While Christmas is the “most wonderful time of the year”, maybe the saddest time of the year is in those moments after you’ve taken all of your holiday decorations down. We finally took down our tree yesterday. I was just … Continue reading
Brad and I have lived in Santa Monica just about three years. It seems every year is getting a little easier than the last. We know our way around a little better. We know a few more people. We have … Continue reading
It’s hard to blog around Christmas time. Mostly because surprises are really, really hard to keep when you are crafting and gifting and you just want to share pictures of all the fun things you’re making for people. But you … Continue reading
Well, of course we have decorated for Christmas already. I’ve just been so mesmerized by the twinkling lights that I haven’t shared it with you yet. I’ve come to realize that the holidays are a lot about compromise as you … Continue reading
Remember a while ago I was attempting to create a concert ticket collage and instead I ended up making a restaurant collage? Well before I veered off into that secondary project, I was hoping to create a collage wall of … Continue reading
2011 was (and still is) an amazing year for me and my family. The highlights? It was my parent’s 35th wedding anniversary! My sister graduated from University of Delaware! My dad turned 60! My brother and sister in law found … Continue reading
What type of wine pairs nicely with nearly every food? I’m talking Rib Eye Steak, Sushi, Thanksgiving Turkey, Chocolate, Soup, Pancakes, Fruit, Cheese Plates of any kind… I’ve even drunk it with Cheez-Its, I’m sure. Bubbles. That’s right. I’m a … Continue reading
It’s the end of December. It’s cold. (Ok there is a low of 44 degree today in Santa Monica, but I’m cold) This is the time of year when I crave heavier foods and drinks to pack on a few … Continue reading
Just like all of you who are hosting holidays parties or just want to drink festively, I’ve been on the hunt for fantastic holiday cocktails recently. See the R+D Reindeer. The R+D Reindeer sold out in a few hours. We sold … Continue reading
I promise this does not need a spoiler alert. I am not giving away what Brad and I are sending people for Christmas. Although you may already know part of it. Because I am awful at surprises.
This is no secret. I am really, really terrible at surprises. I like giving people gifts ALL days of the year and for no real reason. When I get something fabulous for someone, I don’t want to wait for a specific day to give it to them. I just want them to have it and be as excited as I am about it.
This makes life around Christmas-time (and birthdays and anniversaries and weddings and any other gift-giving occasion…) super difficult. Especially when you are writing a blog where you like to share your recipes and crafts and fun homemade things.
Brad is bad at surprises, too. This is great for both of us because no one is really disappointed when Christmas Day comes and there is no big gift we just can’t wait to open under the tree. And no one is super disappointed on their birthday when they know exactly what they’re getting.
We even got engaged a week or so before “planned” because Brad simply couldn’t wait until Christmas like he’d originally planned. We had just come back from Ashley & Mike’s rehearsal dinner, we were talking about life and love, we were at my family’s house… And Brad just couldn’t wait for Christmas morning. It was the perfect moment. He proposed at 3AM on December 18, 2009.
It was absolutely perfect. And I was incredibly surprised. So I guess it worked either way.
So my terrible knack for revealing gifts too early is why I think I have found it so difficult to write a blog post this week. I have a lot of things in the works, but they are mostly Christmas presents that I will be mailing all over the USA to people on our list. And although I have hinted that the gifts this year are homemade (we are broke…) and delicious (we are really good cooks), I haven’t given away the ENTIRE surprise.
But here I go – in pictures.
I have to send them out tomorrow so I can have them out of my camera’s reach…
