A Closer Look

A Family Classic

*Run to the store for a few last minute things before it gets too crazy...check

*Make rolls for dinner tomorrow...check

*Make almond tart for dessert tomorrow...check

*Put Josie down for a nap and watch one of our favorite Christmas movies with the kids this afternoon...off to do that right now. (Is it just me or does Kevin look a bit like a mischievous little boy who lives at my house?)

Christmas Dreaming

Someday, when my remodel is finished...when I don't need new bedding, more furniture, or new Uggs - this will be the one and only item on my Christmas list.

Christmas Baking

Peppermint Puffs

2 c. flour
1/4 tsp. salt
1 stick butter
1 c. confectioners' sugar
1 egg
1/2 tsp. peppermint extract
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
8 oz. white dipping chocolate
1/2 c. finely chopped candy canes

Stir together flour and salt. Beat butter and sugar in large bow until smooth. Beat in egg. Beat in peppermint and vanilla. On low speed, beat in flour mixture. Shape dough into a ball and wrap in plastic and refrigerate 1 hour.

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Shape dough into 1 inch balls for a total of 36 cookies. Bake for 10-12 minutes until lightly browned. When cool, dip top in melted white chocolate and then in candy canes.

Baby It's Cold Outside

The Countdown is On

Only 7 Days! With only one week left, I'm disappointed that I never put together an advent for my children. I'm hoping next year I'll be better and do something like this (via Black Eiffel). I love the idea of these little cloth baggies full of surprises (think Slinkys or jacks) or special privileges just for that day (staying up an extra 30 minutes with mom). On the bright side, we've been busy doing a 12 days of Christmas service project, getting white elephants together for school parties (remember the giant clown-size sunglasses from the 80s?), practicing parts for our Nativity on Sunday night, and of course baking. I'm hosting a holiday cookie exchange at my house tonight and you're all invited! Wishing you a very merry (and snowy if you live near me!) Thursday.

Ballerina - ing

This is Kalli's first year taking a classic ballet class and what a ballerina she is becoming. She is learning so much and not only accomplishing the positions, but learning the terminology as well - such as arabesque and chaines. She was fun to watch while we were waiting in the lines at Disneyland. While we were all just standing around, she just couldn't stop moving and dancing. Here's a couple of pictures taken with my iPhone from the parents' showcase last night. I'll stop gushing now.

Call Me Sentimental...

Ahhhhh...yet another reason to MELT.

More Holiday Decos

Here are a few more shots to share (gotta do it while the house is clean:)

1. The built-in hutch in my dining room is a fun and unexpected place to put decorations. Most of this Santa collection was inherited. They are near and dear to me...especially the one where my mom wrote my name in on Santa's nice list. What a kind and loving mom. I'd be putting my kids on the naughty list today!

2. I'm a fan of anything and everything robin's egg blue. I'm getting quite a nice collection - and although it is not a traditional Christmas color; I couldn't bear to put it all away for the season.

3. I like to create small vignettes in each of my kids' room for a little holiday magic just for them. The big girls have a great vintage aqua-blue tinsel tree (I'll take a picture of that later) and this is a little shelf on Max's bookcase. (Notice the fab "cowboy" Santa straight from Wyoming!)

4. I went simple and trendy on my table centerpiece this year. Have you noticed the woodland decorations everywhere from Pottery Barn to Anthropologie? This is my humble ode to holiday decos of 2008. I was lucky enough to be on my friends D. I. route where this red bamboo platter was headed for its doom. The fabulous bark vase was a gift from a lovely woman in my neighborhood who knows I love to create table centerpieces. And those cute little toadstool ornaments are a left-over from last year's obsession with all fungus that happened to be red, white, and spotty.

Holiday Design

One of my favorite finds in the blogosphere have been the house tours and sneak peeks that many design blogs have provided into people's homes. Often they are designers, artists, or other bloggers - but a lot of the time they're just regular people who have a unique sense of style. I could pass up looking through a celebrity home anyday - but I'll jump at the chance to have a peek into an everyday home. Since I've been involved in design since my college days at the Y, I love each and every aspect of what goes into dressing a home. (Aside of course from picking the tile, granite, and hardware of my own remodeled home - that was nothing short of torture!)

What I haven't found enough of online this holiday season is a look at how others are decorating for the holidays. I want more! So I'm posting a few pictures of my own and hoping others will follow. If you have a blog, take some pictures and let me come for a virtual visit. If you don't have a blog (like 99% of my ultra-lame friends:) take some pics and email them to me. I'll post them for you! So go get snapping some shots and Happy Holidecorating. (Okay, that was a bit lame.)

The New Do

After reading this funny post from my friend Krisitn, I mustered up the courage to go into my stylist and have her chop me off some bangs. She felt it was best to ease into them and so she gave me the "safe sideswept" bangs. In my honest opinion, I think they're pretty vanilla. They don't really give me the change I was craving. Perhaps at my next appointment in February, I'll totally go wild and crazy with the straight over the eyebrow fringe, plus a few more inches off the bottom. Oh, the sheer bravery and acute strategy involved in a simple trip to the salon!

Disneyland Fun Part 2

Just a few more as promised...

1. The birthday girl with Minnie
2. The cousins with Sully
3. Not one, but TWO Mr. Incredibles
4. Twirling on the tea cups.

Now I'm off to start a new week with only 11 days left until Christmas. I've got presents to wrap, parties to throw, bathrooms to clean, nativity programs to polish, and homework to help catch up on. It's back to the daily grind; but as always, we're happy to be home sweet home.

A Magical Disney Week

We just arrived home from a glorious Christmas and birthday celebration with the entire Roberts family at none other than the Happiest Place on Earth. Bryce's parents (Grammy and Paca) and all of his siblings and their families were on hand for a week full of Disney fun and adventure. In all, we had 9 adults and 12 children. The cousins (and aunts and uncles :) were giddy to be together and have a buddy - or two or three - to ride on all the rides with. We enjoyed beautiful Southern California weather without a drop of rain. It did, however, snow on Main Street Disney everynight as they lit up the castle with an array of icicles and Christmas lights. It was nothing short of pure Disney magic. Other highlights included celebrating Kalli's 11th (can you believe it?) birthday at Goofy's Kitchen with her cousins and all the Disney characters, dancing at the High School Musical 3 concert, riding California Screamin' (over and over and over again), and having some serious "dude time" fun for Max with his 5 boy cousins. I'll post a few more pictures for the family later tonight; but for now, I've got some serious unpacking and laundry to keep me busy.

Urban Photography

I have been a fan of this photographer's talent for awhile now...so I saved up my pennies and a few weeks ago dressed the kids up in their most vibrant and animated clothing and had their photos taken in some of the grungiest alleys of downtown Salt Lake City. I think the results are pretty fabulous. Now the hard part - choosing just one of each little cutie. If you want a closer look link here and here.

Haymarket Hangover

At night when I'm nestled all snug in my bed, it's NOT visions of sugar plums dancing in my head...

INSTEAD...I'm dreaming of this lovely trip with my hubby and gorgeous hotel where we rested our weary heads each night. I can't believe its already been 3 months. Still, I don't think I'll ever get over this gorgeous place. It's no wonder I've had a recent obsession with pink, yellow, and wallpaper. (Not pink and yellow wallpaper - just the colors pink and yellow and wallpaper of any color really.) I'm happy to take design inspiration anyway it comes. In this case, with a side of tea and crumpets. Cheers.

Simple Essentials

I'm so excited about this bargain I found yesterday. One of my favorite local bloggers introduced me to Donna Hay and not only are her recipes adored by many, but her styling team is genius. This food photography is simple and gorgeous. Get yourself over to Home Goods and you too can own a copy or two of Donna Hay - Simple Essentials for only $12! (They are $24 on her website.) Happy shopping!

December 1st

It's here! I absolutely love December. I love it all - the shopping, the wrapping, the baking, the parties, the crazy, busy, running around. It's exhausting but no doubt my favorite time of year. (Just ask my in-laws; I don't think they'd ever seen a girl tackle the Christmas spirit with such intensity until I joined the fam!) I'm starting December '08 out on a good note as I have all my Christmas shopping done and most of my cards out. My house is nearly decorated and I have a fun post planned for later this week. Just in case you need a little inspiration to finish up (or start for that matter!) your christmas cards, projects, or gifting - I've found this adorable Etsy video for a little creative (and thrifty) holiday fun. Leave to it the uber-talented artists that fly around the Etsy flock to put their work to a catchy jingle and capture the magic of holiday creation.