Dear Santa.....

I've been a good girl for the most part and am hoping there will be lots of goodies waiting for me under the tree this year :)

2013 Christmas Wish List

 

How amazing would it be to finally get my hands on a HANAair Professional Hair Dryer?  I've only heard amazing things about this dryer and with my mop of hair it would be perfect! I need some HANAair in my life.

Who doesn't love Sheldon? Or Penny? The Big Bang Theory trivia game would be perfect for game nights at our house.

We all know Lisa (and Giggy!) is my favorite on RHOBH, but who doesn't love the brutally honest one liners from Brandi? Girlfriend has been through the ringer, and doesn't sugarcoat anything. Her book has great reviews, and I can't wait to not be able to put it down.

 

I reviewed this perfume back when it was first released last summer after testing it out at Sephora and I've been refraining from buying my own bottle holding out for Christmas.

 

Considering, I'm obsessed with my original Naked palette and Naked2, it's only fair that I want Naked3 as well. 

 

Tervis Tumbler  with a lid for lazy days by the pool or the beach

It's no secret that I'm a dunce at trying to curl my own hair. I'm hoping a curling wand will help since it won't leave the dreaded clamp mark.

 

I ruined my pretty pink camera last year at the beach by getting sand in it, and have been using my trusty iPhone to take pictures ever since... yes even on vacay *gasp*. I like this camera because it's decently priced and includes 16 megapixels (my last camera was a dinosaur with only 7) and is rated very well.

 

 

 Who doesn't need some good tunes to listen to while driving? Beyond sick of the same 10 songs overplayed on the radio... just please STOP it already!

 

A nice bath pillow to enjoy baths in our soaking tub.

What are you hoping Santa brings you?

Continue Reading →

Happy as a kid on Christmas Morning

I may get just a tad too excited when the Christmas season comes around each year.... and I'll always be a child at heart especially this time of year.

~ I still enjoy wearing silly festive accessories

 

Exhibit A: reindeer antlers complete with bells and a mini Santa hat can be found at Target

 ~ I still want my mom's breakfast casserole for breakfast on Christmas morning, now I just dress it up with a mimosa (or four)

~ I freaked out when my mom replaced our old stockings, and insisted that she give them to me instead of throwing them away. How can you throw away the stockings we opened every year on Christmas morning for over 20 years?

Yeah... these bad boys..unfortunately my dad's got thrown out because it had apparently seen better days. They now live in my dining room during the holiday season.

~ Speaking of stockings... I still get one every year from my mom and I like to open it before my big presents.

~ I still carry on my tradition of going to see a Christmas movie on Thanksgiving weekend. Going to see Catching Fire this year counts right? 

~ I have way too many Christmas specials I have to watch this time of year....

~ I still come down the stairs on Christmas morning in warm festive pj's

~ It's not Christmas until I decorate a very sad looking gingerbread house

~ The saddest day of the year is the day we take down the tree and all the decorations. The house is way too nekked after :(

 

Joining Taylor and Helene for a special one time holiday link up

Continue Reading →

Christmas Party Shenanigans

Considering how exhausted I still am and the epic all day house cleaning on Sunday, I would say our 2nd annual Christmas party at the house was a success. Great friends, tons of food, an epic white elephant/yankee swap gift exchange, and the drinks were a-flowin'.....

Decking the halls in my festive lace

Next year's Christmas card?

~ I couldn't say no when I saw these red and green festive tortilla chips at Target

~ Festive chips for the buffalo dip

~ Eggnog and gingerbread martini table

~ Sam Adams Winter with reindeer antlers and Rudolph red noses

~ Drinks table complete with a hot cocoa bar

~ Magic bars

~ Dessert table

~ DIY menu cards

~ Creme de menthe cookies and peppermint bark

~ Cream cheese sausage bites

~ Fruit and cheese tree

~ Caprese salad wreath

Linking up with Sami for Weekend Shenanigans, hop on over and share your weekend with us

Continue Reading →

Festive Lace

I know I go on and on about my love for sequins and sparkly things, especially this time of year, but I found the perfect festive dress for our Christmas party this weekend.

Lily Rose Lace Strapless Dress

I try to avoid the Juniors section, but this is the 2nd year in a row that I've found the perfect dress for the holiday season while accidentally browsing through it. Last year I found a hot sparkly number, and this year I found a bright green lace dress and couldn't be happier. I plan on decking it out with my sparkly gold heels and I even have an appointment set up at Sephora to get my makeup done for free. One of the many perks of renewing my VIB status through 2014. 

What do you plan on wearing to various Christmas and NYE parties this year?

Kohls

Continue Reading →

Holiday Season Must-Do's

It's the most wonderful time of the year......  there is nothing like the feeling that comes with the holiday season. I love everything about it... the decorations, the Christmas specials, buying presents, the parties, and of course time spent with family and friends.

So, now it's time to try and squish in as many festivities as possible!

1. Watch as many Christmas specials as possible

 

 

2. Eggnog... enjoy lots of eggnog! (and Baileys!)

3. Deck myself out in something sparkly

4. Decorate the tree 

5. Make a gingerbread house

Somehow... mine never comes close to looking like this :-P

6. Make my red velvet cupcakes from scratch

7. Get my hands on one of those beautiful red cups

8. Listen to Christmas music on repeat

9. Go see Christmas lights

10. Paint my nails using Mariah Carey's OPI holiday collection

What's on your must-do list this holiday season?

Continue Reading →

Creme de menthe cookies

Tis the season for festive recipes and one of my favs is for creme de menthe cookies using Andes Creme de Menthe baking chips.

Directions

Preheat oven to 350

Blend 1/2 cup of butter (softened), 3/4 cup of brown sugar, 1/2 cup of sugar, 1 tsp. of baking powder, 1 tsp. of baking soda, 2 tsp. of vanilla, and 2 eggs until combined.

Add 1 package of Andes Creme de Menthe baking chips. Once combined, add 2 and 2/3 cups of flour and mix until combined. 

Scoop onto baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes.

Linking up with Jessica and Ashley for Taste of Tuesday, hop on over and share a recipe with us :)

Recipe

Continue Reading →

Holiday Weekend Shenanigans

I cannot believe it's already December... this year totally flew by. Before we know it, we'll be counting down to the new year with champagne.

The long weekend was perfect for me almost no plans except Thanksgiving with family, enjoying leftovers, trimming the tree, and having friends over for some football. For once, I feel relaxed which I'm sure will quickly dissipate as the madness of the holiday season floods in.

Wednesday, both H and I were lucky to be given a surprise half day. So, we went to go catch a matinee of Catching Fire... FINALLY! #TeamPeeta

Thursday, I made cinnamon rolls and mimosas for breakfast while the turkey roasted in the oven. H's parents came over and we had our first Thanksgiving with family in 4 years. It was nice to have a relaxing holiday with family, and we had a game night while watching football and enjoying dessert. Of course this sent me into the obligatory food coma :-P

Somebody was a little burnt out at the end of the day from being the hostess with the mostess.... it's a rough life being a duggy.

Friday, we did some shopping and then went with our neighbors to pick out a Christmas tree. They picked up a pine and we got a frasier fir. I love how the frasier firs are fragrant and soft to touch. No getting stabbed while hanging up ornaments.

H also strung up the lights outside the house while I decorated inside with Roxy.

Saturday,  I picked up a red velvet latte at D&D (YUM!) and we did a little more shopping before I spent the day doing more decorating and working on DIY projects for our upcoming Christmas party. That night, we stayed in and had a movie night and I attempted to put together this year's gingerbread house, all I can say is at least it's still standing :-P

Sunday, friends came over for the Chiefs and Broncos game since H is a huge Chiefs fan and his buddy is a Broncos fan. The last time these two teams played was 2 weeks ago and it was fun watching the game together at sea.

So sad the long weekend is over, but looking forward to the next month of craziness and all the fun that'll come with it.

Continue Reading →