New Year, New Camera

Happy 2014 y’all! My day has been spent much like the rest of the country, recovering on the couch watching endless bowl games, dreading the thought of facing two whole work days before the real weekend.

It’s been an amazing Holiday season, one that I am not ready to see go. I think I’ll be holding on to my décor and sneaking one or two more holiday movies into the mix in the next couple days. But like many, I am also excited for the thought of a new year and new possibilities. Instead of resolution setting this year, I’m taking on my own Happiness Project, focusing on different aspects of life and relationships each month.

One of Matt’s gifts to me this year was an amazing camera. And though it has wifi upload (which I am still figuring out), and I can post pictures to Facebook (also still being figured out), I’m choosing to post some of them here, like the good old days of blogging... because that is where I found writing happiness and is part of my focus for the month.

To start with, some shots of our New Year’s crab boil and festivities, hosted by our friend’s Rohn and Ericka.

Delish (unless you're allergic to shellfish. Le sigh...)

 

 

Amazing handcrafted cocktails!

 

The feast!

 

 

Cover up!



To the new year!

Post dinner "lunges" to work off the food. This is Matt's "you are being ridiculous" face

Photo bomb!

 

Happy New Year!

 

Gobble Gobble, It's Turkey Time!

It’s Thanksgiving week! I am of course thankful for Family, Friends, Love, Freedom, Puppies... And also these things:  

Short work week! *and let me tell you, I have had my share of working Black Friday in recent years. I am NOT taking my office’s early closure on Wednesday nor the blissful 4 ½ days off for granted. No sir.

Amazing food. I’m actually halfway into my Thanksgiving feasts (yes, plural). We did a big “Fakesgiving” last weekend for Matt’s family. It gave me an excuse to serve up my family’s “turkey in a bag” recipe (see below). Since my dad will be cooking the bird when I visit my parents later in the week, this allowed me to hone my turkey roasting skills. I’m happy to report it was edible and second helpings were had. Phew.

Black Friday! Judge if you will. I make no excuses. This is a newer tradition. Not being an early bird (or any kind of morning bird, for that matter) I never participated in the 4 – 5 – or 6 AM deals. When retailers moved things up to midnight, my mom and I saw our opportunity. Nothing like a quick tryptophan induced nap to revive you for hefty discounts and waiting in line. And though many stores are opening much earlier this year, I think I’ll stick with midnight. I’d still like to spend my evening with my family first. I hope most consumers feel the same way.

Friday will bring a meal I look forward to almost as much as Thanksgiving itself. For the last few years, I’ve been crashing Turkey Leftover Panini night at a good friend’s house. It’s all the ingredients you love about Thanksgiving plus cheese and spreads melted in between crusty bread.

If you are not serving up your leftovers in a Panini press, you are sadly missing out.

Matt and his brother Luke are opening their Christmas tree lot on Friday in Greenwood. I’ll be supporting from afar in Spokane. Though I do plan to be more involved (read: self – appointed Director Of Visual Design and Social Media) this year.

The official kick off week to the holidays always inspires my creative side! I’m definitely more inclined to try new crafts and recipes. Hello Pinterest! Though I am terrified the results will belong here rather than be “pin” worthy, I’m realizing I enjoy the work of the creative outlet just as much as the outcome. 

I’ve also decided (in light of my Happiness Project prep) that pre – planning and signing myself up for things has actually been very beneficial in execution.

I have a sewing class I’m taking this week, registered two weeks ago. All Thanksgiving week workouts are prearranged (I know myself too well) and/ or paid. This ensures I won't bail on myself or others. And so far I am always glad I signed up and participated. 

If you are hosting or decided that deep frying your turkey is "so 2010" here is a recipe to try. It actually steams the bird, but the ingredients used make the skin crisp and brown! 

This is a recipe from my Nana, amazing flavor and is about half the cooking time of any other roasting recipe (seriously, who wants to watch/ baste a turkey for 5+ hours?).

“Turkey in the Sack”

You'll need: 

• Salt (anything from table salt, kosher, fleur de sel… I used a herbs de Provence salt blend from Whole Foods)
• Pepper (again, plain black pepper to fresh ground peppercorns)
• Paprika
• 4 tsp Hot water
• I Cup Olive oil (original recipe calls for Peanut oil, you can use either)

Use equal parts Salt, Paprika, and Pepper, depending on the size of Turkey. For a 13 lb Turkey, I used 1 tbsp. of each. Mix together
.
Take oil and coat a plain old grocery store paper bag. Make sure bag is completely saturated, seam included.

Combine half of the Dry Seasoning mix with hot water and remaining oil. Rub over the entire turkey. Use remaining Dry Seasoning on the top of the turkey breast. Place turkey in sack, breast side down. Fold bag closed, staple shut. Bake at 350, 10 minutes for each pound.

Use caution when opening the sack, there will be a lot of steam!

Take a look at that lovely bag just roasting away

And when it's done, you feel like this:

Magically genius in the kitchen with tons of spare time!

Happy Baking and happy start of the holiday season!!

My Favorite Things

For my birthday this year, I decided to do something different. Ringing in a not so notable year (turning somewhere between 18-35, thank you very much) on a Tuesday, made for an interesting birthday game plan.

I'm also finding that as I celebrate each new year, the urge to "go out and party" seems to be drastically decreasing. Thanks to one of my new best friends, Pinterest, I found the idea to throw a "Favorite Things" party. Inspired by Oprah, with a fraction of the budget, the concept was this: Pick one of the things you love most. Buy five of them to swap and share at a girl's night gathering. Leave with five other amazing things that others have brought to share.

It was a perfect, small get together. Since I was the hostess, everyone got to dine on my favorite foods and it was set in one of my favorite places... home at the farmhouse.

It was also a discovery of some great items that I would not have given two thoughts about but am now pretty in love with.

If you're wondering, my item for contribution was my favorite etiquette book: Classy (or from the latest edition, Very Classy) It's the best combination of modern day etiquette with a light hearted twist. Because, let's be serious, no one wants to be dragged down by boring old manners - ok maybe I do, but I realize I am a very very minute percentage of the population.

I got to thinking about the party again tonight, as I found myself indulging in a "favorite things" kind of evening. I've been having a pretty crummy week, and the only thing I thought might make it better was to throw caution to the wind and indulge.

My evening hours were spent with red wine, Italian food, a bubble bath with Chanel scented bubbles, Legally Blonde, and writing. And you know what? I feel just a bit better. No, my problems aren't solved, but by spending some time with the little things I love most, my spirits were lifted.

I guess it was a good reminder to me that there is something to be said for 1. taking time for yourself and 2. finding joy in life's little indulgences.

On that note, here are some other things that I can't live without lately:

Pumpkin anything! Specifically pumpkin butter

(Trader Joes. Try it with full fat Greek yogurt. It will change your life. You're welcome). Also, I've been a big fan of the Starbucks Via Pumpkin Spice coffee. Since PSL are $4.11 for a tall (but who's counting), this addiction needed a substitute. Via is pretty darn close to the real thing and I drink it daily.


Fall scented candles. My all time favorite is Yankee Harvest. Has been since college, a great classic!

Coconut Oil hair masks. Game changer.

Boots, sweaters, and layers. Because as much as I want to hold onto Summer, Fall is my FAVORITE season of all and I am ready to dive right in!

Happy Fall everybody and happy Favorites!

Old School, 8: 365

I had a picture all set for today... an image of the living room, sparse from Christmas, being packed away and how this was inspring me to do a little redecorating. Perhaps this will be another post for another time. 

Instead, a HUGE surprise was bestowed upon me. A once in a lifetime (er, well maybe once in a decade) gift was given: a jump drive of pictures from my friend Megan, who has been known to hoard collect pictures since her first digital camera in 2002.

From flattering to "I wish this never happened", the last ten years of our lives together is documented. Here is a small snipet of pics:

From pictures of my early 20s... (I can't believe I thought I was "fat" here)

To me taking pictures of others...

And other things...

To US Weekly style "They're Just like us. She stuffs her face with snacks!"

And road trips on new motorcycles

It took me a minute to realize we were not spelling "YMCA" but "FVHS"
Go Trappers!

My 30th birthday. Friends for forever and a day.

And finally, some couple-y pics. My fave

 

Though none of these, nor the 1000 some additional pictures were taken today, I am so excited to have received them and find places to print and share them. 

Thanks Megan! A gift truly worth waiting for!

The Nordstrom Christmas Forest

No matter how traditional or puritan you are (and trust me, when it comes to holidays, this girl is prrrettty by the book), it's admittedly quite hard to fight the Christmas spirit until after turkey day. I for one, decided long ago, to embrace the capitalist spirit and incorporate Thanksgiving into "The Holiday Season." This way I get two months of yule tide glee, festive decor, feel good Hallmark movies, and reasons to bake.

I try not to decorate for Christmas before Black Friday, but can't say I haven't slipped a year or two. This year I'm already feeling the urge. Not having folded into temptation quite yet, I have a constant reminder at home, egging me on to decorate prematurely.

Introducing the Nordstrom Christmas Forest.

I'll back up.

Late last February on a quiet Wednesday afternoon, I was happily enjoying my free broke, unemployed afternoon, when I received a text from my friend Megan, who at the time, was working at the Flagship Nordstrom in downtown Seattle.

"I have a very interesting find that I think you need to get in on; it would require Matt's truck!" (this is before Matt sold his Texas pickup for a teeny tiny Porsche)

My response "Tell me more..."

Anytime this girl comes upon a great find, especially one that requires towing capabilities, jumping on board is a no brainer. We could have been picking up all of downtown's panhandlers and I still would have participated. When Megan finds a unique discovery, two things are guaranteed: Hoarding of odd objects, and tons of laughs.

The texts continue to explain that she had uncovered Nordstrom's master plan to redecorate for Christmas next year. This meant that everything used in the prior five years was now being liquidated. Usually offered up for sale to employees, Megan had found out that most of the trees were to be picked up that very afternoon by a dump service.



How can Nordies get rid of these trees, when this random couple is
so clearly enjoying them?

In a Charlie Brown moment, the sadness of the trees not finding a happy home at the Goodwill for donation (and the urge to collect something) overcame both myself and Megan.

I decided I had to jump in on the cause. But how exactly do I explain that I need to borrow a truck from my somewhat new boyfriend, without him thinking I'm completely crazy for salvaging Christmas trees in February, only to transport them back to my 800 sq ft home that could hardly make room for a 3 foot tree??

I will say this... Sometimes I am very thankful for my way with words.

Somehow within a couple hours the truck was mine for the evening, my boyfriend didn't think me completely insane... yet..., and I was off to pick up some Nordies rejects.

Upon my arrival, I found Megan had collected not one or two trees (for each of us, of course) but SIX Christmas trees. Tall ones, short ones, fat ones, skinny ones. Trees with birdhouses still stuck in them, and trees with lights dangling off them.

It was a mess.

I was thrilled.

I backed the truck into the commercial loading dock liked we owned the place (clothing deliveries? please.) and we got to work.

Once loaded, we devised a plan of division. Megan's husband is well aware of her hoarding. It's become a bit of a issue discussion point between them. We needed to sneak her trees into the garage and behind boxes before he came home and find a place to store the remaining trees in my 100 ft storage space in the basement.

Simple.

Amazingly, we pulled it off.

Megan hid the trees from John until Spring (and by then Christmas is just around the corner... you can't put the poor trees out to recycle when they've made it this far).

As for my portion of our "unique find" they have been happily stored with luggage and laundry for nine months. I couldn't tell you if the lights on them will work. Or for that matter, how many trees I have down there. Is it two? Or maybe three? Hopefully no real furry friends have made their home there for the Winter.

Rest assured, that plastic bag has done wonders in protecting the evergreen through three seasons.

What I can tell you is the story of the Nordstrom Christmas Forest is just beginning. In a matter of weeks, these trees will rise from their retail glory, after being cooped up in storage all year, for their second shot at life and Christmas spirit.


Ahhhhh, I love the holidays.

Costume Changes

This term is usually used in reference to the 4 outfits I average during the day. Different activities call for different ensembles.

For this post the term assumes the more traditional meaning: For Halloween, I donned not one or two, but three separate costumes for separate occasions.

Matt had agreed to be half of a couples costume with me if I promised that I wouldn't dress as something overly conservative or "creative" (translation - ugly).

I make no apologies for taking an adamant stance against the sexy costume movement. Call me crazy but this

Will trump this

ANYDAY. Am I right??


On a side note, while we're reviewing celeb costumes, thanks Chris Brown for giving me yet another reason to wish you dropped off the radar completely. Perhaps next year you'll go as Hitler?


Photos courtesy of GoFugYourself, love those ladies

Moving on.

My first vetoed couples costume idea was for Matt to dress as Mitt Romney and I would go as a binder full of women. While Matt appreciated the timeliness of the costume, he countered that hiding behind a binder all night didn't quite live up to my end of the compromise.

So while he was out of town for the first Halloween party, I dressed up as half of the idea.

 

The "official" costume for the Saturday before Halloween, was a last minute throw together after many ideas had been passed on by either party and/ or were declined due to cost for shipping (overnighting some lederhosen from Germany was hardly justifiable, considering we didn't even don them for the actual Oktoberfest).

Here's what we put together.

And finally, with Halloween falling on an inconvenient Wednesday this year, the only dressing up I did was for work. We decided as a team to go as hipsters. There aren't any actual pictures of the concerted effort because, you know, capturing the outfits for the sole purpose of self promotion via social media is, just, so.... mainstream.

But in case you're wondering, we looked a little like this:

minus the beer bottle.

Yet Another Project(s)

In addition to balancing regular posting on the blog, adding to my thankful list, working to cross off items in the bucket list, and discussing outcomes of Pinterest experiments, I've decided that I should probably add another on-going topic to the mix.

And while there may not be rest for the weary, there is plenty to go around for the unemployed. I've been using my lack of daily structure as an excuse to not get anything done, and quite frankly, I've reached the point that even I'm longer buying my own excuses.

A very wise friend of mine essentially gave my lack of structure theory a much needed kick in the arse last night. His point? Why not build the structure into each day myself?
While this may sound quite obvious to the average reader, it's taken me the greater part of a year to come upon the realization.
To make it more granular, we talked about the amount of time I want to spend each day on certain tasks.
I want to be a writer, right? So I need to dedicate a specific amount of time each day to the task. At this point, I can safely say that I have a good two hours each week day to commit to content.

I've also decided to use Lent as a time to work out more. Each year I choose something random to dedicate myself to. I don't give up the usual chocolate or coffee (please, I'm not insane), but instead choose to forego things like denim, shopping, or dating. This year, I thought I'd flip the table a little and add to myself by working out everyday for forty days. And of course, you guessed it... I'll be documenting it here and adding an excercise page to TRIM.

Be prepared to see much more of these "thinspirational" messages

I might also mention that I recently gave up a very big time suck in my life, Facebook (to be clear, this is not Lent related)

Collectively, I think it's freeing up multiple hours in my week that were once spent senselessly meandering through 2nd birthday albums of the child of a friend I used to know in high school but haven't actually spoken to in years.
(Plus I've found that Pinterest is a great outlet for my social media addiction)

I'm not the first person to come upon this realization. Nor do I hope to be the last. I don't know if this is a permanent decision, but I've decided to give it up until I no longer have an inkling to check it in the morning.

I loved this little last ditch effort by FB to keep me around... My friends will miss me? Good! I hope so.
Part of the point of taking this sabbatical is to connect with them in real life, not online.

My time on my laptop can now be freed up to work on daily writing, blogging and reporting on my Lenten progress.
Now if you'll excuse me, I have some push-ups to get back to.

The Best Part of Waking Up

Is not Folgers in my cup.

It's vintage furs delivered to my door. Merry early Christmas from my chic and thoughtful mother!!! (She also sent me JoAnn coupons in the package. This lady knows me all too well!)

Thanks Mum!

It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas

Here are some pictures from the Christmas tree and various room decor. Like I said, this year is pretty simple, but it's still nice to have some festivity around.



Ta da!



And some pictures I meant to post from the big snow storm we had over Thanksgiving. Inconvenient, perhaps. But SO beautiful!

Puppy's first snow



He kept trying to eat it all. Step, bite, pounce, bite...