Holiday Cheer

Per yesterday’s post, one thing I love about this time of year is all of the Holiday cards you receive. It’s an easy way to spread some holiday cheer while showing off your best look. And while I’m totally digging the family Christmas card videos that are currently just everywhere (#XmasJammies, Slade Family, We Won’t Stop), I still find myself hoping a card went out with the link.

So whether you’re sending cards, giving out smiles while walking around town or sending elaborate productions, Happy Holidays!

*This photo will never, ever get old. It’s such a shame this came on such a tiny Polaroid in the 80s.*

 

O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree

Maggie and I are going on our fourth Christmas in Chicago together. Yet despite this, we’ve never gotten a real Christmas tree. We’ve done the wreath, the fake tree, but never found a reason to go out and buy a tree. They were selling trees 1.5 blocks away from our building. We found our reason this year.

After combing through the trees, we found the perfect 6-footer. Our living room in our apartment is larger than most, but we didn’t want something too huge. I think we both had visions of the Griswold tree just having its way with our living room.

This tree had a little too much going on for our liking.

When we finally selected our lucky tree to take home, they netted it and we did what all good city girls do: picked it up and started walking down the street. Despite not having too far to go, that beast was a lot heavier than I thought.

And we’re off! Thanks to sixty-degree weather, we weren’t bundled like usual

The tree’s weight was the least of our problems we quickly came to learn when we got home to put together the tree stand. These arthritic hands couldn’t hang. And Maggie turned her running gloves into gardening gloves and then into workman’s gloves as she tried, and succeeded, to screw all of the pieces together. Then the crowning moment came when we placed the tree and it was actually straight. Maggie quickly turned into Martha Stewart decorating the tree to perfection.

And I must say, after all the work, it’s well worth it. The smell of our apartment is fantastic and waking up or walking in and seeing the tree just lifts your spirits.

**Don’t worry, our building has a tree recycling program where they come by and pick up your tree when you’re done. Another key factor for our decision.**

Now I Know the Truth

Short work week thanks to the holiday on Thursday. And I for one am having difficulty sitting still at work; I cannot wait to be back in STL for some time off! I love the city, but I’m a gal who loves stars and Oscar the dog, so I’m eager to get back to that life.

This song off Ellie Goulding‘s Halcyon album is helping me power through the hours of the work day.

Ad of the Day: Where Time Stands Still

This ad for Switzerland’s Tourism makes me want to grab all of my wool items and immediately go there. A place where time just doesn’t exist?! Yes please! Also, taking a “holiday” rather than a “vacation” sounds so much more relaxing.

Via AdFreak

Oh Beautiful

Happy Fourth of July everyone! I cannot help but recall this scene from one of my favorite summer movies today. Heading down to the Pier to watch tonight. There’s just something about a sky, city and water lighting up from these things.

I for one, cannot remember the last time I have devoted the whole day to listening to a movie soundtrack. Granted, every St. Patrick’s Day, I find myself rocking Waking Ned Devine soundtrack, but that’s out of respect for the holiday.

The minute I saw this trailer for Brave, I knew, I would be counting down the days until its soundtrack released. The last song playing on this trailer just sends chills down my spine.

On the soundtrack, there are some lads from England: Mumford & Sons. Their song Learn Me Right, along with Birdy, is utterly fantastic and is sure to get you jazzed for their impending second album. You can listen to the full song over at their blog. Clearly I just cannot get enough of the celtic influence.

Place Your Bets

I’m a pretty loyal Kansas basketball fan. Surrounded by those schools that I just loathe: Kentucky and Mizzou. When Kansas played Kentucky either this year, made a bet with Kentucky man, the loser had to wear the winner’s jersey. I lost. And I’m pretty sure wearing a Kentucky jersey burned off a few layers of skin.

Last weekend, made a bet with a Mizzou alum. The stakes: you have to wear your holiday party attire (it’s formal). So I did what any creative gal would do, I figured I could wear a tiara and carry a scepter and wear pearls. Oh, and do it all in a hideous dress in a rock chalk blue hue.

People in the office have finally likened me to a princess. Not sure if I really lost here…

There He Is

Old Man Winter has been MIA here in the Windy City over the past few months. I mean, in Winter 2010, the Puffy Coat came out Dec. 9 and didn’t leave until March. Winter 2011, the coat made its first appearance at the Holiday Party night (Dec. 11), but that’s only because I knew my date would wear a long, black, wool coat and I didn’t want us to match. But since that night, the coat’s hung in the closet waiting for its permanent rotation.

Well look who’s coming off the bench now as Old Man Winter brutally slaps us across the fact with wind and cold temps. Mild winter, it was nice while it lasted. The “feels like 7” bit down there makes me loathe our wind tunnel we’ve got going on between our buildings and the lake. There’s only a few times in the year I despise living by the lake. And those times happen from January-March.

 

Vienna Waits For You

This week has been insane. Like run-around, forget-to-shower, forget-to-eat, forget-to-sleep. Work’s formal party this past weekend was crazy amazing. And tonight’s our Poetry Pahty (I’m sportin’ a wicked awe-sum Bahstin accent). Life lesson posts coming your way on Monday. Until then, slow down you crazy child.