Easter

Brian and I spent our first married Easter at home, just the two of us.  It didn't feel that strange not to be home with family because I actually haven't been home for Easter since I went to college.  It's just always bad timing with school, and my college roommates didn't usually go home either.

Brian and I spent most of the weekend working, but there were some highlights.  Since yesterday was Easter, I decided that was a great excuse to make mimosas.  I don't do it very often, because Brian doesn't like them, so it seems like a waste just to buy/ open everything for just me, but yesterday I was all "It's Easter and I'm working!  I'm making mimosas!"  I'm so glad I did, they're so refreshing!

The weather was gorgeous, so I took some breaks to read my book outside.  I need to do that more often.  We went on a walk, and I made the butteriest meal I've ever made or eaten in my life.  Then late at night we decided we needed dessert and embarked on our first true cooking fail as a couple... it was a disaster.  Let's just say the cake wound up in the trash.

How was your weekend, friends?

Happy Valentine's Day

My mom really outdid herself with these cupcakes.  She used the Hershey's "Perfectly Chocolate" Chocolate Cake Recipe and we piped on vanilla buttercream.  She sent us home with a few and I quickly regretted not grabbing some more.  They were divine.

Last night we went to a little restaurant that we hadn't tried before... it was delicious!  Then we came home, watched Alcatraz, then Brian made me a pink funfetti cake and we watched Beauty and the Beast.  Perfect! Since we went out last night, we are going to cook up something yummy at home tonight.  What are your plans?

I hope you have a sweet Valentine's Day!

New Year's Eve

So... our New Year's was lame.  BUT as you can see I did have fun taking self-timer photos with my camera (and the remote I got for my birthday!)  I played with some of the manual settings some more, and I still have a long way to go.  That's why some of them are grainy!

I started taking them because I've been meaning to capture my haircut so that I can remember what it looked like for the next time it needs to be cut.  My friend Molly cut it (she is the one who did my hair and make-up for my wedding!) and it's shorter than it's been since my freshman year of college.  I love it!

Brian and I went out to dinner and then basically hung out and watched TV until my brother and his girlfriend got back a little before midnight.  Even though most of the evening was boring, it was fun to ring in the New Year with them.  And Liz even humored me and took more pictures with me!

Hope you all had a fun night!  Brian and I are packing up and driving home tomorrow morning.  I'm excited to be back in my own apartment, but I'm sad to leave my family and friends.  It's been a good break.

Scenes from Christmas 2011

I took a ton of pictures on Christmas Eve and I couldn't let the new year roll in without sharing just a handful.    As usual, I took too many pictures of things and rooms and far too few of people.  I need to work on that.  A goal for 2012, perhaps?

My mom hosted Christmas Eve this year and we had a full house.  I think we counted over 25 people.  My mom set three beautiful tables and we had a ton of delicious food.  It felt special.

I hope you had a wonderful holiday and are getting excited to ring in the new year!

Merry Christmas

I've always felt that there is something magical about Christmas Eve.  Perhaps it's the anticipation, or the fact that Christmas is just more sparkly at night.  We don't have a set tradition that we do every year, but this year my mom is hosting a big family gathering at our house.  I'm feeling especially grateful for all that I have tonight.

Wishing all of you a magical holiday filled with peace and love.  Truly.

Need some more sparkle?  Check out the rest of my Christmas tree photos.


P.S. I'm going to take a little break, but I can't promise I'll be able to stay away until 2012... so I'll see ya when I see ya!

because it's friday

I've completely lost track of the days, have you?  I know it's the 23rd.  But it feels weird that it's a Friday.  It seems like all days are just counting down to Christmas.

Last night I grabbed my camera and Brian and I were off to take some pictures of Christmas lights at night.  As I stepped out the door, I remembered that it was raining.  We decided to drive by anyway.

Sometimes things don't always go as you planned, but something good comes of it anyway.  I thought this picture was cool, even though I'm pretty sure that it's just a house light filtering through the raindrops on the window.

I hope that good things come out of these next few days for you.  Expected or unexpected.

christmas cookies

Oh hey guys.  I'm still here.  I've been livin' la vida Christmas at home... shopping, baking, and general craziness.

I wanted to pop by this morning to say "hola" and show you these cookies.

My mom made these spritz cookies using the Betty Crocker recipe (with ALMOND!) and they are divine.  They are the first thing I want to eat when I wake up and the last thing I want to eat before I go to sleep.  I like them so much that my mom has had to hide them so that there will be some left to eat when my family comes over on Christmas Eve.  Don't worry, it's for the best.

My mom has the Pampered Chef cookie press, which apparently is really cool, but I have to admit that I had no part in in the making of these cookies.  Just the eating.  I think that then they are dipped in white frosting and topped with sparkly clear sprinkles.  Perfection.

Hope you are enjoying the holidays!

(I was tempted to throw a Feliz Navidad in there because I said two other things in Spanish... don't mind me.)


Also, I have to throw in a shout out to Picnik in the making of this post.  My parents don't have a photo editing software, so I searched free photo editing and I was done in minutes!  Sooo easy!

our first christmas

Brian and I decided on Saturday that we would do our mini-Christmas on Sunday so that we could leave on Monday!  We had such a fun day.  We got up and opened our stockings and presents, and then Brian made a us a HUGE breakfast.  Waffles and eggs and bacon... yum!  We just kinda hung out all day and then for dinner we went on a little date to our favorite Chinese buffet and came home and watched Love Actually.  It was perfect.

I thought I would share these photos of when we put up our little tree.  I've been calling it our Charlie Brown tree because it's so little.  We bought a strand of lights and put on our ornaments that our families sent with us.  It's been so much fun having a little tree, it makes me excited to have a big one of our own some day!

Posting around here is going to be a little sparse since we are out of town.

I'm planning on widening my blog when we get back, so in the meantime some of these pictures may be a little cut off.  Click to see them full size!


Also, I've decided to start uploading all my pictures to my Sketch and Wash Facebook page.  Check them out!

what a week.

I won't be sad to wave a cheerful g'bye to this week, my friends.  Too much to do and too little time.  Also, somehow it seemed like all the things about being a grown-up that I have been blissfully avoiding decided to hit the fan of life.  Student loans, insurance companies, switching doctors... let me just say that being a grown-up sucks.  Today alone featured an unexpected half day of work (resulting in a ten minute lunch break where I inhaled some leftover pizza), failed trips to the DMV and the pharmacy, and horrendous cold and rainy weather.   That last one just made everything worse.

Source: Uploaded by user via Kate on Pinterest

Tomorrow is Brian's final final (hooray!)  On Tuesday we head north for an undetermined length of time to spend the holidays with our families and friends.  I've been trying to wrap everything up before we leave, because I don't take my files with me.  We'll see.  On Monday Brian and I are planning on having "mini Christmas," which hopefully doesn't wind up being way lamer than we initially intended.  I'll keep you posted.

What's lifting your spirits this week, friends?  I came back from Thanksgiving break so excited for the holidays but I feel like this last week or so has kind of crushed my Christmas spirit.  What's putting you in the mood for a festive weekend?

Christmas Card 2011

Christmas cards are one of my favorite things about the Christmas season (duh, I LOVE mail!)  I knew that as soon as Brian and I got married, Christmas cards would be forthcoming.  Designing them this year was easy.  I just used one of our wedding pictures, and added the text I wanted.  I was going for simple and classic.

I designed them myself and then had them printed at Vistaprint.  I've ordered things from there before and I like it a lot.  It's so easy and the quality is pretty good.  But you just can't beat the price!  They have such good deals.  I was really pleased with how they turned out.

Did you send Christmas cards this year?

I waited to post these so that most people would have gotten them (except for my love Julie in Macedonia!) Law school friends got kinda screwed in the Christmas card mailing, so if that's you holler at me and I will give you one!

Stockings!

I have the cutest husband. Today he took a break from studying to surprise me with these stockings that he bought for our first Christmas. He picked them out all by himself! Isn't that so cute? He did such a good job!

I love them!  Now I just have to find things to put in Brian's stocking.  Since we will be at our families' houses at Christmas, we have decided to celebrate our own mini Christmas here in our apartment before we head north.

We are still working on how we are going to split the holidays once we get there.  In the past, Brian and I always just made sure that we saw each other, but for the most part stuck with our respective families.  It was so much easier!  If you have a significant other, how do you split your holiday?

Friday Links!

Happy Friday, everyone!  Today I have a subbing gig and then I'm hopping on the highway to head home for the weekend.  My mom and I are going to do our Christmas cards together, as well as maybe some decorating/ picture taking, and then on Saturday night I'm going to a concert with my dad and my brother.  Also, I can't wait for blog brunch tomorrow!  Are you taking part?

{I'm always obsessed with Mr. Boddington.  Love everything abou these!} Source: mrboddington.com via Kate on Pinterest

Here are some links to peruse over the weekend!

You know how much I love silhouettes.  Brooklyn Bride did a round-up post of the best details!

Faison is hosting a whole slew of Kate Spade Giveaways this month.  Go check out her latest!

I never used to "like" blog pages on Facebook, but I've started to and it's really making Facebook more interesting.  I have two Facebook pages that could use a little love if you're interested!

Rachel made this adorable to-do list with bloggers in mind!  It's printable AND free!

Definitely food for thought (I'm such a sucker for infographics!

What are you up to this weekend?

crunch time

For those of you who are still in school, I'm sure your feeling this too.  Today is December 1st which means one thing to higher education students: finals are coming.  I'm not a student this year, for the first year ever, but being around Brian brings back the memories of deadlines past.

Source: thelateafternoon.com via Kate on Pinterest

I myself am feeling a crunch of a different kind: the holiday crunch.  It's December 1st.  We have not one holiday decoration in our apartment.  Well, that's not true.  There's some in the closet.  But displayed?  Nope.  Not one.  I haven't done any Christmas shopping or made a game plan for the gifts I need to purchase.  Let the 25 day countdown commence.

Are you feeling the crunch?  Tell me we're not the only ones.

10 Gifts Under $25

I really struggled to make a Christmas list this year.  Between the wedding and my birthday, this year I have received an overwhelming amount of gifts and I just feel like I don't need anything.

But of course, I have been hounded by a few choice people for gift ideas, and in my search, I compiled this list of gifts that I think many girls would be oh so happy to receive.  For the most part, they're pretty practical but maybe things you wouldn't splurge on for yourself.  I supplemented the list with some things I already have (you know I have those slippers and you might recognize the cardigan).  Some of the prices are sale prices so if you see something you like act fast!

1. Personalized mouse pad, $16
2. Mr. Darcy Mug, $16
3. Drawn In, $17
4. Foot Duvet Slippers, $19
5. Black Ampersand Tote, $16
6. Gold Initial Charm Necklace, $24
7. Wooden Doily Coasters, $21
8. Heritage Cardigan, $20
9. Personalized Note Cards, $20
10. 5 x 7 State Love Print, $10

What's on your Christmas list this year?


P.S. Thanks for the input about Polyvore yesterday!  I wasn't feeling adventurous last night, so this was made in Photoshop, but I'm think I'll have to give it a try sometime!

Thanksgiving 2011

We spent Thanksgiving with my mom's side of the family this year (and then again on Friday with Brian's family- where I neglected to bring my camera!  Boo!)  We ate an early dinner at my aunt and uncle's house (isn't their house amazing?)  Everything was beautiful and delicious!  It was so much fun to hang out with cousins and catch up with everyone!

I took enough photos for two blogs!  You can see more photos on Sketch and Wash.