What I'm NOT thankful for...

Food poisoning.

Be back soon.

Counting my blessings.

Although I might have skipped over Thanksgiving while decorating our house, I'm certainly not skipping over all of the things I'm thankful for in my life. This year, we've had lots of changes...some of them have been wonderful, some have been heartbreaking, and all have taught me invaluable lessons in patience and gratitude, in Grace and in hard-work, in hidden strengths and in the healing power of laughter and most of all, love.

Ok, clearly I should not have watched the last Jon & Kate plus 8 last night. Waaaay too emotional.

(Quick aside, did any of you watch it? If that wasn't a primer for why you shouldn't tick off a production company that has hours of footage of you, I don't know what is. Not the kindest edit of Jon.)

Deep thoughts aside, here's just a smattering of what I'm thankful for:

Is anything happier than this color? I think not. 

Never before has another kitchen appliance so changed my life...or helped lengthen the amount of time I can snooze. 

I will especially be thankful for fires in the fireplace when it's cold enough in Dallas to have another one! 

Thankful for peppermint Mint Water, and for Mikell for introducing me to it. It's like crack, but healthy. 

So, so pretty.

Obviously. 

Finally, a place in Dallas to buy the fabric I covet. 

I live in these boots from Target. So much so that I'm actually on my second pair.

Yes, I like to drink rose champagne. I'm unapologetically girly when it comes to that. I am also thankful for the very fun, if somewhat fuzzy memories that said champagne has played an important role in. 

I'm thankful for everyone in this picture...and for all of my dear friends who aren't in this picture, too. 

I'm thankful for my fabulous family...as well as for Ben, who wasn't here yet when this was taken and especially for Ruben, who we miss a whole lot. 

The Tillster. Even though she gets muddy in the yard and jumps up on our white bedding when it is still warm from the dryer. 

 And of course, I'm thankful for him...and his killer dance moves.

My colors are blush and bashful...

Ok, so I recognize that traditionally, Christmas colors are red and green.  But at our house...Christmas is pink and white and silver and glitter. And Allen is the best trooper ever.

On Saturday, he got allllll of the boxes down, and Tilly and I got started.

Allen went on a 10 mile run. My afternoon was waaaaay more fun. And before I knew it, I was done!

I collect mercury glass, and I love glitter. You've probably picked up on that by now. So the mantle is heavy in both.

 

How cute are those houses? They were a GREAT Chistmas present from my brother, Jared. And that cute pink paper mache Santa? My mom and grandmother made it.

Repurposed flower arrangements and fake snow. Fancy. :)

My mom made this feather tree a few years ago and my grandmother painted the stand...love it!

Obviously, this is Allen's area.

Again, my grandmother! Isn't she talented? I love this little Santa and all of my holiday memories include him.

It was a long day, and T was pooped.

But we were happy!!

P.S. You might be wondering why we have a blanket streched across the seat of the couch. The answer is that Tilly likes to perch on the sofa all day long so she can look out the window and watch the world go by. She's a bit messy and the fabric isn't easy to clean, so that's the solution. It's not the prettiest, but it works for now. :) 

A winter wonderland.

I did it! The house is decorated, the tree is up, and I am happy, happy, happy.

I'll post pics later, but all I really need to say is that it's a lot of this:

 

 

Friday 1st Dibs!!

Coming to ya straight from DC...or actually, straight from Dallas but featuring fabulousness only available in DC.  Random Harvest on Wisconsin, how I miss you.

Darrel Dean, doing it again. 

Cote Jardin Antiques. Love, love, love.

If you are in DC, battleground states represent in any well appointed home. :)

Um, yes please.  (Not from DC, but I stumbled upon them and I think my heart stopped for a moment.)

Italy dreamin'.

I was flipping though an album last night in search of one certain photograph, and instead I ended up spending an hour pouring through pics from our honeymoon to Italy.

Two things struck me: one, that I think we need to go back stat, and two, that the interiors of the first hotel we stayed at were incredible. Hotel Caruso is in Ravello, a fantastic small town high on a cliff along the Amalfi coast. I swear, I could live in our hotel room for the rest of my life and be happy as a clam.

Our room...the television was hidden within the chest at the end of the bed. I can't tell you how many times I've looked at our ugly black TV hanging on the wall and wished for one of those.

 

The balcony attached to our room...there was an entire lower level that I was standing on to take the photograph. 

 

The bathroom.  This is exactly what I'd like our master bath re-do to look like. 

 

The view from the balcony. No, this isn't an interior, but COME ON. Are you kidding me with this?? Even when it's overcast, it's gorgeous. 

 

The hotel has tons of hidden areas with gorgeous restored frescoes...(btw, what. a. nerd.)

 

Gardens along the walkway to the pool...

 

Another amazing fresco...

 

Funny story here. This picture was taken about 4 minutes before I tried to get in the water, grabbed the stair rail (that was not attached to the boat)  the wrong way, flew back and hit the *&^%& out of my tailbone on the corner of the bench. I was so stunned by the pain that I jumped off the side of the boat into the frigid water and asked Allen if he thought the water was cold enough to numb my entire lower body.  Which it wasn't. So I hobbled back on board the boat and literally could not sit down or go down stairs without ridiculous amounts of pain for the next 3 days. Good thing there are so many wheelchair ramps that I could slowly walk down in towns built on the sides of mountains in Italy.

Not.

 

While you were eating...

Scene from today's attempt to pick up lunch:

Me: I'd like to order take out, please?
Guy who looks like Joey from While you were Sleeping?: Sure. Can I recommend the brisket?
Me: Thanks, but actually I'll have the garden salad, balsamic vinaigrette on the side, please.
GWLLJFWYWS (with an incredulous look on his face):   Just the salad? So you want me to add bacon or chicken?
Me: No thanks.
GWLLJFWYWS (with an incredulous look on his face):   Are you sure?
Me: Yes. And an ice tea, please.
GWLLJFWYWS: It's much better with the bacon. I'd actually suggest extra bacon. 
Me: I'm sure it is, but I'm a vegetarian.Thanks, though.
GWLLJFWYWS (looking at me like I have three heads):  Really? You don't eat meat? Like, at all? Why?
Me:  Personal preference.
GWLLJFWYWS: Oh. Well, then I'd recommend the chicken and rice casserole.
Me (after a 5 second delay, trying to figure out if he's joking. He's not.): Thanks, but I'll just take the salad and the tea.
GWLLJFWYWS: Whatever you want...but don't say I didn't warn you.

After that enlightening three minutes of my life that I'll. never. get. back, I left the restaurant and headed back to the office...

....where I opened my salad to find...

a mountain of bacon.

FAIL.

It's beginning to look a lot like...an unhealthy obsession.

It's cold here (for Dallas) and that's making me even more anxious to put my Christmas decorations up.

Add that to the fact that there are now 5 Christmas trees lit in my neighborhood (perhaps I should introduce myself to these people? We might be soulmates), and I'm chomping at the bit.


And then this morning I clicked on Absolutely Beautiful Things and now I can't stop thinking about it.  Seriously, look at these gorgeous windows:

 

Pink and yellow Christmas? I die.

P.S. Santa---I could really use those lamps.  Mind picking them up as you swing through Australia?

The calendar needed a friend.

So, the new chalkboard calendar is working out great. We're soo organized now.

Right.

Allen pointed out last weekend that there was something missing, however...something to post invitations and baby announcements and save the dates so that they are right in front of my face and I can't forget to RSVP.

Unfortunately, I didn't have a bulletin board handy, and I didn't really want to run to Michael's to get one.

But I did have an old frame from Ikea (w/out glass...what?!), a really cute piece of fabric, Amy Butler paper and two giant paperclips.

I started by stretching the fabric over the frame and stapling it to the back...

Then I took my favorite craft friend, Spray Adhesive. (Don't worry, Wipe on Poly, I'm SO not cheating).

Attached the paper to the paper clips...

 

Trimmed the excess and attached them to a ribbon, that I also stapled on the back of the frame...

 

And hung it up. 

 

Cute, huh? Responded on the right, haven't responded on the left.

Looks like I've got some work to do.

Serious house envy.

As you know, I went through the Lakewood Home Festival last weekend...and it was amaaazing!

Particularly one home...which brings me to the point of this post. 

The sheer brilliance of More Design + Build.

I'm not kidding you, these people are incredible.

When Allen and I moved into our neighborhood 2 and a half years ago, I immediately fell in utter and complete love with a home on the street behind me. It's on my walking route and I purposely save it till the end of the walk so that I can slow down and take it in as I walk past.

That's normal, right?

Well, imagine my delight when last year, that VERY home was on the home tour! Allen and I went and I spent a half hour in the house. Seriously. He was totally annoyed, but I was completely enamored.

Here's why:

 

That's the before and after and oh. my. goodness.

The inside is even more amazing.

 

I know.

This year, those who partook in the home tour had the opportunity to tour a house they just recently finished, not far away from the house love of my life.

 

Yes, peeps. That's the same house.

And inside? The tile work alone makes me want to move in right away.

 

 

And that's just a small part of it.

Needless to say, I'm saving my pennies for the day that we can find the perfect fixer-upper and turn it all over to these geniuses.

*All images via www.moredesigngroup.com*