Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!

I can't believe Christmas is upon us! 2012 flew by... and I had such a wonderful time during it all. I'll be taking off until the New Year. There's some awesome stuff heading your way in 2013. It's been so much fun to think about and plan!

Between now & then, my life will be full of Christmas with both of our families, plus a special Aggie Christmas for just us, we're going to an amazing 20s-themed NYE party in Austin (thinking of getting a blow out for it!) and also just completing my break to-do list.

So not busy at all.

Thank you for a wonderful year. ♥

Making a list... and checking stuff off.

I can't believe it: It's December 21! My last day at work until January 3, 2013. Between now and then there's so much I'd like to do and see and experience. I couldn't help but make a little list so I could check back and see what I've done....

1. See Les Miserables... Twice
2. Finish a book
3. Finish Gossip Girl
4. Start (and maybe finish?) Downton Abbey
5. Set my 2013 goals for my personal life, work life, and blog life
6. Develop a strategy for my blog in 2013
7. Make a (chalkboard?) wall calendar
8. Finish organizing the closets at home
9. Get my tires rotated & oil changed & car washed
10. Have a day of doing nothing with C
11. Mile a day run Christmas through New Years
12. Clean up & revamp my Google Reader subscriptions
13. Start planning my super secret, long-term project
14. Bake something
15. Rest

Posting may be sporadic over the next week... But I'll still be on Twitter and Instagram

Merry Happy ♥

Just some musings...

When I was a junior in college, I learned about Twitter in my Services Marketing class.

I had always loved marketing (obviously, I picked it for my major!), but that Services Marketing class was really the first course that sparked a very deep-burning flame, that's still alive today - almost 5 years later.

I graduated college in love with social media. A deep love... of intrigue, of obsession, and of total adoration. It's the one topic that will always get me excited in almost any mood. Starting a blog was only a by-product of my desire to dive deeper into this world of endless possibilities.

Then came smart phones, QR codes, Instagram, the less-cool Google+. And I attribute getting both my last job and my current job not necessarily because of my skills but because of my passion.

When I get online, when I plan out how to use social media, I dive, and search, and obsess. I dream and imagine and plan. I get creative. I do. I make. I grow. I'm lucky to have found a job that really, truly challenges me to be better at what I love to do - and I've found a hobby (this blog!) that does the same.

As I'm looking forward into 2013, I can't help but come up with plans for how to use this passion for something greater... to continue to fall in love with everything I do.

I love the pending new year. It's full of hope & promise & possibilities ♥

I have next week off, and I'm coming up with plans on how to best use that time. There will be a lot of planning for 2013, some finishing up with 2012, and a lot of dreaming. This year has been a wonderful one, and I have you in part to thank for that.

Thank you for reading, commenting and interacting. It motivates more than I'll ever be able to express.

Now to go cuddle in my jacket at work... it got cold again, just in time for winter.

Weekly Loving.

Christmas is so close! Eek!!!

Here's a few of my favorite things around the web that are getting me through these last few days of work... Before my 10 days off ♥


Boozy Bacon Jam, for the awesome people in your life.


Nutella cinnamon rolls, for your loved ones Christmas morning.


Champagne. For yourself, naturally.


Handmade leather oxford shoes.


Bri from Design Love Fest. She's adorable, resourceful and inspirational.


Wearing polka dots & bowed flats. Because that's what Tuesday called for.

To see what others are loving, head on over to This Kind of Love & The Vintage Apple ♥

Currently...

Counting down to Christmas. I haven't been able to get into the Christmas mood yet, so I began a countdown... it's sort of helping. But the 70 degree weather isn't helping much. I keep trying to remember it's all about my attitude, but it's just not there yet. Hopefully soon.

Sipping tea. I've fallen in love with having a cup (or two) every morning. I even set up a little "tea bar" at work, so it's a little more fun every morning. My favorite flavor recently has been Ginger Peach. It's a different take on "traditional" tea (which I'm still not necessarily a fan of). Do you have a favorite?

Watching old Christmas episodes of all our favorite NBC comedies. Last night we started with the first Christmas episode of The Office, and it's crazy to remember how young everybody was 7(?) years ago.

Praying for the families in Newton. I have no words. Just very, very deep sadness. And slight confusion. And a lot of frustration... but mostly just sadness.

Listening to C's Long December playlist. It's really the perfect accompaniment to anything I'm doing at work, or for a long drive, or even just chilling around the fire.

Looking forward to having next week off. I am ready for a break, and a chance to recharge. A time to hang out with family, and to be by myself. I love working for a University that shuts down for 10 days. Now I just have to plan the week to make sure I don't waste it all!

Have a lovely day ♥

And thanks Danielle for the inspiration!

10 Things, Volume 26

{Weekend Update Link up with Join the Gossip & Sami's Shenanigans}

1. This weekend, we hosted my nephew Danzig at our house for three days... And lots of pictures, great memories and kisses were taken & had.

2. I learned that making plans with a 3-year-old is almost impossible. We barely did anything I had intended to do... but he didn't seem to care.



3. Toddler entertainment 101: Spiderman on Netflix. Trains he can climb on. And scissors.

4. Also, we made the most epic blanket fort of awesome. It was so big I couldn't get a picture of it. So trust me when I say big. Duct tape was used. Though I think Danzig had more fun tearing it down than anything...



5. Toddler meals 101: Make it fun. Make it small. And keep the novelty.

6. Danzig was obsessed with using breakable stuff... because that's pretty much all this kidless house has... and luckily tiny mason jars are the perfect size for a 3-year-old's hand. Also, he loves straws almost as much as I do.



7. Toddler fashion 101: Wearing a spiderman PJ set is totally acceptable in every scenario imaginable: playing video games, eating Ramen, and even naps in the car. It's basically the perfect outfit.

8. My favorite story of the weekend: On our way to meet up with his mommy at the end of the trip, Danzig yelled out from the backseat: I'm not sleepy, Amy. I'm not! To which I replied, That's cool, Danzig. To which he replied..... ZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzz



9. We had so much fun with the little guy, but I have to admit it was really nice getting to pass him off to his mom, and get home to a nice, quiet glass of wine.

10. Also, SNL this weekend was hilarious and you have to go watch it now.

Have a great Monday ♥

Test Drive

This weekend, C & I have the privilege of hosting our nephew Danzig at our house... all weekend long! We're considering it a test drive of sorts. But more in a "eventually" way, and not in a "now!" sort of way, if you get my drift.

We're planning on checking out Santa's Wonderland, and the local Christmas parade, and maybe even a few museums and parks (if the rain holds off). We're really excited ♥

Follow me on Instagram or Twitter to see the fun as it happens.

And have a great weekend!

Life's a Mixtape: Long December

**Life's a Mixtape is where life and music meet. Each mixtape is artfully crafted by C, and then shared by me. See the previous one here.

While December is full of holiday cheer, it's also full of end-of-year melancholy. For this month's Life's a Mixtape mix, we wanted to share the more melancholic and nostalgic feeling that comes with the end of a year... memories of long-lost loves, hopes of what is yet to come, apologies for what never did, and a promise of continuing on next to the one you love.


1/ bourbon // 2/ satchel // 3/ scarf // 4/ roasted chicken pot pie // 5/ fireplace // 6/ tea cup

The long, dark, cold December month is cozy, boozy and full of moments of deep comfort. I hope you enjoy this mixtape as much as I have.

For the Summer / Ray LaMontagne & the Pariah Dogs
Summer Skin / Death Cab For Cutie
The Rain / The Swell Season
Wait / Alexi Murdoch 3
You will Become / Glen Hansard
Styrofoam Plates / Death Cab For Cutie
12.23.95 / Jimmy Eat World
Christmas Blues / Dustin Kensure
Blame It On the Tetons / Modest Mouse
This Good Night is Still Everywhere / Dustin Kensure
Winter Winds / Mumford & Sons
Always in the Season / Pomplamoose
Getting Ready for Christmas Day / Paul Simon
Same Old Lang Syne / Dan Fogelberg **my favorite for the season
Brick / Ben Folds Five
Better Days / Goo Goo Dolls
A Long December / Counting Crows

Listen on Grooveshark. 

To see what others are loving, head on over to This Kind of Love & The Vintage Apple ♥

Rediscovering an Old Passion...

I've sadly given up one of my favorite hobbies recently. I used to love browsing through cookbooks and trying to find inspiration to spruce up the monotony of the work week. I loved looking forward to what new concoction I was going to whip up that night. And I especially loved surprising C with something new and fun.

But somewhere between who knows how long ago and now, I stopped cooking. Maybe a pot of soup here, or a new recipe for a party there... but not like I used to.

Luckily, I have a man that stepped up, and I've been really leaning on him to keep us fed during the week. And he's done a tremendous job and I'm so thankful that he's here to pick up the slack. (He makes the best jambalaya, and I'd be lying if I said I wasn't jealous of that!)

On Sunday, though, I was hit with inspiration. C wasn't home, and I had a few hours to kill. So I stepped away from the computer and picked up my four favorite cookbooks, which had been long forgotten. And I thumbed through them, and came up with a few great, healthy things to throw together this week.

Cooking is my version of art. It's freeing and intuitive. I can be as creative as I want - or as "by the book" as I want - depending on my mood. And I can get lost chopping, sauteing, and stirring. I think making dough is one of my new favorite things to do. And when I have that perfect head of garlic that is so easy to peel.... I love it all.

I even ground my own meat this weekend. It was marvelous!

Here's a few of my favorite recipes of years past:

♥ Easy Cinnamon Rolls

♥ Veggie Calzones (eating these this week!)

♥ Polenta Lasagna

♥ Nutella Merignes

♥ Chicken Feta Burger

♥ Gyro Meatloaf

♥ Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cupcakes

See all recipes here. 

After a successful day of cooking, I'm even more motivated to keep it up. Keep searching and cooking -- and hopefully soon, bring back sharing my recipes with you guys! It's been way too long ♥

10 Things, Volume 25

{Weekend Update Link up with Join the Gossip & Sami's Shenanigans}

1: Texas A&M Quarterback Johnny Manziel won the Heisman! It was a great day for our school & I'm so proud of him & the whole Aggie football team ♥

2: I really enjoyed sharing some secrets last week... your responses were great!

3: I read a chapter in Gala Darling's Love & Sequins eBook. It was awesome & totally encouraging. Highly recommend picking up a chapter or two.

4: I also am half-way through the BlogLove e-course from A Beautiful Mess. It's such a great read so far! Can't wait to finish it & then go back and re-read it all over again. (It was a weekend of learning, can you tell?)

5: I picked up a super cute dress this weekend for my holiday festivities. It's polka dots, and just about perfect in every way. ♥

(It even got C's approval!)

6: I vegged out & watch some more Dawson's Creek & boy it is cheesy and awesome! I'm dying to see what happens next (no spoilers please! only a decade behind...)

7: To get a little more in the festive mood, I made some Milk Punch this weekend. It's sweet and festive and super easy to make! (Recipe here)

8: I saw Pitch Perfect this week & it was hilarious! So glad I made time for it.

9: The anatomy of a perfect, relaxing night: special dark chocolate, wine & brie. It's a winner in my book every time ♥

10: And now it's back to Monday! Hope you had a great weekend!

My first week of keeping count...

On Monday I decided it was time to get back on the "losing weight" saddle (which seems to never go away completely...) and add to my already daily runs and Zumba & Piloxing classes by documenting my food. And by "documenting" I mean being completely, totally, and brutally honest about every bite that goes into my mouth.

I already had an account with My Fitness Pal, so I just picked that back up. It was actually surprising that I'm exactly the same weight that I was when I entered 2012. So - while I didn't reach my weight loss goals - I did manage to find a lifestyle in which weight maintenance is possible.

So, while I did try to eat a bit healthier, I didn't change my eating habits too much, with the exception of cutting out alcohol on Monday, Tuesday & Wednesday. (It would have been Thursday too, but there was a company party & you have to drink at those things...) It was interesting to see the results each day, and I definitely know that having a place on the web (and the App on phone) where I can see what I'm eating will help me in the long run.

I'm keeping this up through the new year, and am having my friend Ben look over it to see why I'm not losing weight, and help me make a plan to go forward.

It's nice to have plans in place, friends to help & tools to use to help you reach your goals.

And on that note... it's time for yet another weekend. Where did the time go?

Happy Friday ♥

Come close & I'll tell you a secret....

Just for fun, I decided to share a few secrets about myself that I haven't shared before. So, ssssshhhhhh, don't tell anyone ;-)

{one} I love McDonald's regular roasted coffee better than the regular coffee from Starbucks. (and I'm actually really picky about my coffee)

{two} I have more "selfies" than I'll even admit (even here)... my sister was looking through my phone once & made fun of me for days.

{three} when I got married & moved out of a house with a bunch of other girls, none of us were on speaking terms. It's taken me 3+ years to almost remedy those friendships. Letting those friendship go bad is one of my biggest regrets.

{four} I really dislike almost everything that Wes Anderson has made. With the exception of Moonrise Kingdom. But I still watch his movies.

{five} I consider myself a music snob, but totally dig Top 40, and have recently become OK with admitting that...

{six} I'm not well at following through. It's a struggle to finish most things, which is why I make crazy to-do lists.

{seven} my kitchen is never clean. ever.

{eight} and my bed is never made. ever.

{nine} I have total bitch-face while working out, and always feel guilty about it afterwards because I think the trainers leading the class take it personally (though I know they don't).

{ten} I really don't enjoy classic rock. There. I said it.

{eleven} I still don't really know what I want to do when I grow up. And I'm 2+ years out of college.

{twelve} I eavesdrop. I blame it on my good hearing :)

{thirteen} I'm afraid of the dark, of being home alone & especially of sleeping alone. When C goes out of town, I usually have to get myself drunk enough to fall asleep.

{fourteen} I love writing this blog, and the freedom of expression it gives me. Part of me wishes I was as bold in real life as I am on here.

{fifteen} I miss baking, but trying to lose weight doesn't lend itself well to Nutella brownies, you know?

And there's a little more about me ♥

Have a great day!

Winter Wish List

Winter is coming quickly! And I'm so excited for it. Even though it's been in 70s here, I'm still swept away by the magical holiday air that always comes with December. And while I'm inspired by the new month, I decided to put together my wish list for winter. From bubbly toasts to fancy morning-after coffee (with the perfect weekend bag), my winter wish list is about sparkles and having fun.

Details:
1 - Kate Spade champagne flutes to toast with
2 - A sparkly top for late night fun
3 - Fancy French press for lazy mornings
4 - An arrow bracelet, for just an extra pinch of pretty
5 - Truffle Sea Salt, to add pizazz to celebratory meals
6 - Trusted black heels to get me from A to B
7 - An overnight bag that tells it like it is


To what others are loving, head on over to This Kind of Love & The Vintage Apple ♥

Blogging, a Tutorial: Vol. 10

As we're getting into the holiday season, I'm reminded more & more about what I can't spend my money, time, effort (etc.) on. I begin to realize not all of the DIYs, recipes and outfits that I see around me on the web are going to happen -- and slowly but surely, Pinterest becomes a place of total despair instead of a place of inspiration.

I call this the "holiday blogging blues".

Because blog-land is one of showing off the best side of yourself, and that seems to increase ten-fold around the holidays. Handmade gifts, trips of going to Paris/NYC/Miami for Christmas, and buying all these awesomely cute designer gifts for friends & loved ones are popping up on my RSS feed in droves.

And for the briefest of moments, I get jealous. And I yearn to be a part of "that world" ... And I don't think that I'm the only one who feels that way.

We all compare ourselves to others. But the jealously and the envy has to stop. Those feelings and emotions eventually lead to resentment - and why would I want to resent somebody who's just showing me the best parts of their daily life? (And am I making somebody resentful of me?!)

So this holiday season, I'm vowing to share in others' joy, and take inspiration from the parts of their life that they care to share. I'm not going to allow myself to be brought down by my own envious nature. Instead I'm going to praise them, leave sweet comments & genuinely be happy for these virtual friends and acquaintances.

And I think you should do the same.

Remember to be happy with what you have - we can't all have exactly the same thing. And sharing kind words and high fives is rewarding. The holidays should be about cheer and love and being a part of a community - and that's what I intend to make it about.

***

I started Blogging: A Turorial as a way to celebrate my blog's second birthday. If there's ever a topic you want covered - or if you want to contribute - let me know! I'd love to talk to you ♥

To see all posts in this series, check out the blogging tutorial page.

10 Things, Volume 24

{Link up with Join the Gossip, five30three, & Sami's Shenanigans}

1) I took an exercise break. My body was exhausted and definitely needed the rest! (But now it's Monday, time to step it back up!)

2) C made me a 1920s-inspired meal, complete with champagne cocktails ♥ Can't wait to share more about it in detail -- it was super sweet!

3) Decorating for Christmas! Tree(s) are done!



4) Having my parents come up & visit us for the day on Saturday. It was so nice to just hang out with them & show them my new office & our new place (my mom helped me paint, but hasn't seen it decorated, and my dad hasn't been here at all).

5) Walking around the Texas A&M University campus with my dad. He's class of 1980, and it's always fun to see his reaction to how things are changing on campus.

6) Watching the SEC Championship game. It was so much fun to watch! Good football.

7) Lighting a fire Saturday night with C, and just talking, the two of us, about life, the universe & everything. He's a good friend in addition to being a great husband.

8) Our day trip to C's parent's house. We went to help them sort through some storage & it was a work day that put even my organizational skills to the test. But, we kicked butt & the place looks amazing!



9) Having our friend Brazos come & help move some of the heavier furniture and boxes. It's so nice to have friends that come & help at a moments' notice.

10) Getting home after a long, wonderful day & sinking into bed satisfied with life. That's the best feeling in the world.

Happy Monday!