So weird and awesome to be in a real home (of our own!) for the holidays. Didn't have much time since we've moved in to hunt down much holiday decor, but did want to share some of the decorating fun we had. The pretty little wreath above is from Target. The first wreath I bought had ornaments and goodies all over it and was awesome, but was way too wide to fit between the real door and the glass door. Boo. Needed something really narrow, so this one fit the bill. (Dear Target: You never let me down.)
Some of our indoor decor:
Pretty little music box tree from my grandparents, with our real tree (well, our fake real tree) behind it.
Sparkly mini tree and a sparkly deer (from World Market), sitting on top of the awesome cabinet Dac's parents got us as a housewarming gift.
Pretty star dish from my friend Rachel. Love mini ornaments in a bowl. Got the shiny charger for $1.50 from Target (like I said...).
Stockings hung by the chimney with care. Plus some poinsettias that were $1 a piece on Black Friday (Lowes), and a good ole Fossil tin on the mantle. :)
Then there was our first outdoor light experience. We decided to keep it pretty simple this year. Everyone had been talking about how easy net lights were, so we gave them a try ...
... for the one and only time. Our bushes are just too big for them - they pretty much only cover the top (although I'm sure we could find bigger ones). We actually thought we had bought enough for both sides of our front door based on the footage, but we were way off (didn't help that one of the sets we bought was busted and had to go back). And I don't like that the cords are so noticeable during the day.
We also hung a lit garland around our door, once again from Target.
Dac putting the finishing touches on it. We just used really small nails in a few places to hang it.
Next year maybe we'll attempt lights on the roof, or at least cover all of our bushes. :)
Madewell is running 25% off and free shipping on $150+ orders this week (through 12/10). Good timing to make a gift idea list of my fave stuff. Madewell goods are always at the top of my list (for myself and others). See last year's Madewell gift post. Biggest difference this year is that we DO have a store in KC. They probably saw my post last year and got right on it. But, they still haven't asked me to do a "Jayne's List" for them. If they did...
P.S. Happy St. Nick's Day! Anyone else put out shoes on St. Nick's Eve when they were younger, like Katie and I did? One of my favorite traditions. Actually, our mom still sends us packages for St. Nick's. I know, she's the best.
I've read several articles lately about how social networking is really just a way to brag about your life. I guess...it's true. But there are worse things, yes? I mean we don't usually blog about a project we messed up at work, an argument we had with our Boo, or a piece of cake we wish we hadn't eaten. I think I already spend plenty of my time complaining and fretting about things. This blog is a place for fun and happiness and pretend shopping, home decorating, and crafting. And I suppose my instagram and facebook profiles highlight a lot of the great stuff in my life, but hey, I'm a happy/lucky lady, and I figure my friends and family would rather read about good things going on than bad. I appreciate a happy newsfeed.
So, with that in mind, here's some pictures of a super fun time I had this weekend (ha!):
My mom and dad were in town and we went to Zoo Lights at the National Zoo - one of the coolest things we've done in DC! I loved it and we only got to see like 1/4 of the lights. We will definitely be heading back next year when Nora will hopefully have more time between naps to enjoy the lights.
Me and the mouse met a panda.
Nora went on her first carousel ride! The carousel at the zoo is so cool, every animal is there and they are all different and beautiful. She rode the panda. I thought it was spinning pretty fast, and Nora agreed by spitting up as soon as the ride stopped.
The three amigos - they had a lot of fun together this weekend!
And this hilarious video making fun of Instagram is making it's way around the internet (I'm not sure it would be funny if you aren't on Instagram, but if you are, it's really very funny):
What do you think? Is the internet too braggadocios or what?
On Saturday, my mom and I got to meet some of the most famous bloggers in the land: John and Sherry Petersik of Young House Love. They were as sweet and cute as they seem online, and they signed their awesome new book for us. I haven't had a chance to really dig in to the book yet, but I'm sure it's full of fun ideas, just like their house. I just love reading about their sweet family having so much fun working on their house. (I almost wrote "loving their house" - I guess their blog title has me convinced.) Here's a pic of us all (boo to the blur) - I wore my favorite earrings (that Sherry also wears all the time), hoping she would have them on too, but she didn't wear them that day.
Some projects from their blog that inspire me to get to work:
A little holiday decor love for this week's I'll Have What She's Having. We have holiday decorating in our blood. Remember how our mom puts TWELVE TREES up each year? There are probably more little ones that aren't counted in that number. She's a pro. We aspire to be her, so here are some wishful thinking ideas.
Dac and I hosted our first holiday together this Thanksgiving, with his fam...
In our first house. (our family room is pretty much the only room with stuff in it at this point)
Using pretty much any kind of T-giving decor for the first time.
With a meal prepared by lots of great chefs in our first real (non-rental) kitchen. Go, Klanci, go!
Including our first turkey.
Which we ate on our China, used for the first time (other than to eat our wedding cake on our first anniversary). Was pretty excited about the gravy boat. Like our makeshift dining room table? Dac's parents were awesome to bring us a card table to use. (Still haven't found a dining room set we love. Suggestions welcome.) PS: See that hurricane in the middle of the table? My mom introduced me to the fact that a bag of cranberries looks really pretty around a candle for the holidays. Cheap and easy!
Then afterwards we went to our first Plaza Lighting Ceremony. Every Thanksgiving night, our Country Club Plaza has a big celebration leading up to when they "flip the switch" for the Plaza lights to come on for the season. They are beautiful and my fave thing about KC at Christmas time. By the amount of people that turned up it's obviously a tradition for a lot of families in KC to go to this thing.
As soon as the lights came on, they had a pretty awesome firework show that we turned out to be standing in the perfect spot for. Pretty sure those were my first Turkey Day fireworks.
Had to get a pic with the lights (our first of probably many this season).
Sorry that all of my posts lately are random thought dumps, but...here we go again.
So in love with this house posted on Young House Love today. Also, my mom and I get to meet John and Sherry (of YHL) on Saturday at a book signing - so excited!
I really want to make this skillet lasagna I saw on Annie's Eats.
I want to make this table. I want someone to make me this table.
My friend Megan gifted me with 3 bunny ornaments (one is me, one is Henry, and one is Nora.) I love them on the tree! They are from Anthropologie (where everything ships for free today, no minimum!)
Cute Mara Mi holiday stuff at Target (can't find it online).
Sweet baby.
I think this makes me the Large Fry, but I also received suggestions that perhaps my Milkshake brings all the boys to the yard or that I am the ketchup to her fries.
