merry merry jolly jolly

 It's Christmas! It's Christmas! The tree is trimmed, the presents wrapped, the travel over, and the celebrations well under way. I wish you all the merriest of holidays and hope you're spending it with those you love most. I'm off to grab another cup of egg nog coffee and unwrap something pretty from under the tree. big kiss, bekuh

christmas trails

I'm so excited for Christmas! I get to see my dad's family, eat my Grandma's cheese ball, give/receive presents, and escape from the confines of my desk for six whole days! As Ryan and I hit the road for Ohio I thought I'd share a few outtakes from my holiday photo shoot with Maddie, more coming tomorrow. Ryan's taken to calling this plaid jacket my Christmas jacket and seeing it in front of a giant (half decorated) christmas tree definitely brings the point home. Am I turning into my mother circa 1992? Never! You won't catch me wearing a wreath covered turtleneck anytime soon.

For those traveling- Be safe as you hit the Christmas trails. big kiss, bekuh

a browning christmas tree

This past Friday Ryan and I decided it was time to really start getting into the holiday spirit. We started blasting Christmas music, pulled out our giant box of ornaments, and began the arduous task of decorating our Christmas Tree. Okay so it wasn't really arduous as our tree is only 3 feet tall, but it is a tricky thing deciding what ornaments to hang and which ones to keep tucked away for another year. We were totally on the same wave length and our tree is the perfect mix of ornaments from childhood and the ones we've bought together. I love this little crooked evergreen with all my heart. It's our own version of Charlie Brown's Christmas tree. big kiss, bekuh

operation living christmas tree

It may be jumping the gun (just a little) to start talking about Christmas, but I'm going to anyway. Over the weekend Ryan and I bundled up, and braved the very cold, to buy our Christmas Tree! Of course I had to share our tree on the blog, its tradition (2012 / 2011). I've decided to just embrace the season and really get into it starting now, because really who's going to stop me?

Over the weekend it came to both Ryan and my attention that between travel, work, and holiday parties our weekends are pretty much booked solid through the new year, which meant if wanted a tree we had to get it stat. So on Sunday morning we bundled up in some of our warmest gear and headed out to Terrain. We had already decided that we wanted to pick a sustainable Christmas tree option this year, not only because we thought it was the responsible thing to do, but because our miniature apartment can could only handle a baby sized fir. So with that in mind we found the cutest, must needly tree on in the whole place. I think she's perfect.

 
Though we don't have a place to plant her after the holidays we know someone who does, and they'll be giving this little beauty a place to live for the next hundred years. Give or take a few. Have any of you taken the plunge and put up your tree? big kiss, bekuh

ghosts of halloween past

 Growing up Halloween was always the highlight of fall for me. Not so much because I got a pillowcase full of sweet treats, but because it was the only chance I had to really embrace my theatrical side and pretend to be someone else for a whole day. Each year I'd immerse myself in whatever character I was to play and learn as much as I could about the way they talked, moved, and even what they ate. I must have watched the live action Popeye a dozen times the year I was Olive Oyl for Halloween (bottom image above). I went around saying "Oh, Popeye," for weeks, much to the chagrin of my younger brother who had to be my Popeye that year.

Through the years I've been characters like Rainbow Bright, Maid Marian, the Little Mermaid, Morticia Addams, and so many others. This year I was Nancy Drew, and next year who knows? It's still fun putting on someone else's hat for a few hours, like an escape from your own reality. Some things never change. big kiss, bekuh

our holiday weekend

I can't believe how quickly the long weekend came and went. I'm sitting at my desk wondering how on earth it's already Tuesday! June is only a few days away now, and I'm in full on Summer preparedness mode. Visiting friends and family in Virginia proved to be the perfect retreat for us to kick-off the warmer months, and looking over the sparse imagery I have from the weekend I know it was a good time. We ate too much, laughed too much, and just generally enjoyed our first trip back to Roanoke. Nothing too out of the ordinary really.

We split our time between Ryan's family and our friends in Roanoke, and my Mom's out on the lake. Though the weather was a little unseasonably chilly it was still nice to sit in lawn chairs and look out over the glassy surface of the water. I think the thing that impressed me the most was how good everything smelled. I'm not saying Philly is stinking (yes I am), but man did the air smell good in the country! I think we already have a deeper appreciation for where we came from. What did you do over the weekend? big kiss, bekuh

New Years Eve Snapshot

We headed over to our friend Sean's house for New Years Eve this year (that's him making a pyramid with his hands), and all kinds of silly antics ensued. It was so fun to gather with some of our closest friends for what has become one of my favorite holidays. It was a reunion of sorts, because it had been weeks since most of us had seen each other.

We of course ate way too many goodies, laughed way too hard, and just generally celebrated the end of a long year, and the start of a new one. Did anyone else find the entertainment before the ball dropped a little silly and way too easy to make fun of? We did, and therefor turned the sound down to make up our own lyrics, and commentary for the entertainers; which was way more fun.

 

My favorite part of the evening was getting to catch up with Martin and Mollie who got ENGAGED over the holiday!!!! My heart is still so happy just thinking about it. They're two of Ryan and my favorite people and we couldn't be happier for them. 2013 is going to be the most epic year for these two I just know it.

Towards the end of the night we all got a little sleepy, and giggly, so of course Ryan serenaded us with cover songs and made up songs. A perfect ending to a perfect night. What did you do for New Years? Whatever you did I hope it was memorable! big kiss, bekuh

2013, Already an Old Friend

New Years Eve was a night of laughter, friendship, and reunion as we gathered with friends to herald in a new day, and a new calendar year. Today has felt like all the last, but with a renewed sense of hope. My hope is that the rest of the year will feel like the first. Sweet. big kiss, bekuh

Christmas Snapshots

Another Christmas has come and passed. It always seems to go by so quickly, and it's bittersweet looking back on these photos already. We spent Christmas with Ryan's family this year, instead of making the venture up to Ohio. We had a Christmas Eve feast, opened presents, and spent time catching up with his Aunt's, Uncle and Grandpa. It was a real family affair.

I caught a bit of the flu last weekend so taking it easy sounded perfect to me. They have a tradition that each person gets to open all of their gifts before the next one goes, so that everyone watches as you open their gift. It's a kind of sweet idea, and I loved seeing each person's face as they opened our gifts to them. Ryan and his brother both got a glow-in-the-dark racetracks from "Santa." They were so cute playing with their little cars, haha.

On Christmas day we woke early to open our gifts to each other, and spend a little time with Nellie. She got gifts from us, Ryan's Aunts, and my sister; so she's feeling a little spoiled right now. After opening our gifts we headed over to Ryan's parents for breakfast, and my Mom's later in the day for dinner. My stepdad has 7 grandkids so the evening's festivities were a little different from those the night before. There was music, drawing, ipad playing, present opening, tickle fighting, escapades going on around every corner. Sweet 7 year old Lilly took the picture of Ryan and I you see above. The only picture of the two of us all Christmas. It was a wonderful Christmas. Now I'm recooperating on the couch as it sleets outside. How was your Christmas?big kiss, bekuh