Glimpses of the Holidays

I can honestly say that I LOVE our tree. 

It's a little wonky, 

we did haul the poor thing all the way from Raleigh, 

and not all the lights work. While I love the look of designer trees, 

the sentiments and stories behind our ornaments really are the best part. 

These are some of my favorites. 

Shiva's first ornament

Eiffel Tower, to remind us of Paris

a wine bottle for our move to California

a Harry Potter snitch and our moving card, tucked in

Wooden shoes for Amsterdam

A 2012 champagne bottle, that I wrote a little reminder on 

a GT jacket & big ben

this year's Hannukah ornament & my mom's snowman

and the resident Destroyer of Trees: Olive

Weekend Update!!

Another weekend come and gone!

I feel like I say that EVERY Monday. 

Do I?

Annyway, this weekend we

checked out a new place for wine and pasta, 

and got ourselves a wreath for the door!

Then we snuggled up with new wine glasses and watched Nightmare before Christmas 

 We got our first engagement/wedding present! 

My friend from college sent us these FABULOUS mugs. 

 We started decorating (which I'll show you this week), and started the Hanukkah celebration. 

 I made FABULOUS smores brownies, 

 

and LOVED strolling through memory lane with my ornaments. 

LOOK AT THOSE CHEEKS. I was so cute. 

I also bought these from HSN. 

(26 in 26 list, whatwhat?!)

I'm stupidly excited. 

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and finally, I need your help. 

I want to make something for our mantle, 

and I can't choose between these three.

 I already have the supplies for all of them 

(dont judge my stock pile)

just gotta choose!

   

What do you think?


Linking up all over the place,
have a good week y'all.

   

This Week

It seems like life is always hectic and intense but,

 I grabbed a few shots of things around the house currently.  

Just to smooth all of us into the weekend. 

New nail polishes, bought on sale!

Mike's grandfather's medals from WWII. 

I am so proud to be joining such an amazing family.  

 Seriously, look at Mike?!

 That bow tie, the cheeks!, his little puffed out belly. 

I die. 

 FLL airport turtles that awesomely match my tattoo. 

Fat Cat legwarmers with smug faces. 

Oh dear sweet galette. You are fabulous. Thanks Laura! 

 The view driving home, of our "backyard" 

(Taken at a stop light obvi)

The mountain's getting green, and my car is back. 

ZOMBIE BELLA! (Thanks Mike!)

Have a good weekend!

All I want for Christmas(kah)

Where to start? Where to start?
A little reading,
 a little..ok a LOT of sparkles,
a touch of vestique and voila!

A very merry Christmas wishlist. 

Taking A Moment.

In the night of death, hope sees a star, and listening love can hear the rustle of a wing. ~Robert Ingersoll

California vs Carolina

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I've now been living in Cali enough to start noticing differences and similarities. 

Did you know San Jose is the 10th most populated city in the country? COUNTRY. Not state. Raleigh was the 2nd largest in the STATE. There's always a crowd out and about. I've traveled through all of the major interstates and people seem less likely to honk at you or stay on your bumper, but more likely to just speed up and fly around you. Of course, I havent driven during rush hour yet, so I could be way out of base. I went to Target one morning at 8:15, right after it opened, and still had to wait in line to check out with three lanes open. ALL THEY PEOPLE! 

Yes, people are very nice here, but, no nicer than they are in North Carolina? Maybe.. Cashiers/clerks/waiters are all very nice and friendly, but I'm chatty so I normally always ended up striking a conversation and thinking "awe, they were so NICE!" and it's the same here. 

There's definitely a different break up of demographics. Raleigh is listed as 57.5% White, 29.3% Black, 11.3% Hispanic and 4.3% Asian, meanwhile San Jose is 28.7% White, 2.9% Black, 33.2% Hispanic and 31.7% Asian. I'm definitely learning how to hear different dialects and have conversations anyway, and people are generally very friendly. San Jose is also the HEART of silicon valley. Google, Zynga, Facebook, eBay, and even NASA are in my back yard. It's neat. 

SIDE NOTE: Can someone please tell me how to meet people when you no longer go to school and don't really hang out at bars anymore? 

I have two favorite perks so far. 

ONE is the orange tree in my backyard. 

yes!

We originally thought that sucker was a lemon tree, but nope, I walked out yesterday and picked myself a snack and a fresh lime to use with dinner. PRETTY AWESOME if you ask me. 

There's also a rosemary bush and a large pine tree, both of which Shiva loves to run next to, so she always smells awesome. The Second Perk? A bottle of wine that I normally bought in NC for $17.99 is $5.99 here. Wine is CHEAP this close to wine country, and I am happy to help with the overstock. 

Speaking of grocery shopping, you know that you're in Cali when there's 6 different "off brands" of granola and dried cranberries but none for Poptarts and Coke and treet meat is no where to be found.

I'm adjusting and learning and I think in time, I'll feel right at home here. 

Pinspirationally Crafty

I've definitely had the "itch" to do more craft projects. 

But..which one?

maybe curlyque swizzle sticks (and garland)

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a ornament for Shiva?

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coasters of all our travels?

I mean, I've GOT to do something to remember everywhere we've been. 

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speaking of special occasions..

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or maybe just some pretty art?

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I dunno what..and I dunno when I'll get to, but I really miss being crafty and having projects. 

Time to get back into the swing of it.