Holiday Brie

{image from Simply Hue}

Baked Holiday Brie...Sounds delightful!
serves 4-6

1 brie cheese round (about 8 oz)
1 T maple syrup
1/4 c fresh cranberries, chopped
2 t fresh thyme leaves
1/2 t grated orange peel

Preheat oven to 400F. Place brie on a baking sheet. Pour maple syrup
over top, and add cranberries. Sprinkle with thyme and orange peel.
Place in oven and bake 25-30 minutes, until brie is soft when cut.
Serve immediately with your favorite crackers.

xo

Hostess with the Mostess

Where has this blog been hiding all my life?!?! Who doesn't adore entertaining? I mean, I might throw a party every weekend if the budget and schedule allowed for it. I always way over-stress before one, but love it at the same time! This site has all essentials for putting on the perfect little soiree...party themes, party boards, recipes, entertaining tips (and cute ones at that). This may just become a new daily read for this lady.

xo~
"Hostess with the Mostess" voted by my PHS senior class ;)

Kissing Tree

She is a phtographer. Her name is Elizabeth Messina, and she's based out of California. I have been sitting here ooooing and awwing over her website and blog! Her work is absolutely stunning in every sense of the word. And after looking further into her pictures, quite a few celebs were spotted, including...Brooke Shields & baby, Jason Priestly & baby, Tori and Dean & baby, Jeri Ryan wedding. Everything about her photographs are alluring and angelic.

As I start approaching 2010, and my news years resolution of digging into photography, I am loving being drawn into all the brilliant work caputured by others.

European Vacation

High fashion, shopping, site-seeing galore, tourists, language barriers, wine during the afternoon, mopeds & scooters, an abundance of outdoor dining, lights, yummy treats, history...and on and on.

Ahhh...who wouldn't want to surround themselves with this. I have been encountering this rather large itch to go back overseas again. And I find myself throughout the day periodically daydreaming of excuses to go, looking up airfare, hotels and trying to figure out how on earth I could possibly make this work for 2010! Italy and Paris are among the top choices at the moment. I mean, you only live once, right??!! Here's to hoping for a five day miracle....

Fa-La-La-La-La

Last night we did my most favorite thing to do during the holiday season...pick out and decorate our Christmas tree!!! It was a little bit of an adventure finding it, as it took us three tree "farms" for us to find the perfect one! By the time it got in the house and set-up it was late, but I poured myself a nice glass of red vino, turned on Sounds of the Season and decorated away!! I loved my sis's message after I sent her a picture of it all finished..."You just bought it less than two hours ago and its already decorated?!?!?! Holy smokes." Val...of course it's decorated!!!
We did however have to re-introduce Duke to the tree, and inform him that if he dare touch those ornaments that are at his level, Mom and Dad would NOT be happy campers. Let's hope he got the message ;)

Tomorrow night we're hosting our annual Christmas Soiree, so lots of cleaning and cooking is to be had before then!

Cheers to the holidays!! xo

Winter Staple

LOVE LOVE LOVE these leggings! After having my eye on them for a while, I decided to take the plunge on Black Friday. I found them at a local boutique here in Raleigh, where luckily they were having a sale on the entire store. I have a feeling I'm going to be sporting these everyday when we go to Telluride, with my NF Boots!

{David Lerner leggings}

Ultimate Giveaway

Check out http://www.fantabulouslyfrugal.com/ for the ultimate giveaway this holiday season!!! I don't usually sign-up for these because I NEVER win....but here's to hoping this year :)

Thankful

I'm a little late with my Thanksgiving post, but what a great week last week was. I have so much to be thankful for in my life, and was extremely blessed that I got to spend our first Thanksgiving in our home together with family and friends!! It was so great having my Mom in town to help us celebrate! Though we missed and were thinking about those that we couldn't spend it with. I was sooo glad I got up early that morning to walk with Julie in the Turkey Trot 8k benefiting the MS Society (one that is very meaningful to our family), because after all the food I ate that day, it made me feel a little less guilty for indulging.

{preparing our first bird}

{the final product...so delish}

{table decor}

{Blair and her amazing pumpkin pie!!}

Furniture Shopping

Matt was finally given the "OK" by his doc to ditch the crutches and his leg brace just before Thanksgiving, so we decided to venture out of the house to search for furniture for our basement. We realized that it was time to part with the 30+ year old couch, and after drving up and down Glenwood Ave. (furniture haven here in Raleigh), we had success. After one loveseat, one coffee table, one ottoman and two chairs later...we called it a day! Here's some pics of the final product...minus carpet (that's next).

The Man Cave

Here is the finished product of our most recent house project...our basement!! It was only partially finished, and well, since Matt grew up in NJ almost all houses have basements. This is where he frequented most in his house. So, it quickly moved up top on his list of things to complete. I was a little skeptical because of what he was labeling it as....see title. However, I'm pretty much sure at this point as soon as we have a functioning TV, I'll be down there as well. And just ignore the awesome teal floors...they are getting replaced with carpet, hopefully this weekend!!

{BEFORE pics}



{AFTER pics...furniture & decorating is still left to be done}



{our little helper!}