEFORE









































































AFTER

ANTHRO CHRISTMAS

Pretty ornaments at Anthro. Go to this page, mouse over what you like, and see all the other images float around the screen aimlessly. I dare you!

A LILAC FOR SPRING

I love this cardi from Urban Outfitters. I don't go anywhere these days without a second layer; the weather in Utah {especially in air conditioned buildings} is so unpredictable. It's all in the details, and this sweater has such sweet details.

14 DAYS OF VALENTINE: DAY 6

A traditional date night. This doesn't have to be some extravagant $300 evening. All you need is two great steaks, some candles, a well set table, and a heart-felt card.
You could combine this with Day 5 and play his/her some tunes you picked out special.

HAPPY MLK DAY

Nate missed his flight. I missed my Sundance film. It's nice to be cozy and warm inside; hanging out with my favorite person. Happy Martin Luther King Day.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Though I've been nursing strep throat through the holidays, we still managed to have fun celebrating the new year in the cutest blue house on a quiet street nestled near the Oquirrh Mountains.

ME LIKEY!

OH TENNENBAUM

This year Nate and I got a faux tree. Neither of us felt good about cutting down a fresh tree to sit in the house for 30 days; only to be thrown to the curb when it got dry and "out of season". Our tree is perfect and came pre-lit. It took us about 30 minutes to set it up and spread out the branches and I don't have to worry about watering it. I do miss the pine smell though.
I didn't have a tree skirt so I used some Maasai fabric I got in Africa and it seems to do a fabulous job.





















I'm still working on a collection of these so until then, I used old vintage Christmas cards with red ribbon to dress up the tree. They are just campy enough to make me smile.

CHASING CHRISTMAS

Remember how fun Christmas used to be when you were young? And remember how LONG the month of December felt when you were waiting for Santa to fly by and dump his bag on your rooftop? What happened to those days? Lately it feels like something I think about during the two hours I have to shop after work. And it's something that I worry about, but never make a dent in, during the weekends {read How Many Christmas Parties this Year?}.
I've been trying to find and keep the Christmas spirit but it's sure elusive. What do you do to make the season feel special? Any advice you can give a girl that feels like she's chasing Christmas?

BRIGHT EYES: WHITE CHRISTMAS

If this song doesn't make you want to cuddle up with someone sweet and watch the embers burn out, I don't know what will.

Bright Eyes - White Christmas

PERFECT NEIGHBOR GIFT

Neighbor gifts are often the most difficult to come up with. If you are like me, you have loads of neighbors you love and want to recognize for the holidays. And if you're like me in other ways, you don't have a zillion dollars to spend for Christmas so really elaborate gifts aren't an option.

This year I'm going to make each neighbor a jar of homemade cranberry relish. I tested this at Thanksgiving time and it's perfectly sweet and tart. I know with all the holiday parties there are nice turkey and ham dinners to be eaten and this relish compliments them perfectly {plus it's yummy on left over sandwiches}. It's very festive to look at and easy to make.
















Here is the recipe if you want to make it for all your neighbors. I envision it looking so holiday festive in cute little jam jars and homemade labels.

Preparation time: 15 minutes.

*Make sure you don't chop the ingredients too small or it will look and taste more like mush or jam than a relish. I did each fruit separately so I could control the consistency better.

• 2 cups washed raw cranberries
• 2 skinned and cored apples
• 1 large, whole (peel ON) seedless orange, cut into sections
• 2 cups granulated sugar

1 Use a KitchenAid mixer or something similar {I use this one}. You can also chop by hand {though that will take a lot of work}, or you can chop in a food processor {be very careful not to over-pulse, or you'll end up with mush}.