sad

To add to the complete crappery that was 2011, my Aunt Chela's son died in a fire on the night of the 27th. He was 32.

On the 28th four out of five of my siblings plus the two nieces went to Mexicali for the funeral. We're on our way back now.

This year has been total crap. I can't wait for it to be over.

- mobile blog post. spelling irrelevant.

the anti-evy gift guide

I was thinking about making gift guides for you all but those things take work and other people do them better than I do so I thought I'd make you a gift guide for me. Of things you should NEVER buy me. Now this is day after Christmas and Matt said I should have done it before Christmas but it's more one of those reflection type things since actually my family violated all of these rules. They got lucky this time...

1) Never buy me decor things. I'm sure you may have a good inkling as to what would work in my home but you're probably wrong. Even if it's black and white and yellow, just say no.

2) Scented candles. I am very particular about candle smells and take great pleasure out of finding the perfect candle smell for the house and the room it will go in so don't take away my pleasure. Unscented candles maybe if they're particularly me but no smells.

3) CLOTHES. NO. NO. NO. You cannot possibly guess what I would like in an article of clothing or if something would fit me. So let's just avoid that whole fiasco.

4) Jewelry. I am fairly predictable when it comes to jewelry and I buy lots of it but I fear if you take matters into your hands, it will not end well.

Not that you'd ever know I would act like I liked it. But let's just keep this in mind come birthday time.

only one thing left to say

what a difference a year makes

Last year she was barely able to push a toy walker thing. Now she insists the baby doll goes in the carrier before it goes on the cradle. She says "Gadget" & "L.J." and dips her chips in a lot of guac before she will eat them.


She made out like gang busters and we will speak of that anti-feminist present soon enough.

- mobile blog post. spelling irrelevant.

i can't be the only host that does this

On the night before a party I usually have the room all set up like it will look the following night and even turn all the candles to make sure the lighting is just right.

 Don't think it's beneath me to tie a bow around a Tapatio bottle. I'll do it danngit.

Well it's time to get ready for my family's Christmas dinner and gift exchange. There's been some drama lately so I'm just ignoring all my mom's phone calls until we get through it because I fear the things I'll say. All I do is text her back when she asks me questions.

another one ready

After weeks of it being the room where I shoved all the Christmas decorations I hadn't found a place for  I finally made myself go into the drum room and finish getting it ready for guests.

The Old Navy job scored us some hanging lamps that plug in so I hung it over the bed. None of the bedrooms have overhead lighting, everything is plugged into an outlet and has a lamp. So this is kind of pretend overhead lighting since it's basically just a lamp hung from the ceiling.

This arm chair is my favorite thing about this room. Very few places are so comfortable for reading.

The side table is a pretty cute little scene.

Oh yeah there's a tree in here too. With a tiny present underneath it as well.

The alarm clock has capability for playing your mp3 player of choice. I would choose an iPhone, but that's just me.

I switched out the sheets for flannel sheets. We used to use these in our bedroom before we switched to non-snowflake-y flannel sheets. Technically these don't quite fit the bed since the sheets are for a queen but whatever, better larger than smaller.

And like in the guest room I hung ornaments on the curtain rods in the color corresponding to the room's color scheme.

And as you can see, to the left of that chair is all the manly things that are Matt's influence.

I think that signed Mignola poster is his pride and joy. And he loves that Godzilla poster.

I did switch out a movie poster for this free printable that was available on the internets.

We bought the blu-ray of Pulp Fiction and it came with this Jack Rabbit Slim menu that I just had to frame. In the menu you can see the $5 milkshake listed.

If you wanna kick it old school, here's the record player.

On top of which I stuck a bowl full of non-breakable ornaments.

And have loaned this room a very treasured possession: my campfire tealight.

You turn it on from the bottom.

And enjoy the magic that is a campfire without all the ash smell on your clothes.

We still have that guest room pamplet in here though, should you decide to explore L.M.

And of course a wreath on the door.

And the candle smells like Christmas. I love it.

Ed Wood says come on over it's great in here!

Join us. We promise we will respect the locked doors.

either the pressure is getting to me or i don't have that much to do

I have not been doing much this week. Maybe I am just too aware of the fact that starting Friday we will be bombarded with people every single day and maybe instead of taking advantage of that fact to clean I'm taking advantage of that fact to spend the day in p.j.s, eating leftovers, and watching hours of 30 Rock. Doesn't seem like me though... I should be spending every waking moment getting ready for parties and family and making the house look spotless! 

I spent yesterday cleaning up the two guest rooms and realizing, I guess there isn't that much to clean after all? Or is it that I'm just too lazy to care? I mean, how dirty can two rooms that sit unused 80% of the time get? Not very dirty as I learned. Some dusting, some vacuuming, a little aesthetic rearrangements and they looked ready. The living room and kitchen need some serious scrubbing but I feel like I can do that next week before the big party. And my family won't care if things aren't perfect, they'll be distracted by the pretty table and piles of presents. 

Oh my gosh, is this was relaxed feels like? Did all of my months ago shopping and ordering online of gifts that were delivered and wrapped weeks ago pay off? Is there really that little left to do? 

because i will go through great lengths for a joke

You know how I prepared the guest room with the concept that it was a "hotel room"? Well I took it a few steps further. Other than it having its own stationery and pamphlet, I also made these:

That's right, hotel key card holders. Apparently I've also decided that the new branding of my hotel involves the color purple. Upon "check-in" guests will be given their card holders with keys inside.

I have a collection of hotel keys in the office so it was easy to re-create a hotel key. Add a barcode and some arrows and boom, sold.

I also put room numbers on the doors.

And by the door handles is this little box:

Which is the "key card" lock to allow you entry into your room.

Please make sure you slide it with the arrows pointing down otherwise you'll be sleeping on the couch.

I'd like to tell you that I did this mostly for Charlotte & Claire so we can play hotel when they come to spend the night, but even as grown-ups, can't we still pretend every once in awhile?

this has not been a cooking year

The holidays are not a time of rest for the cooks and hosts of the family. I am about to type into evernote all the cooking assignments I have for the rest of the year with all the family gatherings and parties that are coming up and was thinking that this year hasn't been much of a cooking year for ole Liz Lemon, EvY. (Pics below are of this year's cooking adventures).

What changed a lot for our family was the news that Matt was allergic to eggs and dairy making us: VEGAN at home. Tan Tan Tan! Which opened up a whole new world of cooking and eating out. And though our options are much more limited eating out, cooking vegan at home has been a really enjoyable challenge. I don't have the balls to go fully vegan myself but I am trying to limit the eggs and dairy intake since honestly, dairy isn't that good for you to begin with. 

Expanding our horizons to veganism led to cooking outside of America and I have added ingredients to my cupboard I'd never even heard of.

I also never thought I'd make a pizza from scratch. Nope. Never.

And a 100% gluten-free and vegan s'more was a lot more delicious than I'd imagined.

To continue the theme that this has not been a cooking year, I'm going to be having the food catered for my biggest party of the year. I'm going to try to make a few lil' things but I'm not gonna beat myself up over the fact that I'm having someone else make it. Sometimes you can and sometimes you can't. 

Next year I'm gonna try to do more International cooking since it's been so dang delicious for us and led to our favorite veggie place.