It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like.....2010!!!

**before reading this post: I wrote this last week while on vacation, I left my USB chord at home and couldn't upload any pics so I'm JUST now posting!)

I can't believe 2009 is already coming to a close. I really do feel like I was just packing up my Christmas decorations from last Christmas. But, alas, it is here again. (And don't let me fool you - I'm really not currently packing, as I'm sitting in a cabin in the snow blogging and sipping tea, but will be packing as soon as I get home....just needed to clarify) I know this time of year is a time for resolutions - which in my world is a thing you come up with that you can almost guarantee will not be done. So this year, I'm making a to do list. No promises, just organizing the things I would like to get done in 2010. I feel like I actually have a good chance at getting some of these things done since besides getting married, my calendar is pretty free! :)

1. Take a Photography class - I currently "use" my grandpa's fancy, hand-me-down camera. "Use", is stated as such, since I really don't know how to USE it. I fiddle around, point, shoot, and hope.

2. Build a Farm Table - I've been stewing on how to go about doing this - and I think I've come up with an easy-ish design

3. Make a Trip to the Long Beach Flea Market - I have been talking about doing this for forever, but somehow the weekends come and go and I still haven't gone.

4. Visit My Sister in Boston - I haven't visited her in a few YEARS now. She's moving in March so that may be my excuse to go back and "help." I'd also love to sneak away and visit this fabulous store!

{sneak peak of said fabulous store}

5. Take a Pure Barre Fitness Class - You didn't think I would get away with doing my non-new year's resolutions without ONE fitness related to-do did you?

6. Cook More - I absolutely love cooking, but I must admit I find myself doing the quick and easy, pick-something-up-after-work move a lot more lately. I need to STOP!! And I love my kitchen (pictures to come soon) so I have NO excuse!

{sneak peak of kitchen}

I'm sure there are so many more things I should be including on this list, and there may be a Part II to this post - but for now, this list seems like something I can handle! :)

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

{Merry Christmas}

Santa?

Excuse me....Santa? Is it too late to add one more thing to my list?

Winter Lovelies

{I'd never really considered a winter wedding but this photo could very well change my mind}

{Wishing the front of our house looked like this right now - it's currently 72 degrees here!}

**Thank you for enjoying my very random post today : )

Cabin Fever

I'm trying to squeeze in all the winter-themed posts I can because before we know the holidays will be over, and our blogs will be filled with bright and sunny posts with Spring on the brain. I was going through all of my pictures and came across this first pic that I took last year. One of our favorite weekend getaways is Mammoth. There's a small lake that has a little grouping of cabins around it, meant for the town's cross-country skiers. They just recently re-did quite a few of them, and I think did an impeccable job of making them look as if they've been there for years. As I do with just about every house - I kept thinking about what I would do if this were my little cabin in the woods.

{Does anyone recognize this last room?}

It's Beginning To Look a Lot Like........

{CHRISTMAS!!}

it's been way too long since my last post I know.... I was wanting my next post to be Christmas themed, since it is that time of year. For some reason - this year - I could not seem to get my act together! Normally I'm the girl who has the lights, the tree, the ornaments, and the decorations all up the day after Thanksgiving. I really don't know what happened this year! But, they're up and the house is finally Christmasy!

{Cute Monogram ornaments from Restoration Hardware}

{My mom made our stockings a few years ago - I love the buttons!}

When my grandparents moved out of their home that they had lived in for FIFTY + years, and in to a much smaller condo, they had to do QUITE a bit of cleaning out, and pairing down. As I mentioned before, I was given an abundance of "hand-me-downs." I have no idea the history of this box, but I think it's perfect for Christmas cards

{The inside has the most perfect red and white paper - and notice it's empty! We really need to check the mail!}

{Close-up}

New Friend Old Friend

Our house received a new friend today! The downside to working at a place with cute furniture, is that you want to take it ALL home. I have come up with a rule for myself however, that if something comes in and I ABSOLUTELY have to have it, I wait until the end of the day, and if nobody has claimed it, then I'll take it! Well, rustic rooster furniture goes FAST because this is actually my first furniture purchase (since becoming a rooster chick myself - we have a lot of r.r. furniture at our house!) So here she is - our new coffee table!

Here's our old coffee table. I found it for $10. It's the perfect shade of light blue, with splatters of art project remnants. I was originally going to paint it white, but there was something about the splatters of paint, and glitter that was so endearing. I think I'll actually, kind of miss it!

More Thanks

I know Thanksgiving is over but I thought this idea was too cute to pass up! I love the idea of displaying old family photos for Thanksgiving dinner. Our Thanksgiving always ends up being a trip down the family tree. This year we ended up having a family history trivia game!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Hope you all have a very Happy Thanksgiving

It's Almost Here....

Christmas! .......did you think I was going to say Thanksgiving??!!

It's official - my Christmas list has been sent off to Santa!

{White wing back chairs for the heads of the dining table}

{Black, framed sea-fans}

{Bamboo blinds for my very naked windows}

This is of course my very selfish, and very unrealistic Christmas list! I really do enjoy the giving part more that the getting part. Is there anything better than finding the perfect gift for someone??

Hope you all have a very {Happy Thanksgiving}

Leavin' on a Jet Plane

We're off to Chico tomorrow and I can't wait! I haven't been back in 2 years! I can't believe it. It seems like just yesterday I was watching David graduate - and only the day before yesterday that I was graduating! We're going to be greeted by the most perfect fall weather - cold and windy!

Happy weekend! I'm off to pack my scarves and jackets!

New Obsession

As if I didn't already spend enough time "blog-stalking" I've found another blog that I

L-O-V-E!!! Trina is living my "other life," ...you know, the one where I live on an insanely adorable farmhouse with my husband who does house projects with me. I'm predicting that I'll be up all night reading her entire blog (I have definitely been know to do that!) Trina - if for some reason you're one of my 5 readers (again - hi mom, David, Alex, and Debbie!) you're a huge blog-inspiration!

This is Trina's magazine-worthy farmhouse:

One of the best part about her blog pics, is that there always seems to be fresh flowers. And I'm sure they were grown on the farm!

Go check out her blog A Country Farmhouse

**Reader Warning - you will be sucked in, and you will want to move to a farmhouse in the country!

Kitchens and Pumpkins

My "sneak peak" is still in progress...I promise I will post on that soon! In the mean time, I thought I'd post a little eye candy. It's fitting, in that our kitchen received quite a bit of use this weekend. And ALL involving pumpkins......ok and maybe a little bit of wine!

First let me clarify that this is not our kitchen. However, our kitchen does look very similar. I will post pictures of our kitchen when it has pretty mint green dishes, and well loved cook books stacked in the shelves. Until then feast your eyes on this one! (ha bad joke!)

Our friend Christa brought over all the makings for pumpkin pancakes on Saturday morning! They were fabulous and I could have eaten that whole plate - too bad I had to share....

Sunday night was our weekly "family" dinner. (Everybody comes over to our house and makes a gigantic dinner.) Last week was stew, this week was polla assada! My incredibly talented friend Sara came over to teach me how to make pie this Sunday! I am in charge of pie this Thanksgiving and have never made one. I've heard horror stories about the dough having to be the "right" temperature and "mixing until it feels right." Ummm....I have no idea what the answer is to either of those instructions! In comes Sara!! She is one of the most talented bakers I know (if anyone in the SD area needs cupcakes for an event, email me and I'll forward on her info!) Anyways, our pies turned out amazing! She even fashioned our pie some dough leaves! Here's our result:

The boys loved it, and we decided that this will have to become our new tradition. Or at least for the month of November. Next Sunday is Blueberry pie, and the boys are cooking dinner!

Coming Soon....

hint, hint...

House Stalking

OK....I let it slip in my last post that I house stalk. I was only a little bit kidding when I said I would be across the street stalking that house. I am MAJORLY airing some dirty laundry when I admit that I do this on a regular basis. It's so bad, and creepy I know. One of my favorite places to house "observe" is in old Del Mar. They have the most perfect, untouched, old, original architecture!

These are (almost) my favorite. These little blue cottages (there about 6 of them I think) are all perched on the cliff, looking directly over the ocean. They are teeny, tiny which makes them all the more charming! They all have cute little porches in front, and some of them even have little fire pits!

This is my ABSOLUTE favorite! This house is straight out of Coastal Living! How perfect is it with the American flag out front. They even had a shiny red beach cruiser parked in front but I must have cut it off.

My partner in crime! Check out that cheesecake pose! : )

So if you live in a cute house in the San Diego area, or Southern CA for that matter, and you see a short brunette looking in your window...don't worry, it's just me!

East Coast Envy

It's November! I absolutely LOVE this time of year! I can't wait till it gets crisp and cool here (ha! Crisp and cool in San Diego...right) Anyways, my parents have been in Boston visiting my sister and couldn't be more jealous! This is where I would stay if I were on the East Coast. How cute is this B&B??

Front View: (The view I would have as I was stalking this house from across the street)

The Backyard

Living Room: I would never expect this to be inside that ^ house!

Master B. Ok - the stuffed animal dog has got to go, but other than that - you would have to drag me out of that room!

**I apologize for the teeny, tiny pictures - it's the best I could do!