For Christmas I received a present from Mom and Dad that I have needed for years (literally), a new hairdryer. I had been using for ages the old traveling hairdryer my Grandmama had in the Owners closet at the Beach House, and I had grown up using it on vacation. It was probably one of several things I had been using as a coping mechanism over their selling the house in 2003/2004. It was a dinky hairdryer, with no attachments, and had a horrible habit of sucking my hair into it to burn. Not so good. So, I took matters into my own hands this year, especially with my hair now down to my belly button, and decided that I should have a new one. I did some research at ULTA and read reviews. I decided to go with this hairdryer. And yes, IT IS PINK!!
I cannot wait to use it on my super-thin, baby fine hair and see if it frizzes as much as it used to. Supposedly, it is supposed to not do that. I seriously am hair-dumb stylistically-speaking, so you guys can give me tips on it as you see fit!
Another big gift that I got this Christmas was the Cricut Create by Provo Craft. I originally had asked for the Expression, but seeing as I don't make big posters an awful lot, this similar tool certainly will come in handy while in my office at home. M really is trying to get me to do things I enjoy more often.
When you open it up, this keyboard appears to match the cartridge you placed within the Cricut, and this area is called the Dashboard.
The Cricut used to come with the cartridge called "George" but it now comes with the cartridge "DonJuan" instead. It includes both letters, numbers, short phrases as well as graphics.
As the Cricut serves many different purposes, they recommend that you purchase Replacement Blades and have a tool kit to really enjoy everything the Cricut offers.
So, M got me two replacement blades and a spatula, to lift graphics and letters from the paper!
Does anyone else have a Cricut Create or Cricut Expression? I would love to hear people's opinions on the Cricut and what cartridges they have gotten the most use from, as I hope to use mine to make cards, packages, decorated boxes for my jewelry, posters--- any sort of thing I think of, I guess!
This gift, the Bialetti Hot Chocolate Maker, is one of the ones I received this Christmas. I have not taken it out of the box yet - snowed in at the parentals - but I cannot wait! M purchased it for me, and it is a very thoughtful gift so then I don't spend a ton of money at Starbucks buying Venti Peppermint Hot Chocolate, no Whip, Whole Milk.
One of the many reasons I love Williams-Sonoma, how-to videos: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rbyxZP8jc8c
(W-S is lame, however, by disabling embedding videos!! BOO)
At Angelina's, you order a hot chocolat and they serve it to you in a pitcher with a tea cup. Next to that is a bowl of fresh whipped creme and a glass of ice water to cleanse your palate of the richness.
As an unexpected surprise, My Grandmama and Grandpapa gave me the Williams-Sonoma Peppermint Hot Chocolate shavings as well, so I am ready to go with setting this baby up when I get back to the house in a few days! They did not know M was purchasing this item for me, small world.
As Williams-Sonoma writes: * Our peppermint version adds triple-distilled natural peppermint oil for the cool, clean taste of fresh mint.
* We've chosen an artisanal bittersweet chocolate by Guittard, San Francisco chocolate makers since the 19th century.
Merry Christmas. This is Bono the singer with U2. This is a poem I'd like to, recite for you by another Irishman, John F. Dean It's about driving to midnight mass in Dublin on Christmas Eve:
"Five-thousand million years ago, this earth lay heaving in a mass of rocks and fire Wasting, burdened with its emptiness Tonight, when arthropods and worms and sponges have given way to dinosaurs And dinosaurs to working, wandering apes Homo erectus have given way to sapiens, and he to Homo sapiens sapiens (alias Paddy Mack) Look down on Dublin from the hills around And lights could be a million Christmas trees Still firs standing, while in the sky a glow as if of dawn This day a light shall shine on us The Lord is born within our city Look along to the river toward O'Connell Bridge The lights, the neon signs, all stream on water like breathed-on strips of tinsel All is still... Eleven-thirty, pubs begin to empty Men stop to argue, sway and say the name of Jesus For those who have known darkness Who have now seen a wonderous light Those who have dwelt on unlit streets To them the light has come Tonight, few cars go by The blocks of flats with windowed-plastic trees And fairy lights stand, watching for a miracle Here are no dells where fairies might appear Out from the dark an ambulance comes speeding Sickly blue lights search in siren-still The mystery of the night ticks slowly on It will pass and leave memories of friends and small, half-welcomed things In Him was life In Him, life was the light of man For neither prehistoric swans nor trilobites, the mesozoic birds Neanderthal, nor modern man had ever dreamt or seen what was our God The shops are gay with lights and bright things All save funeral homes, they dare not advertise their presence As midnight peels and organs start to play Two cars meet headlong in a haze of drink The crash flicks into silence Pain crawls like a slime through blood and into limbs God is revealed, a baby naked, crying in a crib In the church porches and out along the grounds Teenagers laugh and swear, smokin', watchin' girls So, once more, Christmas trails away Its meaning moves back into the mist and the march of time."
Me at Christmas around 1994. This photo was taken at my Grandmama/Grandpapa's house on Jackson Avenue in Lexington, VA. LOVE my skirt! ha!
In my family, as there are so many of us, we have to write a list every year. It gets given to the significant other and the parents are both CC:d on the email. Basically, this list is done so there is no possible duplication of gifts. I was surprised to learn as I grew up that I had many friends who never did a list! Imagine my surprise! Wow!
Anyway, I am one of those people who always asks for books. I think books are the one amendment to the rule on not re-gifting. You can re-gift a book, or give a used book, and it is just as good as a brand new one. You are being good to the Earth, and what if the book is something perfect for a friend or family member. Obviously, I normally own up to it being "used" or whatever, and give another gift to even things out a bit, but I never see why that is wrong, right? [Although if the book smells like cigarettes, or you are giving a book to a germaphobe, then things may want to be adjusted on a case-by-case basis! ha!]
The following items are some of the many things on my wish list this year. These are normally guidelines for family who just don't know what to get me, so these are normally a list of want/needs:
The Cricut Expression. It is an expensive item, but I know with my jewelry-making, scrap-booking and other heart-friendly activities that I would use the heck out of this item. It looks like something way more entertaining and time-saving in comparison to my current trace-and-cut methods for items! Plus, I see it as ideal for things like designing attractive boxes for presentation (i.e. a pair of earrings I designed, etc.).
The Conair I-series Ionic hair dryer. Yes, it is a pink hairdryer! However, it is an ionic hairdryer which is way more forgiving on my thin, baby-fine hair. It can take my hair 5 hours to air dry, literally. This hair dryer should help me figure out how to style my hair now that it is to my belly-button. I am running out of ideas and I really don't want to chop it off, yet!
One of the most controversial films of its time (the glove strip-tease scene), Gilda is an American film classic. I love this movie and the music, the dancing and Rita Hayworth! I have been compared to her (hello, super compliment) and I just love her as such a vivacious character in this film!
Trailer for Gilda, a Columbia Pictures film:
From Williams-Sonoma, I asked for the long stainless steel All-Clad ladle. I make lots of stocks from scratch in a big tall stock pot, as well as making lots of soups and stews in the winter, so I would get a lot of wear out of this kitchen piece.
I love a specific product from Origins, called Clear Improvement. It is a fantastic mask that I can rely on to completely resurface my face and neck to baby-soft cleanliness. It uses charcoal, white Chinese clay and other ingredients to completely clear my pores out. Love. Love. Love!
As I began my entry, I mentioned books. I asked for several this year for Christmas, but here are a few of my favorites:
The 1982 edition of Martha Stewart's Entertaining:
The Woman's Guide to Law School by Linda Hirshman:
and, the book Pinstripes and Pearls: The Women of the Harvard Law Class of 1964 by Judith Hope:
(Yeah!) The snow's coming down I'm watching it fall Watching the people around Baby please come home
The church bells in town They're ringing a song What a happy sound Baby please come home
They're singing deck the halls But it's not like Christmas at all I remember when you were here And all the fun we had last year
Pretty lights on the tree I'm watching 'em shine You should be here with me Baby please come home
Baby please come home Baby please come home
They're singing deck the halls But it's not like Christmas at all I remember when you were here And all the fun we had last year
If there was a way I'd hold back these tears But it's Christmas day Baby please come home Ohh...
Baby please come home Baby please come home Baby please come home Ohh... Baby please come home Baby please come home
Do They Know It's Christmas?
U2
Bob Geldof & Midge Ure
Various lead singers = Normal, Bono = Bold] It's Christmastime There's no need to be afraid At Christmastime We let in light and we banish shade And in our world of plenty We can spread a smile of joy Throw your arms around the world at Christmastime But say a prayer Pray for the other ones At Christmastime It's hard, but when you're having fun There's a world outside your window And it's a world of dread and fear Where the only water flowing is The bitter sting of tears And the Christmas bells that ring there Are the clanging chimes of doom Well tonight thank God it's them instead of you And there won't be snow in Africa this Christmastime The greatest gift they'll get this year is life Where nothing ever grows No rain nor rivers flow Do they know it's Christmastime at all? Here's to you / Raise a glass for everyone Here's to them / Underneath that burning sun Do they know it's Christmastime at all? Feed the world Feed the world Feed the world Let them know it's Christmastime again Feed the world Let them know it's Christmastime again [etc]
I Believe In Father Christmas
U2
Greg Lake
They said there'll be snow at Christmas They said there'll be peace on Earth But instead it just kept on raining A veil of tears for the Virgin's birth I remember one Christmas morning A winters light and a distant choir And the peal of a bell and that Christmas Tree smell And their eyes full of tinsel and fire They sold me a dream of Christmas They sold me a Silent Night And they told me a fairy story 'Till I believed in the Israelite And I believed in Father Christmas And I looked at the sky with excited eyes 'Till I woke with a yawn in the first light of dawn And I saw him and through his disguise I wish you a hopeful Christmas I wish you a brave New Year All anguish pain and sadness Leave your heart and let your road be clear They said there'll be snow at Christmas They said there'll be peace on Earth Hallelujah Noel be it Heaven or Hell The Christmas you get you deserve. La la la la la la la la la la....
The last Barney cam of the Bush Presidency! I loved these videos - they were fun to play for the kids who would come into our office. They always teached good lessons on national history and educate them on the Federal Government!:
"Thank you for joining us for “A Red, White and Blue Christmas” at the White House!
This year’s theme celebrates the patriotic spirit that unites us as Americans. During this hopeful season we are reminded of the blessings of freedom we enjoy, and we renew our sense of what is important in our lives. Family and friends gather to share old traditions and create new ones. Strangers exchange smiles and tidings of good cheer. Children happily sing along to the songs of the holidays and help bake holiday treats for their loved ones.
We are grateful to the White House Executive Residence staff, artists from around the country and many volunteers for decorating the White House red, white and blue! Thanks to their creativity and hard work, this year’s holiday decorations reflect the best of the American spirit.
May your holidays be filled with joy and happy memories.
So... I couldn't find an EXACT copy of my Christmas card - but here is a similar one - Mike and I had fun filling them out together this year - not done yet - he just happened to use MOST of them so now I need to find some still-cute ones tonight after my final! Jeez!
Preppy Gingerbread Man - blue golfing pants polka dotted shirt -
Mike's conservative (TYPICAL!!) snowman:
My MRS. Bill (oh no!!):
and I also did a Giada De Laurentiis recipe - although I fear I used a bit too much mint in my love of mint for the other people eating the food. However, they did go quickly - didn't sell out completely - but they were munched on by at least a dozen or more diners... PLUS, Mike HATES peas, but loved this one. haha
Sweet Pea Crostini: Ingredients Sweet Peas: 2 cups chicken broth or water 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes 1 (16-ounce) bag frozen peas 1/4 cup fresh chopped mint 3/4 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1/2 cup whipping cream 3 ounces finely diced prosciutto Crostini: 1 baguette, sliced into 1/2-inch thick slices Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling 3 to 4 cloves garlic Directions For the Sweet Peas: Warm the chicken broth and red pepper flakes in a medium
saucepan over medium-high heat until the broth boils. Add the frozen peas and cook until the peas are tender, about 5 minutes. Drain the peas in a mesh sieve.
Place the peas in a food processor with the mint, salt, and pepper. Puree the pea mixture. Place the pea puree in a medium bowl and refrigerate until cool, about 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, for the crostini: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Place the baguette slices on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet in a single layer. Bake in the oven until toasted and golden around the edges, about 10 minutes. While the crostini are still warm, drizzle the tops with extra-virgin olive oil. Using a whole clove of garlic in your fingertips, rub the top of the crostini a few times to give a hint of garlic.
I do not put the cream in - it is fluffy and dense enough as it is, and I think it just adds fat to the dish.... I DO get generous with the proscuitto though... To finish, whip the cream until stiff peaks form. Fold the whipped cream into the pea puree. Top each of the crostini with about 1 tablespoon of pea puree. Sprinkle with a bit of the diced prosciutto. Serve immediately.
Talk about LAME - now, I love Lowes - my Daddy works there as a pre-retirement job (and he can hang out with lots of people we know and get them to buy from him, among other benefits! ha!) and so Mike and I wanted to go there to get a tree to support Daddy. WELL, guess what? Lowe's delivered their Christmas trees to their stores BEFORE EVEN THANKSGIVING. Soooo when people like Mike and I were wanting to buy a REAL tree and a cast-iron tree stand, there was NOTHING left. Whether it was a fresh tree - while there were some they were either tiny or too tall (for our lame-ass townhome)! or a nice tree stand (who the heck puts a 6.5 foot tree into a plastic tree stand)? So we sadly wandered into the building to look at fake trees - neither of us has EVER had a fake tree before - but the more expensive ones were nice. We picked out this baby:
And when we went to check out - it was only $90! 50% off! Yay! We were very excited. And you know what? It looks nice!! I will post pictures of it soon with all of the presents around it.
So, while working on Christmas Cards... I have come to a conclusion. I need a new Address Book. The one I have I got while shopping at Harrod's in 6th grade. Yes, it is that old. BUT, I have held onto it because it is Kate Spade, and is Kelly Green, and is Ostrich skin. However, the inserts no longer exist. Does anyone know where I can find UBER-cute three-ring (about 8"-10" tall) inserts? Target failed miserably for me and it was my biggest hope. Anyone have any input?
Lastly, Muffy asked me what I was coveting today... here are my mad-dash results....
1. Patagonia Stretch Velocity Hoodie: I would love this for morning walks-runs. And for jogging to and from my car at Gold's Gym!
2. Elizabeth Arden Good Morning skin Serum: After my spa day at Red Door, they gave me a makeup consultation - which included placing this amazing serum on my face. L-O-V-E it!
3. Elizabeth Arden High Shine Lip Gloss: They put this on my lips and it was SOOO flattering. I normally go for more plum-toned things, but this was really flattering! I was surprised!!
After reading Hopsy's latest blog entry, my heart has just felt so full and grateful. Yes, "tis the season to be jolly" - but isn't it also the season to GIVE and LOVE? Hopsy really showed her good colors as she thought about others this weekend and even spent some extra money on Toys for Tots. I am so happy to have friends in the blogging world like this Lady. People are in need right now, genuine need. On Thursday, over 20,000 Americans lost their jobs. 21 days before Christmas (and other respective holidays, of course). Can you imagine? It made me almost physically sick. And that wouldn't even include the small firms that don't get picked up by Bloomburg and CNN. Ugh. And so this happened on Thursday and then on Friday I went to the Red Door Spa. Yes, it was an early Christmas gift from Michael, and it was lovely. Massage and Manicure. It was a big gift of LOVE from my LOVE, and I walked out feeling better than I had in months. I had been to the doctor what - 4 times in the past 6 weeks. And been in the hospital, too? Of course I needed it. So this is what I decided...
1. Take more time for myself. Instead of drinking too much wine and booze. Buying lots of shoes I DO NOT need, and eating sushi from Teeter like 2x-3x a week some months for lunch... do better things. Drink more water. Get a massage - it's good for the body and the soul and can get toxins out of your system. Exercise as regularly as I should - doctors say that will make a good bit of difference on my chest problems. Don't bring work home with me, whether it be literal work, or if it is negative thoughts about my day at work.
2. Take more time for others. See what the local churches do for charities. I am still a member of the church I grew up at in Lexington - because it is the most important place to me - but that doesn't mean I can't go more frequently to other places closer by and HELP. Habitat for Humanity, Salvation Army, etc etc. I am sure there is something more I could do on my weekends besides cook for Michael and I, and study for school. I do meditate, but I want to do something more hands-on if possible.
3. Give more for others. I've already made some donations -monetarily- to token charities - one of my Chatham Hall classmates participated in the St. Jude Memphis Half-Marathon over the weekend - so I gave to that for her, because that is such an amazing thing to do... I do donate to my alma maters - Chatham Hall, Camp Seafarer, and Randolph-Macon College --- and to organizations I think truely make a difference while sharing my personal beliefs - Ducks Unlimited, the Nature Conservancy, Chesapeake Bay Foundation... but I am sure there is more to the big picture that I just haven't come across yet.
These are my new years resolutions. Thank you Hopsy for inspiring me!!
Christmas List 2k8, which I gave to both Mike and the parentals:
Gold Anchor earrings:
Sterling Silver Monogrammable Contact Lens Case holder & solution bottles:
Herbes de Provence for cooking (so damn expensive!!)
Puttin on the GRITS book:
A Official Preppy Handbook:
Gossip Girl Season 1 on DVD:
A Pink Taser:
New sewing machine:
Greys Anatomy Season 4 DVD:
Bobbi Brown face tonic:
Bobbi Brown Eye Makeup Remover:
Huggable Hangers!!
American Wife novel:
Duchess of Devonshire book:
Origins Checks and Balances face wash:
L'Occitane Verbena Harvest Bath:
Clinique Repairwear:
Also included on the list: stuff from the W&L bookstore, headbands, workout clothes, a Tiffany & Company pendant, a new custom L.L.Bean Boat & Tote, and another iTouch.
