Padres Visit

This post isn't about baseball :)  Mamma Kay & Dad came to visit for a week!  My Dad had a week long work conference at The Firm, Mamma Kay tagged along.

It's always so great to have family visit!  Especially when you only get to see them a handful of times each year.

Here were the highlights:

They brought the rest of our wedding presents!!!  Yay!!  How fun!!  It felt so much fun pulling them out of the car, just as much fun as opening them the first time :)  Although now our jenga tower of presents we don't have room for has doubled....  Get me in a bigger place James!!!  (I'm working on this)

How precious are these monogramed pillows?

This was a highlight for James...  his fav wedding present - the longhorns - made the trip!  This was a present from my great uncle who is a real life rancher.  When he heard James wanted a pair of longhorns he thought to himself, "I haven't seen one of my longhorns in a few years, maybe I should go find her."  He found her in the field - skeleton style- and plucked the head off for James.  TRUE STORY!  The only better part of this story was he brought the thing into our wedding reception to give to James :)  The longhorn has been named "Bubba" and until we have room for him (see above) he lives on our balcony.  Yes, several neighbors have inquired.  I am the whiskey-tango neighbor.

James & Bubba at our wedding reception

Mamma Kay & I ventured to South City to visit the Women's Closet Exchange!!  They are designer resale & currently have a reality show on the Style channel.  Mamma Kay was sweet enough to buy me a fun dress (BCBG), linen blazer (boutique label) & work/play dress (Rebecca Taylor)!  My in-person experience was different than the show, but I feel in a good way.  The show leads you to believe they ONLY take high designer pieces.  My experience was 25-30% of the merchandise was high fashion & the majority was expensive labels like J.Crew, Ann Taylor, Banana Republic, Coach, etc.  I will be going back more often because although snatching a great designer resale item (*cough*LVpurse*cough*) would be très fabuleux, it's much more likely I will buy a variety of higher-end pieces.

We ate some delicious French food!  It was dessert or I'm sure Dad would have objected.  (Don't get him started on French jokes...)  If you are in Creve Coeur make sure to stop by the pâtisserie La Bonne Bouchée.   Everything is so pretty you don't want to eat it!  (yeah right)  I had some lovely macarons, every time I go I make sure to try a new flavor.  My new flavor this trip was apricot!

Mamma Kay & me

Last but not least, my parents don't feel good about a visit without helping, they put up backsplash in our kitchen!!!!  I am so in love with the final product :)  It's black.  Surprise, right?

Work in progress

Finished Product

James is 28!

 Happy Birthday to my sweet husband!!!!!

1)  I woke up EARLY y'all to make James breakfast!  If you've ever lived with me you know what an enormous present that was! :)   German chocolate waffles & bacon!

2)  The fire department will come change the smoke detector batteries for you.  James was so excited!  Oh, and this was scheduled... not a result of my breakfast :)

3)  We are going out for Sushi tonight!  So excited to celebrate with my best friend :)

P.S.  Thank you Amanda for the sweet birthday present! I love the earrings!!!! 

P.P.S.  Wait, this post is about James?  Oh well :) 

Chicago Christmas

This year we had great time with James' family in Chicago for christmas! We were spoiled rotten with wonderful presents, food & family!  (And my personal favorite- Christmas morning mimosas!!!!!)

I am still trying to figure out all the settings on my camera... So my pictures were partially in focus & partially blurry as everyone was ripping open presents!  :)

Here are some of my favorites...

Does Santa look familiar to you?? 

Wonder what my big present is?

Yay! I can't sit still enough for the picture! Yay Wellies!

 James' big present... some UCF stuff :)

Christmas morning!  (on my second mimosa)  The best pic of us, even though it is fuzzy :) 

Celebratory Coupons

One of my favorite Birthday traditions is spending the coupon that Anthropologie sends :)  Although their clothes are rarely my style I love a lot of their house & home items.  The books this year are fabulous!!!  Here are some of my top choices...

1. Foiled Dot Napkins
2. Eiffel Tower Ring Dish
3. Parisian Chic: A Style Guide
4. Fleur De Lys Teapot
5. 100 Years of Fashion
6. Tall Mercury Glass Jar
7. Monogram Keychain
8. French Flair: Modern Vintage Interiors
9. Hobnob Parlor Smoke Hurricane & Parlor Smoke Hurricane

So many fun options!!!  What to choose??? 

Sneak Attack

Guess who didn't realize it was Christmas?  Me!

I was scanning through Facebook on Monday and saw a friend's post "I can't believe Christmas is next week." and I thought "She means week after next."  Nope.

Luckily I had a head start on some Christmas presents & my tree up.  But it was a mad dash the last few days to get everything ready!

Here is our tree!

I had some goodies come in the mail!!!  Definitely helped cheer up an old sick gal! 

Upper left:  3 new pilates videos

Upper right: Glossybox

Bottom: Birchbox

Time to get some laundry done before our trip to Chicago!!

Santa Baby

Here are the gifts topping my Christmas wish list!!!  Especially after James surprised me with a fab jewelry box I need to fill it up! :)

1.  Tall Wellington Boot by Hunter in Aubergine

2.  Crystal Stud Big Pink Earrings from Etsy

3.  Personalized Stationery from Etsy

4.  Monogrammed Necklace from Etsy

5.  Louis Vuitton Cosmetic Pouch in Damier Azur

So my love of Etsy dominated my Christmas list this year.  I doubt I'll see any of these lovelies as James asked me a few weeks ago very confused, "So... are any of your presents actually in a store?"   My bet's on the wellies :)  I wonder how James is adjusting to married life, I took him to a *store* (Nordstrom) to see them in person & when the sales associate explained he just had to get the sock liners his face was priceless :)

Birthday Love

Monday I turned 28!  I always have loved my Birthday!  Yes, with a capital "B" it is a holiday after all.  I think having a December birthday made me cling with extra devotion to my day of birth.  No, it is not fair to send a kid a Christmas present with a card that says "Happy Birthday & Merry Christmas" nor is it ok to wrap a birthday present in Christmas paper.  Wrapping paper is cheaper than toilet paper.  Seriously?

Luckily I have a wonderful husband & very sweet friends who never make me feel slighted on my Birthday :)

The highlight of my day was being able to take off work & do whatever I wanted!  Translation ~ spend all day in my new lulu wunder unders taking it easy :)  I caught up on a few episodes of Fashion Police!  I ate a meatball sandwich from Subway for lunch!  I organized two bookshelves in the 'hoarder room'! I read a book on my Nook! I perused the many Christmas catalogs I've got in the mail! I took a nap!  Just some of my fun birthday activities :)  For an introvert ~ it was the best self present!

In the evening my dear friends & I went out to eat at Pi Pizzeria.  It is a favorite of James & I ~ very delicious pizza!  And James surprised me with a mint chocolate chip ice cream cake, a childhood fav!