Normally, I dont get into the Christmas spirit until after Thanksgiving (yes, I realize that it is now after Thanksgiving), but this year I found myself accidentally humming to the Christmas music playing on the speakers in Home Depots and Targets long before it was decent to do so. I found myself perusing google images for Christmas decoration inspiration and how-tos before I had even researched which apple pie recipe I was going to make for our Thanksgiving feast (ahem, the night before...)

I blame it, in part, on the fact that we have a house now and I am excited to decorate it for the first time! I am excited to try out these weird suction cups that claim to hold up a 20-lb wreath on a single window pane! And guys, I am so excited to try out getting my first ever real Christmas tree! It's the first time in my life I really feel that sense of pride in making my house look nice for the Holidays.

Also, I feel like I really need the extra Christmas cheer this year. Aside from the yearly seasonal depression I know to anticipate, and the annual work stress of putting on the nation's largest college Art Sale, we've both had a long year: celebrating our first year of marriage, mourning the deaths of two grandmas (one of each of ours), enduring the stress of house-hunting and putting in purchase offers, and elation in first-time homeownership. We've traveled to a state we've never been to before, Illinois, met some great new people, and helped make a wedding for our sister and brother-in-law.

Now I know we still have a month left of 2012, but I've been feeling thankful (tis the season) and pondering the future. And I thought this would be a good time to mention it.

Have a great rest of 2012, folks! And prepare yourself for Christmas decorations post PART DEUX, when we go pick out our Christmas tree! I am pumped.
xoxo

Alex and I have been together for almost 9 years now, can you believe it? I couldnt begin to imagine a life without him. And its strange, being used to celebrating another year and another year of being together, to celebrating month by month of marriage, and finally 1 single year all over again. On Memorial Day, after a whirlwind weekend in which a couple of our friends stayed at our apartment with us (more on that later), we celebrated our very first year of Marriage!

We went to Meritage in St. Paul (which I have had on my list to go to forevarrrr) and it was delicious. I had escargots, a variety of oysters (yum) and a 1/2 lobster. They even brought us a little champagne on the house to celebrate! Alex gave me an awesome necklace with a fleur-de-lis on it (!) and I gave him a pair of Left Field selvedge denim jeans from Black Blue.

This past year has flown by for us, but it still feels like such an amazing milestone. Alex makes me happier every single day I spend with him, and I could be more giddy (read: Barffffff!) about it.
To celebrate, I've rounded-up some of my most favorite photos of the two of us from the past 9 years.

2004 Camping Trip, gotta love 4 megapixel cameras!

2005

2006, Bemidji MN

2007, hanging out at the Boys' place

2007, Black&White Ball

Our first Christmas living together, 2008

2009 Dance Party, Minneapolis MN

2009, Duluth MN

I love this picture of us doing charades at a friends' cabin, 2009

2010, playing around with Photobooth as usual!

I never pass up an opportunity to show the famous proposal photobooth! San Fransisco, 2010

At our Groom's Dinner at the Bulldog Uptown, 2011

Our Wedding day, 2011

Sometimes when I get home from being freezing cold all day at work, and all I want to do is be warm. So this is what I did the other day, I threw on some additional layers, and then added a necklace later when we went out to meet Maggie & Brett and Gene & Jill for Thai at our favorite Thai place!

sweater: vintage, from swap
flannel: AA
necklace: vintage, two birds
jeans: J.Crew
socks: SmartWool, gift

EDIT: It is currently -10 below! I have a feeling that tonight is going to be another one of those nights...

2011 was a whirlwind of a year for me. An Amazing year. I traveled a bit, got married, celebrated friends and family, and I tried to fully appreciate the wonderful life I live. It's not always what I'd pictured myself doing at 25, but I am lucky. And in 2011 I think I did a pretty good job of reminding myself of that! And yet, there are always little improvements that can be made. Some things I've been thinking about making a priority in 2012:

+ Start eating meats again. Something to do with grabbing life by the horns and never holding back!! Never turning down an opportunity to eat well, enjoy life and stay out a little bit too late.

+ I need more candles in my life. Buy a bunch of candles. Something to do with romance.

+ The ubiquitous "I need to get in shape" resolution. I agree with Erin that "get in shape" feels a little bit more attainable than "lose weight." I just feel my age beginning to catch up with me (see above). I'm thinking Mary Helen's Ballet Beautiful might just be the perfect change for me.

+ Have no fear. I might need to deal with some big (difficult?) life changes in 2012, and I have to remember not to be afraid, and remember that everything will work out in the end. Life may not be like I had originally planned, but sometimes it turns out better! Travel more, even if you dont think you have the dough, and take advantage of the opportunities that present themselves to you. Make opportunities happen for myself!

+ Seek out simple little ways to de-stress. Pay bills in advance, have a glass of wine before dinner, make homemade bread and other baked goodies more often.

+ Create more. Whatever that might mean.


PS: Inspired by Jen from jenloveskev, Alex and I whipped up a quick (our first) Happy New Year newsletter/card for family and friends and sent it out last week! You can see it here.

Here are some of my favorite outfits of 2011. I find it super interesting to go back and revisit what I thought were my favorite outfits of the past year, and what themes I latched onto. They always surprise me! Plus, I remind myself what I liked and what to wear again soon! (Here's my 2010 recap)

January

Cozy wool sweaters and stripes prevailed in january. Also, I loved this pendant I made out of an antique padlock.

I have been wearing this skirt nonstop lately. I got it at the swap awhile back, was it yours? Well anyways, I've been wearing it a lot. This particular outfit I wore to a happy hour to celebrate with the newly-wed Maggie, and later on Erin stopped by too! I had tons of fun, as usual, and I got to try Bell's Double Cream Stout, which I really liked. Yummmm, winter beers! I love this time of year, if only for the beers, the Holidays and hibernating at home with my hubby. I am not looking forward to snow...

dress/tunic worn as top: H&M
skirt: from the swap!
tights: random
socks: husband's
boots: Crown Vintage, from DSW

Well, I've officially made it through another Art Sale! I am still exhausted the morning after, and my feet may still be throbbing (three full days on concrete floor isnt the most forgiving), but I am so happy to be waking up this lovely Sunday morning to snow on the ground, my husband making coffee and waffles (!) in the kitchen, and this most ADORABLE video on the interwebs. I think I just died of cuteness. It's going to be an awesome day!!

Oh hey, did I not share these Honeymoon photos from our trip to Hawaii yet? Oops! All photos below shot on medium format Kodak film with vintage Yashica-A twin lens camera. I'm really proud of how many of them turned out. So much so, I'm thinking about printing a bunch of these and getting them framed for the MCAD Art Sale in November. Hopefully, I actually follow through on that! (you can see more on my Flickr, here)

And speaking of vacations, I'll probably be on a plane right about now on my way to Las Vegas with my lovely husband! He was lucky enough to to be invited to this national software conference this week, and I'm just tagging along. Not sure how much time I'll actually be out and enjoying the town by myself, since we wont have a rental car. But I do plan on laying by the pool and eating lots of great buffet food, for sure. Anyone who's been there have any must-visit suggestions? Have a great weekend everyone and see you soon!


















Scratch that, let's just go back to Hawaii!

YES, THE PHOTOS ARE UP! Our wedding was the most amazing day, I wouldn't go back and change a single thing, and Gene somehow makes it look even better than I remember! Gene, you are a rockstar and we cant wait to hang out with you for real. More here!


All photos by Gene Pease. Full post (and larger images) here!

Okay people, I am back, and hopefully BACK IN ACTION. But first things first, Alex got me the Zumi Digital camera as a wedding gift (omgzumiiii!) and what do I notice just as soon as I am back, reading blogs and whatever... GUESS WHO ELSE has a Zumi and is planning to bring it on their vacation?! THAKOON. Y'all, we must be born of the same fabric. Thakoon and me. Photographic proof:



First image copyright Gene Pease of Geneoh Photography (yes, I will post pictures soon I promise! There are so many!) and the second is via becauseimaddicted for vogue's the coveteur.

PS: Some Zumi stills are up on my flickr, as are HONEYMOON film pics. In case.

Well the wedding is over, the bouquet is drying (wilting?), the aftermath is all put away and the apartment is cleaned up. And now we are on our way to beautiful Hawaii! Yes, there will be much more to say about the amazing wedding we had, the amazing pictures, and the amazing forthcoming marriage. But for now I will leave you with my surprisingly well-curated belongings that fit into, I kid you not, one carry on bag. How refreshing it is to fly without checked luggage!




Much more to come in the near future, though I am not sure how much I will post beachside, as I assure you that I will be beachside for the next 7 days straight.

See you kids soon!
A

edit: I cant for the life of me, figure out why that picture is so small! Frustrating.

I'm pretty sure that springtime (when it finally arrives), is the best. Also, getting vintage 1940's dresses tailored so that they fit your body and your style, is a pretty close second. Everyone should get things tailored all the time.

I am excited to pick up my wedding dress from the tailor today. I will be getting married in it in less than 3 days (everyone pray for nice weather for me, I think I'm going to need it)!

My girlfriends, they are so good to me. They designed these awesome wedding invitations for Alex and I, and I just printed and cut them today! Arent they neat? Yes, well I am very excited over here.

(More soon)

PS. You can find these talented ladies on the web here, here, here and here.