New York Moment

I just had such a "moment" watching the Rockefeller Tree Lighting on DVR. Happy smiles with tears in my eyes. Nothing like it.

Christmas All Around

I have traditionally hated the Holidays the last few years. I'm not sure what changed this year - having my own home, being grateful for so many things, or just being so absolutely stressed out-crazy that it feels good to enjoy a moment of Christmas lights here and there. But I am over my Scrooge-ness, it seems!

The tree is up and the house is decorated. I bought a new wreath for the front door and stockings for the fireplace. And I hope to put Christmas lights in the tree and front porch this evening!

I have a love affair with Christopher Radko ornaments and try and collect at least one new one a year. They're mouth-blown, hand painted glass and each ornament takes 7 days to make. They're awesome. And my tree is covered with those, Pier One glass and Old World Christmas. (check out the cool built-ins in the house. Amazing details).

I can't wait for the after Christmas sales to stock up on even more. This year the one I can't keep looking at is new to the tree from a 1/2 price bin in January. It's a huge pale green glass ball with a glass insert of a painted partridge in a pear tree inside. I LOVE it. More pics to come. Definitely.

Giggity, giggity

I survived. I am 31 and I survived an entire birthday weekend. In fact, I really enjoyed myself. It was fantastic to take time away from work, allow myself to relax and truly be happy in my home, my relationship and my life.

The celebration began VIP style with ridiculous seats to watch the Mavs clinch a spot in the Finals. I mean, amazing seats chilling with an Olympic medalist. We swapped numbers. You know, cause we're friends now.

The next couple days were fun dinners with friends, sleeping in, brunch, my favorite Texadelphia lunch, a little shopping, a few killer bday presents (hello Marc Jacobs) and some relaxing pool time. I even capped it all off with a girls dinner last night. The celebration is officially over. And I survived.

So bring it on 31. I'm ready for you!

Easter Menu

It was just too good. I have to share:

Ham steak cooked on the grill by my fantastic Dad. Honey glaze, little crunch. Perfection!

Deviled eggs from Mom. She added jalepeno, but I would leave that out. So perfect and traditional.

Quinoa, tossed with lemon juice, red onion, salt, diced cucumber, diced celery and mint.

Carrot soup - sauteed sweet onion and garlic, boiled with chicken stock, water, carrots then transferred to food processor until pureed. Served with sour cream and mint.

Green beans and red onion stir fried in EVOO

Fresh whole wheat French bread

Zucchini bites - 1-inch slices of zucchini halfway hollowed, tossed in olive oil, thyme and basil, topped with cherry tomatoes tossed in the same. roasted at 425 for 25 minutes. Careful, tomatoes smoke the oven.

Sugar free pistachio and lemon pudding with graham cracker, splenda brown sugar mix parfaits for dessert.

Lots of champagne, beer, red and white wine. We had all our alcohol bases covered.

Snapshot

Social Media is an interesting thing. I've been reading how parents aren't allowing their kids online because it harms self esteem and can make kids compare themselves to what they read about others online. Perhaps because I'm an adult and not in high school, I find it to be the opposite result. I have a poor self esteem issue - always have. But I've been focusing on the good in my life and doing what I need to do to make myself happy. It's working. And - this is going to sound terrible - FBland is helping.

It really became obvious while everyone's family Easter pictures popped up online last night. Kids in tights, big smiles, running around picking up eggs, big family moments. Person after person that was the hot, super fun, popular kid in high school who everyone wanted to be is now married in the burbs with multiple kids. And they look totally happy, so good for them. But it sounds like my personal version of hell. And none of those super skinny hot bodies exist anymore. None!

I, on the other hand, cooked a super healthy, diabetic Easter for my Mom, Dad, Bro and Sis in Law and Boo all in our apt! That 900 sq feet has never felt smaller, but it was perfect. I had one of those moments where I looked around the table at my amazing boyfriend and us together hosting my family in our home, and the table full of good food, the laughing, joking, drinking and got a little teary-eyed. (We polished off a few bottles). It was a moment I put on pause, took a mental picture and am carrying around with me. I couldn't have painted it better. I love my urban living, my home (which is almost fully decorated), my relationship, my business, my Misty-Miss. I am a super lucky, blessed girl and I wouldn't trade my life with anyone.

You can't see the future when you're in high school, or even college for that matter. But hopefully I can help my kids (when that time actually comes around to have them) feel confident in their decisions and the life they choose to live. I wouldn't trade places with anyone!

My New Years Week

Last NYE was crazy. This time last year I was stressed out and planning details, rentals, food, tickets, outfits. It was a lot. And the night was amazing. Seriously, amazing. And this year will be perfect as well. Last year was almost a rite of passage. I had gotten sick, laid off and changed my living situation. I survived and threw one hell of a prom. This year, life is stable and normal and the night will be too.

Friends, drinks, food, local bar. Done. However, this week is my celebration. The night is just the night. I only work a couple hours today, exchange a Christmas present for something cute and new at a local fav boutique, go for 2 hours of total spa relaxation, and then come home to my absolutely favorite meal of pepperocini pot roast in the crock pot. Today is close to perfect. Except tomorrow is my last day of work this week and we're having an in-store event, which is always a lot of fun. Followed by mimosas on The Boulevard my alma mater in a bowl game the next day and three days off! Throw in another spa appointment in those three days and a little shopping with Christmas money and this, my friends, is a perfect week.

Cheers to ending 2010 relaxing and enjoying the great things in my life: my store, shopping, football, family and Boo. So happy to relax and enjoy Boo this week.

Welcome Christmas

I found my Christmas spirit. It was hiding in the Glee Christmas song "Welcome Christmas" from the Grinch. The music sinks into the background and I never truly listen. This song has probably played over a dozen times and I've never truly heard it. But this morning, it came on and with the first harmony I found myself frozen, listening, smiling and almost teary-eyed.

It's Christmas.

The New Christmas

It's Christmas, y'all. Are you ready? I, most definitely, am not. What in the world do you get for an ESL Venezuelan missionary brother-in-law that lives in Kentucky? Que? And I'm fairly certain what I've picked out (not yet purchased) for my sister is exactly what I gave her last year. Not such a good thing. Especially since I can't remember.

One week to go. Do you have all your presents? Waiting for a sale? Or just no time to buy? I think as adults Christmas isn't so much a season as another thing on the to do list. And if you have kids, something you create for your children to experience. But the "experience" of Christmas I remember for so long, hasn't existed in my life in years.

Living in NYC, the weather dropped, it snowed and Christmas decor was everywhere. People were on vacation, "experiencing" the Holidays. That made it actually easier to feel being up there. But here, where it's 70-degrees one day and life is so busy I can't find time to let nail polish dry, it just doesn't feel like a festive season for family, friends, fireplaces and hot chocolate.

So what is Christmas to an adult? I'm still searching for that answer. Any help out there? I'll keep my Winter candle lit (which smells divine!) and Christmas music on the IPod, turn on the tree lights every time I'm home and maybe attempt some hot cinnamon tea for special effect. I'll let you know if it starts to work before next week.

Successful Fooding

The holidays are here. I have bypassed my Bah Humbug, but am not quite at Happy Holidays yet. I'm stuck somewhere in the middle with a massive stressed out to do list and nothing in my bank account. It pushes the mood back towards Bah Humbug quite easily, but... I'm working on it, people!

Thanksgiving has come and gone, but I will call it a successful food endeavor. Food is a touch dicey for me at times, given the whole medical condition thing, but I survived. It was possibly questionable at times, but I learned a couple lessons and am all the better for it. I shall explain.

I made the best healthy sides. Last year I conquered the whole meal due to a last minute hospital trip for my Mamaw, but this year was spent with Boo & Co at the lake. So I made sides. I had to make sides. I was faced with casserole and die-if-you-eat-casserole and might-not-want-to-risk-it-casserole. I will admit, topped with the fact that it was my first Thanksgiving not with any of my own family or friends, I was upset. I feel like there are a handful of places in the world I can expect that I don't have to work so hard to be "normal." That there will be something for me to eat just because. I know I'm different and it's not everyone else's problem. But this was one of those places. (Expectations will bite you every time. Ouch.)

I shed a couple tears; I called my Mom for a "missing home" talk and moved on. What other choice did I have? So I made my own mashed cauliflower and cider-cinnamon sweet potatoes. They were good. They were actually great. And I had seconds of both, tossed the rest (as no one else enjoyed my personal sides) and lost 4 lbs over the last week.

Yup - you read that right.

So that's my successful fooding reward. Suck it up. Move on. Take care of your self so that you can enjoy the time with everyone and the conversation and know that you are losing weight while everyone else is gaining. That's right.

Perfect Sunday!

This has been the best, cleaned-laundry done-grocery shopping-Target hunting-sheets changed-gourmet dinner-wine-football sort of Sunday! Ugh, I'm in heaven.

The day began with Brunch at a local fav. Then I spent the next two hours traipsing through Target (two different ones) finding the perfect Halloween costume for Misty. OMG, she is the cutest flower ever! Such a perfect costume for her. She's a brat. Well, she's always a brat, but she's a costume brat. She won't wear anything on her head and if it isn't fitted around her back she sits and refuses to walk. So a neck costume is the best and the $4.99 price tag is awesome! And then continued to find a great black and white, snap front flannel. Sometimes you can't beat a good fashion deal from Tar-geh.

The real treat; however, was the farmer's market and cooking. I made an antipasto snack a couple hours before dinner. Fresh spinach, washed and tossed in an olive oil spray, salt, pepper and drip of balsamic vinegar, Mozzarella balls tossed in basil, rosemary and olive oil spray, whole wheat saltines, sliced red bell pepper and salami. Yummers!

Meanwhile, I marinated chicken in lemon rind, rosemary, thyme, salt, pepper and olive oil. I threw it on the grill a couple hours later; browned pancetta in a skillet with some frozen peas, then tossed with mint, salt and pepper and put whole wheat boucle in the oven. Made a fresh lemon juice, parsley, olive oil sauce for the chicken. SERIOUSLY! So freaking yummy. Topped with my Cupcake Merlot (less than $10) and this night cannot, CANNOT get any better.

Go team!