EvY at HomE

"what is wrong with you? that guy wanted to buy you a drink!" "really? but i already have a drink. you think he'd buy me mozzarella sticks?" if you're not watching 30 rock, you should make it your new year's resolution. - mobile blog post

Matt's sister was in town and they came to our house, since Angie's already here I had Liz bring Lyla and ta-da a picture with all four of my nieces. Our house was FULL yesterday. I made lunch for the grandparents, the Fredrichs, the Carrs, and Milena, who dropped by while I was making lunch, perfect timing for her. I'd made tomato soup the night before and woke up with the thought that well if I am making tomato soup I best make some grilled cheese sandwiches. And since I already had pomegranate seeds I thought well I just need some arugula, parmesan, and I'll make dressing for a salad. It went over well. Grandma said the tomato soup was better than Panera's which I took as a big compliment. Then the family kept coming and coming. Luckily for dinner Dan and Jason picked up Panda Express. We had so many people around the table I had to add the small square one too, there was about 14 of us. It was a good but tiring day. Hope you all have a safe and happy new yea...

Have I ever mentioned how much I love the movie "The Royal Tenenbaums"? It's number three in my top five favorite movies of all time. Right after "While You Were Sleeping" and "Indiana Jones & the Last Crusade". It was one of the 8 movies Matt and I both owned before we did the big DVD combine of '07 before we got married. Gulp that was scary, now it's no big deal. Anyway, check this business : Trying to talk Matt into letting me buy it. It's limited edition! I think I'll put it in the hallway with the other prints of houses. Gee I'm thematic. And cinematic. "Is that a tic-tac?" "Oh no, that's dog blood" "I'm not colorblind am I?"

Organize. Obviously. I spent a few hours returning my office back to order after much gift wrapping and guests staying over. And of course I had to add my latest pillow acquisition to the couch full of pillows and cats laying on them.  It's Betty and they love her. I also have to find places to stick the sets of 12 everything left over from my Christmas party. Matt's gonna let me buy that big cabinet for my birthday so I can store things there but that won't be for a few more weeks so until then, I'll be reorganizing the cupboards. Which obviously, is a lot of fun for me. Ho Ho Ho.

Next year dangit, that's the year our bedroom goes from dorm room at Hart Hall to a room where grown ups sleep and read comic books. Nicole at Making it Lovely has it has a lot of the elements in her room that are things I want in mine like matching nightstands, matching table lamps, a bookcase, some sort of ceiling light, and my current favorite upholstered beauty: the Hoffman bed from Room & Board. The element that's new to the room is a low and large dresser. We have tall ones right now because we were lacking of space in our apartment but we can go bigger now so I am into this style. It has to be about 6 roomy drawers or more because Matt needs four drawers for his stuff and I need one for my PJs. Is it just me or does that chair next to it look awesome?I even dig the minimal styling. I still want to keep a large bookcase. Originally I wanted to get two of them to flank the dresser but now I might stick it off to the side but still visible from the bed. Of the man...

I was a good girl this year. I guess. Matt got me Ally Mc Beal Season 2. Matt's grandparents hooked the family up with cashmoney. Ally bought me Betty White: on a pillow. Matt's aunt got me a two tier serving platter. Matt's mom hooked me up with some cozy pjs I'm wearing right now and a vegan cookbook to complete my collection as well as these little beauties. Big pimpin. Sleepy head. We hooked the family up with some good gifts too, everyone seemed genuine about liking their gift and started using them right away! Matt's mom wasted no time trying out the flip HD we got her and here's grandma enjoying Dan's gift from us, a putting mat. My immediate family had a dinner the night of and a big ole gift exchange. We had so much fun. Dinner was delicious for being put together last minute (literally the day before I scrambled to think of food for us) and easy. On Thanksgiving we put our names in a hat and everyone drew a name and kept it hush hush. Matt and I go...

Made three meals on Christmas. Spent Christmas morning with Matt, Dan, Jill, Esther, and Angie. Spent Christmas lunch with Matt's Plank side of the family. Spent Christmas dinner at home with all of my siblings: Ab, Mari, Elizabeth, and Esther. Their significant others: Gaudy, Eddie, Jamar, and Ceaser. And the babies: Angie and Lyla. And my darling in-laws. That evening in my house there was also two dogs, two cats, and one puppy (belonging to Liz). The babies got a TON of presents. I am beyond tired. And beyond euphpric. Merry Christmas world. - mobile blog post

It was a pretty great party. All the obsessing and thinking about it and fussing, once the first guests arrived, a sense of resolve came over me. It's done, all the prep work, it's done, now enjoy yourself. And nothing got me down after that. Even I was surprised. At some point the blow torch ceased to work 'til Justin fixed it somehow and Am thought I'd panic but I just didn't have it in me to stress about anything, I was just happy to enjoy everyone. These imperfectly perfect people that have been a part of my life for the past decade, they made the party what it was. A joy. Also, a California Dreams sing along, never hurt anybody. Merry Christmas surf dudes.

My old roomie was the true hero of the party, encouraging me to keep cooking the night before so the day of we wouldn't be cooking, we'd just be heating up. I would have made a few things and then finished day of but because of her and with her help we finished everything but a few things. What a relief! She pretty much made the quiche, the madelines, the nuts, the creme brulee, and the green beans all by herself. We were both working in the kitchen and I was supervising/basically nodding my head and cleaning/making that complicated vegan quiche but Ambre really took on a lot and works really fast. I gave her props at the dinner table and she told me she doesn't like it when I do that because it's supposed to be me that gets the credit. What a gal. If I was insecure about my abilities for shizzle I'd need to be built up but I was fairly certain I could have made the stuff she was making and had done some of it before so I was fine with her doing the work ...

"Honey! Can I spend $212 on a scarf ?" "Of course you can." "It's not for you though right? It's for one of the cats." "No, it's not for me."

While I decorate pretty traditionally for Christmas, I strive to avoid cheesy things like snowmen or Santas. I hate Santa. I am very attracted to modern Christmases that still feel Christmasy and sparkly but with a twist. Some events place did this little bit of magic . SO GIRLY! I might not be able to do this in the whole house but maybe next year I'll finally purchase that white Christmas tree I've always wanted for the office.