pretty holiday decor ideas, via real simple

thanks real simple for such fun + pretty ideas!

bah humbug.

remember how i wanted to watch elf, while you were sleeping, + it's a wonderful life before christmas??

well, i cannot find 2 of those 3 movies. we were going to watch one of them tonight, but then we couldn't find elf or it's a wonderful life (we already watched while you were sleeping). worst day ever!!

i hope a christmas miracle happens and i can find them before christmas is over!

once upon a time

i did an autumn giveaway!

and i never told you what it was i gave away!!

an autumn leaf framed in a cute autumn frame, put together by mwa.
adorable retro earrings i made from buttons.
an awesome recipe of pumpkin chocolate chip bread.
the first thing i ever sewed on my new machine: a fall fabric banner!






(i will hopefully get around to posting a picture of the
fabric banner open, i just don't have it on this computer...)

tonight

i photographed a wedding.


: before i left for the wedding, i stepped on some glass in my bare feet, and cut my foot. ouch.
: i decided it was a good idea to wear a small heel. yeah, not so much. my feet hurt.
: i didn't eat dinner, and as a result i have a headache.
: the reception was a long one. a long one, and i'm tired.
: when it was over, i really had to pee, but i decided i'd wait.

and then... i magically hit all the green lights on my way home.

it was a christmas miracle.

words to live by.

via passionista

my husband is a rockstar.

in vince's art class, part of his final portfolio he had to recreate a portrait of someone using whatever medium he wanted. he chose pastels, and chose this picture of me. i pretty much love it to death. i hope to frame it when he gets it back from his professor.

julie + julia

i really, really loved this movie. i definitely felt a connection to it, as i am daily trying to find and discover myself, to stretch myself creatively. to find joy. it was just a splendid film that left me feeling oh-so-very happy.

i enjoyed both stories of the film. i thought julia was so enjoyable + likeable. she was so joyful through every thing that came her way. she wanted to live life to the fullest, she wanted to learn and be something. she wasn't content with just being the house wife. although, she lived for her husband. they seemed so in love!

amy adams was adorable, as always. i really enjoyed her as julie. i connected with her in the sense that i have a hard time following through with things... i mean, really... how many times have i tried to do a photo-a-day project? how many times have i started a crafting project and years later i finally finish it (sorry everyone i've made gifts for that they ended up getting years later). story of my life! it was fun & inspiring to see her stick to her goal, even though at times it was discouraging.

i don't like to talk up movies, because i don't want to ruin it for people (people talked up transformers soooo much to us, and we hated it!) but this movie is definitely worth the couple dollars to rent.

words to live by.

via

don't be so jealous of my eskimo beauty.

i will most definitely regret this in the morning.


vince inherited a cozy eskimo coat from his grandpa oveson,
who, with his wife, served a mission in alaska.
this coat really is so cozy.
vince thought it would be funny for me to put it on,
as i am teeny tiny and the coat is big.
turns out he was right. please don't be jealous of my beauty.

also, don't mind our falling down decoration
behind me. we're working on putting it back up...


hazzah!

(you may remember vince in this coat from halloween 2008...)

baby blessing hopping

sunday was a fun day full of cute babies.

first up was my nephew miles. he sure is cute,
but that is a given with anna + pete as parents!



and it turns out, anna + i both have really great taste --
we were totally wearing the same shirt,
just in different colors. cuteness!



after we partied it up with fam, we headed out to murray
to see paddy + kris's lil bug get blessed. it was really fun
to see them and meet their lil' one for the first time.
she is adorable and cute as a button.

i also got to meet my blog friend liv for the first time!
she + kris have been friends for years, and we were
introduced to each other through kris's blog. it was so
lovely to finally meet her. we'll definitely have to get
together again soon when we can all chat more.

FHE

the past few mondays we've traveled out to
in-n-out for a tasty burger dinner.
i think it may become our monday night tradition!

(at least, for now...)

pics via my phone

i'll take one of each, please.

pic via

farewell fall.

[some of my favorite images i captured from this autumn season]

backstreets back, ALRIGHT!

on my way home from work today, i heard the backstreet boys song "everybody" and was totally taken back to my days in junior high. holy cow, love that song. and yes, i can admit that. i totally rocked out to it: turned it up and belted along to it. it was good times.

of the two big boy bands from the day, which were you more a fan of? BSB? or N'SYNC? i was pretty neutral about it, i liked both for different reasons (brian was a total cutie in BSB and JC was who i liked in N'SYNC). although, in 9th grade a few of my friends were obsessed with the bands. like, the type who cried about them because they liked them so much. we spent many an evening listening to their music and singing + dancing.

hearing this song today really took me back to such a fun time in my life. it definitely put a big smile on my face.

words to live by.

via

hello december.

i'm so excited you are here.

things i want to do this month:

. keep my apartment cozy + warm .
. watch elf, its a wonderful life, + while you were sleeping .
. go ice-skating .
. craft + create fun christmas decor .
. see the lights @ temple square &
get carmel apple cider from starbucks .
. enjoy hot chocolate with candy cane straw on christmas eve .
. have a ball @ the different holiday parties we're going to .
. read the nativity story .
. enjoy spending lots of time w/family & friends .

012

make your own here.