Oh Happy [Boxing] Day!

I hope everyone had a fabulous holiday filled with laughter and cheer, warmth (and snow), and lots of delicious food. We did. Everything but the snow. No white Christmas in Oklahoma this year. But we did have lots of laughter, cheer, and surf and turf! Before I'm ready to close the book on Christmas 2010, I'll give you a little show of what our Cowboy Christmas was like.

I love Christmas :-) Only 364 more days until Christmas! Or better yet... only 36 more days until my birthday! I should start my birthday list now...

Because you were so patient and did not pressure me at all into telling my great, exciting news (except for you, Michelle) I am ready to share. Drum roll please....

I got my dream job.

Yes, my dream job. What is that, you ask? I work for The Little Black Book. Which is a part of

Style Me Pretty

For those of you who don't know what that is, I will explain. It is the ultimate wedding resource for brides. Filled with amazing real weddings, beautiful wedding inspiration, and the most current bridal trends. It is the blog I visit every day. It is the first thing bookmarked at the top of my Mozilla page. In short, it is a wedding blog. But not just any wedding blog, the wedding blog.

I do not say all this because I am now an employee. I would have told you this two weeks ago, before I even applied for the job. I would have told you this two years ago, before I was even married. So now you can see why I am so excited to be working for this company. 

I am a Research Colleague for The Little Black Book, the part of Style Me Pretty which works with vendors. We have vendor relationships all over the country, and it is only growing. This means I get to work with and talk to (on a daily basis) people who love weddings as much as I do. People whose livelyhood depend on weddings. In short, people just like me.

I work from home, which means I can take this job with us wherever we get stationed. Born in New York, raised in Michigan, educated in Colorado, and now in Oklahoma, I am a person who is bound to be moving a lot. The Air Force pretty much guarantees it that way. And with the wedding industry being based on the relationships you make, being a successful wedding planner was going to have to wait until we separated from the USAF. But now, I get to take my job with me. I get to stay with The Little Black Book wherever I go. I get to work from home, and stay current ahead of the curve in the industry I love.

So there you have it. There is my wonderful news. I have my dream job.

Merry Christmas to All!

This morning, when I got home from teaching at the gym, J yelled from the bedroom (where he still hadn't gotten out of bed): "IS IT CHRISTMAS EVE TODAY?!"

When he realized today was actually Christmas Eve's Eve, he wasn't too disappointed, as he still had the day off of work, and was able to sleep through my core class AND step aerobics class. But, because tomorrow is Christmas Eve, I'm not sure if I'll be at the computer. Same deal Saturday. So I am taking today to wish a

Merry and Bright Christmas

to all you readers. So I leave you today with our virtual Christmas card, and warm wishes that you have a wonderful Christmas. I'll be back after the holiday with my big news! 

 

Shouting it from the Tabletops!

Just a quick post to let you know I got some amazing news today. Amazing. Like shout-it-from-the-rooftops amazing news. So amazing, I jumped out of my seat. But you're going to have to wait to hear it. I've got to pinch myself a few more times before I am ready to make this announcement. Please be patient!

And because it is Christmas Eve Eve Eve (as my mom would say) I wanted to continue with the Christmas Showdown. Or the Ho Ho Ho Down (since we are in the dust bowl). Either way, I an here today with another little holiday vignette. In the form of a dining room table.

We have no fireplace. Or staircase. So the stockings were hung on the back of the chairs as a temporary location while we were unpacking all our Christmas goodies. I was going to think of a "better" place for them. But I actually kind of like them there. Call me crazy.

As for the centerpiece (Thank you Grandma!) Jon and I received this beautiful piece from my grandma as a Christmas present. It works so well with the rest of our Christmas Simple Decor, and it brings a pretty pop of color to the dining room. Around the flowers are some of our wedding candles as well as lots of flowerettes made of the same fabric as our stockings!

Are you ready for Christmas?? I'm just about there. Santa and I are working together for the last of J's stocking stuffers. Do you do stockings? This year, like last year, J and I are getting one big present for ourselves (this year it is a Nikon D3100!!). This means all we get to pick out for each other is whatever Santa puts into our stockings. So stockings are always fun for me. :-) Oh yeah, I'm not pregnant, that is not my news!

Love your Bagel.

Yep. That is my heart shaped asiago cheese bagel sandwich. Thought you could use a little love and happiness today. Four days til Christmas!

Vacation, All I Ever Wanted...

At some point in this crazy thing we call "Living with the Air Force," we will take a vacation. The next year (well, until September at least) is going to be spent in training. After that there is, you guessed it, more training. But we are hoping to sneak a nice, long vacation in there somewhere.

Where, you ask? We're not sure yet. It's quite some time away, and it depends on what we can afford, how much time we have, as well as what else (weddings, etc) is happening around the time we take our vacation. I will warn you now, so you have months to get your disappointment under control, it will not be Michigan.

While we love MI, and even more importantly, love the people in MI, we have spent too many "vacations" running around MI. We want a real vacation. I do not say this to be mean. But to put it in perspective, at least to all you Michiganders, you live, work, and exist in MI. Would you also like to vacation in Michigan?

On our list of possible vacation spots include a large variety. After living in Enid, America for over a year, we may need a jaunt to the Big City Apple, where we could take in fall (or winter) weather in Central Park, Shop (even if it is just the window kind) on 5th Avenue, or have cocktails above the city lights.

Source

On the other hand, it might be nice to get away to a beautiful, snowy, winter wonderland. And thus, Alaska should be on our list of possible vacations. We want to enjoy the crisp Alaskan air, maybe see a few bears, and definitely a moose, and spend time outside. In the beautiful snow. With trees. And mountains. Just a thought.

Source

Then again, we may need a little magic in our lives after a long year of studying. And after all, I have been waiting about 13 years for this. I read that my hopes and dreams would become a possibility about 6 years ago on a little place I like to call MuggleNet. Of course I am talking about the Wizarding World of Harry Potter.

 

 Source

Quite possibly, we may need to revisit the scene of our engagement: Disney World. I'd love to spend a few days visiting Cinderella in her castle, high five-ing Mickey at Epcot, sledding at Blizzard Beach, and watching the fireworks with my husband. To me, Disney World is always on the list.

With the all you can eat lobster tail, steak, pizza, and french fries, maybe a cruise is the way to go! Hop on a boat down in the Caribbean somewhere, enjoy the multiple destinations, the sandy beaches, and the good food. J has been on one, I have not. He's been telling me every since that he would take me on one, some day. Perhaps someday is after UPT?

Source

I guess we have a while to think and dream about all these vacations (and maybe think up a few more!) before it is time to book it. An option is always to combine a few of these as well. All I know is that when we finally do get to take out biggest vacation since our honeymoon, it will have been greatly anticipated and ever greater-ly deserved (J has been working his butt off. And it only gets harder every day). 

Where would you go?

Lay Down Your Sweet Head.

Moving right along with our minimal Christmas decor. As you probably know by now, I love to have a feeling of the season in my decor, but I don't want to change everything in my house to make sure there is a Santa head on it. Who knows, maybe one day my decorating sense will change and I will want a Santa head on everything. But for now I don't.

Which is why, when I decided to cover up the nautical pillows on the couch, I did not decide to go with fleece snowmen and real, glittery Rudolf noses. No, instead I went subtle. Subtle Christmas colors, in two non-traditionally Christmas patterns: floral and striped (of course). And thus, my couch went from looking like it belongs in Seaside, FL...

To warming us with its Christmas Cheer!

The pillow covering project actually started as a sewing lesson for my good friend Jill (don't ask me why she thinks I am an expert at sewing. She also thinks I am an amazing yoga-ist. Yes, it's a word.). She had bought a sewing machine from our favorite thrift store and wanted to see if it worked, all whilst adding a little holiday cheer to her couches.

Long story short, her sewing machine did not work, so it was more a lesson of how to use Mallory's sewing machine, which turned into, how to watch Mallory, and trying when she makes me, make a pillow. I love that girl.

So two of the pillows have zippers so I can reuse the pillow cases next year. And because I had originally only planned on using the flower fabric for one pillow, and was going to have a seam in the back if I used it for a second (which I did, we all know I break all rules of crafting. Martha would hate me), I did not use a zipper for the final pillow, but instead, made it like an envelope. I really don't know what the method I used is technically called, but you know the kind... Where the back overlaps by a few inches, but there is a big whole in the middle? Like a pillow sham.

And that was it! Now our couch is festive as well. And subtly so, just the way I like it. Do you like it subtle? Or are you a loud and proud Christmas fiend? I find myself going back and forth, year after year. This year I'm minimalistic. Maybe it's because I'm a little birdy (cheap cheap). What do you think?

Christmas Vignettes

UGH. Do you ever find something so inspiring, so unique and so awe inspiring, you just want to give up everything and move to Canada??

Source

I'm slowly coming out of my dreams of Canadian Christmases on the water, and even more slowly coming back to the reality of my Oklahoma Christmas on base.

Don't get me wrong. I love my house. I do. I get amazing natural light. Its the perfect size. And it is filled with the ones I love most.

I especially love my house all decked out in Christmas decor. For those of you who know how I roll, you know I'm not a crazy seasonal decorator. Now, that being said, I want you to know it is Christmastime when you enter my house. So I've hung the stockings on the back of the dining room chairs with care, dressed the tree with love and red, covered up the nautical pillows, and added a few little touches here and there. Today we will focus on one of the "little touches."

You may remember the (unexpected) splash of navy and white I had hanging above the couch before the holiday season. It did not fit in. While I love navy and white, when it comes to Christmas, I subscribe to the green, gold, red, and white color scheme. So with a spare bit of fabric (a hint for tomorrows post) and a vintage 'Twas the Night Before Christmas book (I scored from the thrift store for 78 cents!) I used frames I already had and created a little visual vignette for your viewing pleasure.

And I know what you're thinking.

           That looks awesome Mallory! You rock! I love your house and your style! Come to my house and decorate! What are in those frames?

Why thank you for wondering! I cut up the old St. Nick book and framed them in dollar store frames (which, in spite of the following pictures, are all the same color).

So, if you consider that the fabric would have just been thrown into the scrap drawer (as it was meant for a different project), plus I had all 7 frames on hand, I spent 78 cents on this arrangement. Not bad, eh? What cheap and luxe holiday decor have you been working on lately? Impressed with the 78 cent price tag? Or maybe you have me beat, 52 cents, anyone?

Oh Christmas Tree

As you may remember, somebody recently had a mini melt down over her fake Christmas tree. Because she has the most wonderful husband in the world, she now has a short, fat, delicious smelling, green, shedding, REAL Christmas tree in her corner.

J and I went two weekends ago (I know, I know, I've been holding out) to cut down our tree. We drove down to Edmond, OK to the Sorghum Mill Christmas Tree Farm to pick our our tree. We walked around for about an hour, seeing all different kinds of trees. We saw tall, skinny trees, short, fat trees, twirly Dr. Seuss-esque trees, and little baby trees (that weren't ready for chopping just yet). We found our tree pretty early on, but continued to look around to make sure it was indeed the best tree available. And boy was it.

This little baby stands about 6 and a half feet tall, is as big around as he is tall (almost), and he is a little front heavy. Sort of reminds me of Jo's description of Professor Slughorn...

Source

We brought our little tree home and got to dressing him. White lights, red, gold, and green balls, and a select few special ornaments. The burlap sack at the base makes Calvin's favorite hunting spot all that much more comfortable.

(I know that picture of Calvin is under our fake tree. But believe me, he does it under this one too).

My favorite thing about the tree is how is sparkles through the window at night. Since we are the Grinch and Scrouge, and haven't put up ANY lights outside, it's nice to show that we are at least a little festive.

And Duke is working very hard not to knock into it while he chases his tail.

So there you have it! What does your Christmas tree look like? Are you a themed Christmas person? All one color, one theme? Or do you like the modge podge of homemade ornaments with crazy colored lights? Maybe you prefer a fake silver tree? Anyway you look at it, a Christmas tree all decked out in the window is the best way to start the festive feelings, at least in my opinion.

Help! An Office Organization.

I am normal. I do have messes. I do struggle sometimes getting projects done.

Cleaning/organizing the office is not fun. This picture makes it look much easier and vastly less work than it is. Thank you Jim Dale for getting me through this.

Flying Solo

They say a picture is worth a thousand words, so I will leave you with this:

And in case you didn't quite get it... I'll add a few of my own [words]:

Jon solo-ed in the T-6 yesterday! I was so nervous I could barf. But don't tell him that. [I wasn't nervous he was going to mess up, I was nervous someone else would. There are a lot of planes out there in one small area.] I'm so proud of my boy for working so hard. Sometimes it takes days like yesterday to remind me just how cool my husband is.

PS If you click on any of the photos above, you can view them much larger.