a time to reminisce.

Christmas is in two days and the new year is just around the corner. And I really can't help but think
back on how blessed Todd and I have been this past year.

We graduated from college, have each been blessed with great jobs that make us very happy, have
amazing families and friends that keep us grounded, have knowledge of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and
most importantly….we have one another.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!! 
{ps. our christmas tree had fallen off the wall by the morning}

sittin' with santa.

Considering Christmas is closing in quickly, Carly and I thought it was about time to go see Santa at Macy's. We felt a little sheepish standing in line accompanied by no children, but the elves just kept reminding us we were "Big Kids".  And hey, I had as long of list to discuss with Santa as the next kid!

All month I'd heard horror stories about this line but was pleasantly surprised at how fast we got through it. The intricate and festive decorations helped in distracting us. It seriously had to have taken Macy's weeks and weeks to get the set-up they had! It was pretty amazing. Unfortunately, that was about the only amazing part of this rendezvous...

 

Overall, I would have to say the whole experience was a little....creepy? The elves were pretty disturbing, but I guess you have to take into account what kind of people take seasonal elf jobs...

 Also, Santa wasn't the jolliest of fellows. He just sat there in a sort of slump, telling us not to get too close because he was sick. We did manage to sneak in a quick peck though!

a winter wonderland.

I don't love the cold and I definitely don't love the snow,

so when I heard our first blizzard was coming to the city let's just say

a tingly excitement didn't come over me.

But Saturday after it had snowed a few hours, Hubs got us

out of our warm, cozy house and took me out for a little fun.

The city was actually quite romantic with a fresh, clean layer

of snow on the ground!

enjoy the go.

can't a girl get a little privacy?

Finding a bathroom {nonetheless clean} is near impossible in the city.

So once a year, Charmin puts up 20 clean bathrooms in the

middle of Times Square. Considering that's now one of my clients,

Todd and I went on a little adventure Friday night.

new shelves!

A few weeks ago {here}, we went to Ikea to pick up some shelves I've been planning to decorate with for the last 8 months. It seems like these home projects just never end! Turns out they were a little too big, so we made the trek back to Ikea for an exchange.

I'm much more pleased with these babies!

{and it's an added bonus watching your man get down & dirty!}

i was the shelf preparer

screwing in the final bolt

ta-da!

DIY strainer chandelier.

For the past month, I've been fortunate to work as a design assistant for a woman opening her own cafe on the Upper West Side. I've been doing all sorts of fun craft projects such as decoupage and painting. I also had the chance to design this little gem.

I started with a strainer, spray painted some Fish's Eddy silverware copper and attached with wire, making a two-tiered chandelier.

Before:

After:

Shot of the restaurant still in progress

{aren't the light fixtures fabulous?}

The restaurant expects a soft open in a week or so, so if you're in the area you must go! It's the cutest cafe with the yummiest food!

63 Bites

5 W 63rd St

{and you'll have to take a look my decoupage sprinkled throughout}

Here's a little peek:

a scouts honor.

Mr. Scout Master helped host his very first Court of Honor this Friday,
and he did a fantastic job!

{How could he not in his manly scout uniform?}

As a boy, Todd wasn't much of a scouter, but after seeing him up in front of his scouts and their parents,
you never would have guessed! He did such a great job.

It was sweet seeing Todd interact with his boys—you can tell they really look up to him, and during
times like that, you truly see how inspired callings are.

 Go Scouts!

a christmas miracle.

I am now officially out of the job hunt and will soon be
prancing the halls of Publicis!

I couldn't be more thankful to have gotten this opportunity in this horrible job market. Quite the blessing!

The culture of the agency seems so great, and I cant wait to get started {Monday!}

I'll be working on the Charmin account and the Puffs account.

And as far as the bathroom jokes go, please keep them to a minimum. I'm not really looking to be the butt of ridicule!

a weekend to be thankful for.

I'm thankful for all the new and fun experiences we get in this city.

I am thankful we could make it through the masses to experience our first {and last} Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.

I'm thankful Rachel Ray led me along the way in cooking my first Thanksgiving meal at home. And what a success it was!

I'm thankful that after a messy kitchen like this...

...there were two willing boys to clean it up.

And last but not least, I'm thankful that the Cougs could pull through against the Ute's this year! Go BYU!