Gainesville, UF, and real Gators

Happy New Years Eve!! I hope you all have a fun and safe New Years!! Since we've been doing so much traveling lately, we don't have much planned for tonight. I really wish we had the energy to throw a NYE bash, here is what it wold look like if we were!

I'm trying to soak up every last bit of festive around here and perfect my 2014 goals, so until then I'm finishing up our little Christmas recap with a photo dump. As I mentioned yesterday, our trip for Florida for Christmas started with my first visit to the University of Florida, our Alma Mater, since I graduated in 2009. It was SO nostalgic walking past our old stomping grounds!

The hubs and I walked all around the empty campus with Ruby, taking photos and then grabbing a bite to eat at our favorite spot... The Swamp Restaurant.

I realize everyone thinks their campus is the best, so humor me because I had a hard time narrowing down my favorites!

My favorite spot on campus, next to the "Plaza of the Americas."

Our campus has this thing about art that looks like food, including the "fries" and "potato" in the center of campus.

The next photos were taken near the Baughman Center and Lake Alice on campus. How many people can claim they have seen real live versions of their mascots on campus?! Pretty cool, but kind of dangerous in this case.

After walking around the lake, we headed up to what could possibly be the greatest place on earth... Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, aka the Swamp. "Where only Gators get out alive..." except for this year apparently...

I used to run stadiums here... when I was in shape and the cheap college beer hadn't caught up to me yet. 

After leaving Gainesville we decided that our future children can go anywhere they want for college, provided that it starts with "The University of" and ends with "Florida." Ha!

Have you been back to your Alma Mater since graduating? Anyone else feel totally old there now like we did?!

See you all next year!! :)

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Our Florida Christmas

I hope you all had a fabulous Christmas and hopefully some extra time off to spend with your loved ones! My husband and I were lucky to have a whole week off for Christmas and although I was hoping for a little more down time, it was such a great week and not at all like the frozen Northern Christmases I'm used to!

After a few (ahem... seven) hours in the car and a quick stop in Gainesville (our alma mater, more on that tomorrow!), we finally made it to my in-laws and enjoyed our first full day with them boating and fishing in Sarasota Bay. Our day was made possible thanks to a fantastic organization based in Sarasota, the Special Day Foundation, which provides opportunities for children and adults with special needs or disabilities to experience a boat tour (among other things) with their family.

Ringling Bridge ahead

My brother-in-law has Spina Bifida, so since this was the first time in a while that the whole family was in town together, my Mother-in-law set everything up for us with the organization. He absolutely loved it and I think the fact that Steve and his sister were there with him was icing on the cake. The boat was large enough for his wheelchair so he was comfortable, we all caught fish (with the help of a great Captain), and it was an absolutely perfect day on the water. The Captain even fileted our fish and we cooked it up for lunch... I honestly can't speak highly enough of him or the Foundation!

I'm clearly not much of a fisherwoman (is that even a word?) since I refuse to touch the bait or the fish. I did get the hang of casting by the end of the day and a little sun on my pasty winter skin. Steve was the last to catch a fish and ended up with just one... which had me feeling pretty good about my 4! Ha!

The rest of our week was filled with family time, Facetime with my family up North, a quick trip to the always gorgeous Siesta Key Beach, fried hot dogs at our favorite spot on the water, the Old Salty Dog, and some shopping and macarons at Le Macaron in St. Armands Circle. If you're ever in the Sarasota area, please don't miss any of these spots!

As great as our week was, its so nice to be back home and get back into the swing of things. I'm not planning on taking down any directions until next week, when I conjure up the energy to do a little pre-spring cleaning and reorganization. I also just can't get over the fact that Christmas is over and 2013 is coming to an end!

So how was your Christmas week?! Anyone else feel totally sad about the holiday season ending, or are you happy to be done with all the craziness?

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Wishing You a Very Merry Christmas

Via

I'm taking a little break from blogging this week to relax, spend time with family, and soak up all of the holiday goodness that I can!

So from our family to yours, we hope you have a very Merry Christmas! Here's to spending time with loved ones and eating cookies until your stomach hurts!

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Five on Friday!

Today we are gearing up for more holiday travel, but this time we're heading South into the 84 degree heat! We're also looking forward to stuffing our faces with more delicious home-cooked meals for the remainder of December. I fully intend to kick this eating-without-boundaries habit with my New Years resolutions, but until then, bring on the pie, wine, and carbs.

I'm linking up again with some of my favorite bloggers, including Christina and April, for some more Friday favorites!

ONE.
We won't be having a White Christmas this year, but I can't complain because we are going boating this weekend! Also I'm totally going to be that person that refuses to take her shirt off at the beach because I've ingested far too many cookies this week. Hey, I'll take some tank top tan lines if I can get 'em! Here is a peak at where we'll be... any guesses?

TWO.
This week the hubs and I had our own little Christmas. Over the last 6 years our Christmas has turned into a fun tradition where we open gifts, drink wine and/or spiked hot chocolate, and watch Home Alone.

Some of my favorite gifts from the hubs (besides my DSLR camera) were these necklaces and a bracelet from J. Crew Factory. I was SO impressed, he did good!

Navy Necklace. Peach Necklace. Bracelet.

THREE.
Last night I whipped up these all natural Peanut Butter and Banana treats to give as a gift to my sister-in-law's dog, Annie. I subbed whole wheat flower for the oat flour and it worked just fine... they were definitely Ruby-approved. 

Dog Tag.

FOUR.
H&M is coming to Charleston! Woo! I've only actually really enjoyed shopping at the Pittsburgh store, because its always empty and organized. I'm hoping this one will be relatively similar, but I'm definitely not going for the first few weeks! Crossing my fingers for an H&M Home section too!

FIVE.
I'm loving this Vanilla Bean Noel scent from Bath and Body Works this year! I think I may need to pick up some of the bubble bath during the after Christmas sales!!

I hope you all have a fantastic weekend before Christmas, whether you're traveling and seeing family and friends, or hanging at home! Drive safe and enjoy every minute of it! :)

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Last Minute Gift Ideas

By now I'm sure you are all sick of the gift guides that are literally everywhere in the "blogosphere" and on Pinterest this holiday season, but sometimes they are often over-budget options (or maybe I'm just cheap?) and they don't apply to those random, last minute gifts you have to scrounge for the week before Christmas. You can see my gift ideas and stocking stuffer ideas... but those only have 1 or 2 splurge items (Hello, MK purse. Get in my closet already!)

Tell me I'm not the only one who didn't think of a gift for someone, but they call you up and are all like "Hey I just wanted to bring by a little something my dog got for your dog..." Or "here is a gift card for the nicest restaurant in town, for my neighbor of 6 months." Ok so that second example didn't actually happen... but I'm not going to lie, that would be awesome.

So if you're like me and you were so busy you forgot to add someone to your list or you have a white elephant gift to pick up, here are some ideas (under $30) that can save you from looking like a jack ass when someone else had time to come up with a completely sweet and thoughtful gift.

For the Wino

Metrokane Rabbit Set. Modern House Wine ($13 at Target, from Oprah's Fave Things)

We got one of these Rabbit wine opener sets for our wedding and it is literally the bomb. You can sometimes find them at TJ Maxx-type stores for around $20, otherwise use a coup at BBB! I don't know how it works but its the easiest.thing.ever! Pair it with a bottle of wine and its perfect for a hostess or even your boss if he/she is cool.

P.S. Resist the urge to buy Sutter Home, even though I'm personally a big fan of the cheap wines... Kendall-Jackson is a great bottle just over $10. If you still want to go cheap, head to World Market and find a cheap wine no one has heard of... ha!

For Your Girlfriend, Boss, or a sweet neighbor lady

 Gift Card. Mug.

I have to say one of my favorite gifts is a Starbucks gift card. I know gift cards tend to seem a little thoughtless, but there are certain gift cards I'd do a back-flip for and this is one of them. Stick it inside a cute mug like the one above or my favorite Anthropologie Golden Monogram mug, and you will make one lucky lady's day. Obviously go with a more manly mug, like this or a Tervis with his favorite sports team, if the recipient is a dude.

Print. Frame.

Another option is an art print with a nice matted frame. There are tons of art prints on Etsy that are instant downloads you can have printed at a local store. You can also find some cute free printables online, like this one, which I have printed for a gift before and my friend absolutely loved it!

Handmade

Last but not least, you can always do the handmade approach, kind of like my cookie boxes. Even if you aren't much of a baker, people love the extra effort. You can always disguise your not-so-hot baking abilities by having really nice packaging and a personalized note. :)

Also good to have around the house for last minute gifts are sets like this EOS Lip Balm Multipack or Wine bottle outfits, just in case.

So what am I missing, anyone have any other great last minute gift ideas to add?

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Not Your Grandma's Hot Chocolate

Last week I shared our Christmas house tour with you all and I noted that I've had quite the hot chocolate obsession this year. So much so that I converted our liquor stash area into a hot chocolate bar. Last night my husband and I decided to spike our hot chocolate, and with the assortment of mini liquor bottles we have, we had quite the variety for tasting. Today I wanted to share our favorite combination, which I'm warning you in advance makes you want to cozy up on the couch and go into a hot chocolate coma. Or maybe that's just us because we're totally getting old?!

I'm not going to be very technical about the directions, because honestly I didn't really measure exact portions. Its pretty sweet, so if you're going to skimp on anything, I'd say cut back on the cinna-sugar vodka.. it's got a ton of flavor!

Spiked Cinnamon Hot Chocolate

1 large cup of hot chocolate (you can use the packets if you want)
1 shot Cinna-Sugar Twist Vodka
1 shot Whipped Vodka
Dash of milk
Marshmallows and/or Whipped Cream
Cinnamon sprinkled on top

Basically just make your hot chocolate and add the vodka. Easy peasy!

Mug

I admit, I added a pirouette cookie to mine. There was so much cinnamon-y goodness in this cup, I promise you won't realize you've got two shots of liquor in there!

Anyone else spike their hot chocolate? No, just me? Oops. :)

Linking up with Schue Love and The Lovely Cupboard!

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13 Dozen Cookies.

That's what I did this weekend. I baked 13 dozen (or more) cookies. I didn't count exactly, but I know it was at least that. My back hurts. My feet hurt. And to make up for all of the cookie-tasting I've been doing, I hit the gym. Which might also be why I feel like my legs might fall off.

For someone who prides myself on my baking abilities, it had an ugly start. Very. Ugly.

Saturday was a rainy day, perfect for finally getting a start on my Christmas cookies. My mom, aunts, and grandma were getting together hundreds of miles away to make one of my favorite cookies, lady locks. I was bummed I couldn't be there to taste test help so I got started on my own assortment:

Buckeyes

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Oatmeal Cookies with Almonds

Sugar Cookies

Chocolate-Covered Pretzies (not included in the cookie count)

Typically my family makes a lot more cookies than this (see more about our wedding cookie table) but with my lack of time and patience, a picky husband, and someone who has no self control because she works 10 feet from the refrigerator... I stuck to the easy ones.

First, I was grossly unprepared for the cookies I planned to make. I ran out of almost every ingredient, at different times, prompting several trips to Publix within two days. I'm pretty sure the employees there thought I had some sort of problem.

My brand new flex-edge beater for my mixer didn't fit. Not a game changer, but it would have been nice. Then, I knocked over my vanilla extract and about a fourth of the bottle (everything that was left) ended up on my kitchen counter. The sad part is, I did the exact same thing this summer while baking. What the?!

I also tossed the entire first batch of buckeyes because I didn't like the peanut butter mixture.

It was at this point that I started drinking.

My setup.

Luckily, I have a fantastic husband who helped decorate the sugar cookies. When I do them myself, they usually start out really cute and by the end it looks like a sprinkle container barfed on them. Actually, it kind of still looks like that... but I still love you for helping, hubby!

In the end, I am so happy to have these cute little boxes to give to our friends and neighbors.

Printable Gift Tags.

Today I embark on my last baking spree: pizzelles. My recipe makes hundreds of the damned things, so that should be approximately 534 hours of fun. But they are worth it. Wish me luck! Has anyone finished their holiday baking? What is your favorite recipe?!

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Our Decked Halls

It's finally Friday and I finally finished decorating for Christmas... with less than 2 weeks to go. Ugh. Where has the time gone?! This Christmas season has been entirely too short so all this work is staying put until at least mid-January. I don't want any of this festiveness to end!

Last night my husband and I had a fire (I mean, it was almost 30 degrees here...), watched the Santa Clause, and drank some vino. Perfection! I even wore my absolute favorite, giant, comfy sweater of the season, the BDG Animal Games Sweater. If you follow me on Instagram, you already got a peek! P.S. It's $20 off right now!

So without further ado, here is our little rental, all decked out for Christmas! Note: I tried to get the live tree this year but failed, husband promises next year!

Tree Skirt | Stockings (Pottery Barn) | Garland (Michaels)

You can check out more mantel photos here.

Fair Isle Paper (Target) | Chalkboard Paper (TJ Maxx)

I'm loving our wrapping paper this year! I dressed the gifts up with some tulle and ribbon from Hobby Lobby and DIY gift tags made from Target dollar section Christmas cards.

We now have quite the collection of ornaments for our little tree. We buy one from every place we visit (or live). Our new additions this year include the El Yunque Rainforest ornament from our honeymoon in Puerto Rico and the ball with dried flowers from my wedding bouquet and ribbon from our ceremony programs.

Red Pillow | DIY No Sew Deer Pillow | Plaid and Houndstooth Pillows (DIY)

All of the plaid fabric you see was made out of a $10 table cloth from Home Goods. All I wanted was a table runner, so after I made that I used it for the pillows and in other little spaces throughout the house.

Chalkboard Print

Chalkboard Inspiration

I've been on a hot chocolate kick this winter... damn sweet tooth... so I decided to switch out our bar section with some new goodies. And yes, I left the Baileys. You never know when you're going to want an Irish Hot Chocolate!

Last night with the fire lit!

And last but not least, some pretty ornaments in our bedroom!

Mercury Glass Ornament (Marshalls) | Red Ornament (These were cheaper in the RH store!)

That's about it! We have the gold leaf print in our entryway, but since our entryway table is so small, there wasn't a whole lot to photograph for that. I'm planning to look for some silver and white decor during the after Christmas sales to use in our bedroom next year.

How are your holiday decorations coming?! Anyone else feel totally behind like me?! I hope you all have a great weekend, only one more Friday until Christmas! We're going to be on a Christmas movie kick this weekend, and I couldn't be more excited! You better believe I'll be wearing my Home Alone shirt. :)

Linking up with  Chelsea of Two Twenty One!

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Oh Deer... No Sew Christmas Pillow

Apparently deer heads and antlers are here to say with holiday decor. I'm liking the trend but we're not really the rustic, hunter, deer-head-wall-hanging kind of people so I haven't been able to commit to one. Even if it's hairless, gold, and super cute from Target. Anyone else feel the same way?!

But I do love festive pillows because I think they are the easiest, low cost way to dress up a room for the holidays. Below is a prettier view of the pillow in our new home, after I learned how to use my big girl camera. So much better. ha!

What you will need:
H&M Home Canvas Cushion Cover: $5 (You can get this from Ikea for $4)
Deer Silhouette: Free pattern from Jenny Collier
Heat n Bond Ultrahold: Owned
Fabric for Silhouette: Owned (my fabric was originally a table cloth)
Scissors + Iron

TOTAL: $5

Not pictured: pillow form, iron and Mod Podge

First, print out your stencil on cardstock paper. If it's larger than a regular piece of paper like mine, just print it out in several parts, tape it together, then cut it out.

Pin the stencil to your fabric and cut the shape. You could also trace it with chalk before cutting, which I think would have been easier.

I wasn't anticipating using Mod Podge, but since my fabric is a thin tablecloth, the edges were fraying. I used a small sponge brush to apply Mod Podge on all of the edges, particularly on the antlers. If you have a thicker fabric you probably won't need to do this step! After it dried, I trimmed the frays and ironed it very lightly to keep it flat.

The most tedious part of this project is applying the Heat n Bond strips. I followed the instructions on the package. I probably overdid it quite a bit, but I wanted to make sure none of the antlers started pulling up with a husband and dog who tend to be rough with these types of things.

EDIT: I've been told by an awesome reader that you can actually buy Heat n Bond by the yard at your local craft store, which means you can trace it the same way you did with the plaid fabric and apply in one piece! I haven't done it myself but that sounds like a good option here, unless you already have the strips like I did and don't feel like buying more.

After ironing the strips onto the plaid fabric, I removed the paper and flipped it over. Make sure to center it because this stuff will hold the moment your iron touches it! I ironed the front for 10 seconds, flipped it over and ironed the back for 5, then let it cool before stuffing it.

That's it!! Want more holiday projects? Check out my gold leaf Christmas print here!

Linking up with Michaela Noelle Designs, Love of Family and Home, and Savvy Southern Style

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