Holiday Dreaming

How dreamy is this ornament? Thank you Anthropologie! I think I will try to whip up an interpretation of my own. Also on this years to do list...a Christmas tree skirt. But until then, we have a full Thanksgiving weekend planned with the East Coast Family! Hope everyone has an amazing Thanksgiving as well!

Back in the Scrubs

I got a new job and I LOVE IT!
I am now training as an Orthodontic Assistant
I work full time
Mon-Fri
8:15-5:00
I wake up at 6:30 and drive 40min to work
After work I read at Barnes and Nobel and drive home at 6:30
I get my weekends with my Lover
I work with intelligent people.
I learn every day.
I love my new job!

Williamsburg

Ryan and I had a blast on Saturday. We met up with family and our friend Kyra over at Colonial Williamsburg. It was so much fun! In celebration of Veterans Day we got in for free due to the military connection alla Mr. Warlick. I had only been once with my Daddieo back in middle school and it was super fun being able to visit again!


The Bagno entrance.


In front of the Governor's Palace. They have a room lined with leather walls.


Cade and Ryan being punished...not made for comfort!


Me trying to be artsy in the vegetable garden


The marching parade!


The Blacksmiths demonstrated how to make nails. We learned that Thomas Jefferson had a nail shop where he had all the slave children make nails for quick cash. An inexperienced, young child would knock out 500 in one day! Crazy!

It Has Potential...

So it all started when Ryan came home one day after work and I informed him that I found a painting that I loved.
It was perfect.
An oil painting of a flower still life by a local artist.
When I told him the price he just laughed.
$192
But it was perfect!
Ryan was not open for negotiation.
He suggested I make it myself.
I reminded him that I had one year of HIGH SCHOOL art.
Still no budging.
Then I made a painting for Chelsie.
Hope returned.
Maybe I could do it after all.
Well not an imitation of the piece I truly wanted.
I'm still holding out for a "surprise gift from the hubs."
I decided to create an original.
Well...
A mistake led to a cover up
Which led to an alteration
Which led to a new idea
which led to despair
which led to a new day
which led to a new idea
which led to some improv
which resulted in the following...


There quite a few personal touches in the piece. The receipt from our Honeymoon hotel, a note in Italian from one of my host families, a picture that hung in my childhood bathroom, used stamps from a Ryan love letter, and some fabric leftovers from a quilt I made for Chelsie several years back.


Any suggestions for improvement? I'm still not LOVING it...

Nightly Festivities

I completely agree that Halloween is most fun when either you are a kid, or you have kids, but since neither applies to us(our children equivalents were under house arrest for swine flu all weekend) Ryan and I decided to still make the most of our day.
11:00-We woke up...due the fact we could...so we did
12:30-I went running at the gym to justify later Halloween festivities
2:30-Had a fajita steak lunch/dinner with homemade tortilla chips
3:30- fulfill tradition and make caramel apples...yum!
4:00-I head off to work in my awesome costume(it being awesome because I spent zero money on it!) while Ryan stays home to watch all the football games
12:00-I get home and we are watching the Phillies/Yankee game.


I was a soccer ref, using Ryan's old uniform. It was fun not wearing the traditional outback shirt for once. Even though I was one of three servers that actually dressed up, I'm glad I did!

HAppy Halloween!

Hoping everyone has a super safe Halloween!

Tall Tapers

How fun are these tall taper candles? I know I would love to have some present at my holiday parties this year. I never knew that they made them 2 and 3 feet high. How elegant!