lately, so busy

between end of the year work wrap-up, moving into a new house and still trying to take in all the joys of the season, i've been completely bogged down lately. the stress is really building up, but i am doing my best. i need to keep remembering to take it one day at a time, and only do what i can. i need to focus on savoring the little things, like snuggling up with homemade hot chocolate. i can be guilty of taking on too much. i do have loads of photos to share, but not yet. do stick around, as i promise to be more present soon.

some good things of late:
gifts neatly wrapped in kraft paper + yarn, tucked beneath the tree
a shiny new washer and dryer, spinning the first loads of laundry
an end-of-week vacation, planned
{nyc, here we come!}
a perfect kitchen table, delivered
four lovely chairs {for the table}, thrifted
wedding plans, progressing
{and honeymoon, booked!}

see you soon.

holiday recipes 01

white chocolate snack mix
this is one of the easiest, most delicious sweet-and-salty snack we make year to year. stash it in your cabinet to put in a festive bowl when last minute guests drop by. wrap in cellophane and tie with satin ribbon or twine to give as a hostess gift. fill a pretty bag and place in a christmas mug to gift a favorite first grade teacher. it's one you'll want to remember.

{photo to come}

ingredients.
1 -10 oz. package mini pretzels
5 cups crispy corn cereal squares (like chex)
5 cups toasted oat cereal (like cheerios)
2 cups salted peanuts
1-14 oz. bag candy coated chocolate pieces (red and green, please!)
2-11 oz. packages white chocolate chips*
3 tbsp. vegetable oil

1. line three baking sheets with waxed paper or parchment
2. in a large bowl, combine pretzels, cereals, peanuts, and candy pieces. set aside.
3. in microwave safe bowl, heat chips and oil on medium-high for two minutes*, stirring once. microwave on high for ten seconds, stir until smooth. pour over cereal mixture and mix well.
4. spread onto prepared baking sheets. cool + break apart. store in airtight containers.

*we have found that by using large pieces of white chocolate "scraps" (sold at trader joe's) and melting them in the double boiler works better than melting chips in the microwave. but either way should be fine.

enjoy!

homemaking + happenings

i've been continuously bustling these last few days. waiting for the cable guy, many trips to the grocery store, making our house a home. last night, i placed a meatloaf in the oven and we were off to pick out our first christmas tree. by the time we got home, the house smelled delicious and our supper was ready to be dished up. i have been working hard to make our house a true holiday home. the fire going certainly helps. as does the 'holiday sage' candle burning. and the ruffly white bowl filled to the brim with juicy clementines.

we watched charlie brown's christmas on tuesday, and i put together a basket of greens for the front porch. (my $4 thrifted basket, that is). and did i tell you about my sled? found one a thrift shop for $18. i've had my eye out for one and was holding out until the right one came along. i picked the antique-est, rustiest one i could find and it looks perfect outside our front door. just right next to the basket of cinnamon-scented pinecones. i hope to share some photos soon.

as for tonight, we are looking forward to homemade hot chocolate, christmas tunes and the trimming of the tree. 800 bulbs here we come.

a glimpse

thought you might enjoy a few snapshots from our first weekend at our new home. i've spent the last few days feathering the nest... i think this stage will last awhile. it is starting to feel like a home for the holidays.

good things on a monday

01. successfully moving in a snowstorm
02. a handy dad installing our house number + mailbox
03. crafting free christmas decor from old cards and catalogs
04. having our first fire (albeit a duraflame log) in the fireplace
05. wrapping the first two christmas gifts (hello kraft paper!)
06. filling our fruit bowl with clementines
07. cooking up an improvised chicken cacciatore as the first dinner in the new abode
08. enjoying the new sounds of radiators + creaky wood floors
09. an early christmas gift from my parents
10. a saturday night viewing of the holiday (although a little to chick-flickish for matt), since we are without cable as of yet
11. listening to christmas music for about 48 hours straight

how to pick a neutral?

this weekend is move in. we will pack up the little furniture we have and take it over, making due with what we have for now, until permenant furniture is ordered + delivered. we did order a kitchen table last night, so that will be on its way... (chairs are another story). we will be doing some minimal painting for now... saving the rest for after the holidays. the goal at this point is to get the house in livable shape, and decorated simply in time for christmas. i've been wrestling with the manner in which to choose neutral paint colors. i know the general shade that i wish to paint a couple of the rooms (a cloudy blue-grey for the bedroom, warm white for the living room) but how to proceed from there? house beautiful's paint color guide in the beginning of each magazine has proven to be quite helpful thus far... i love reading what others have to say about the hues. i've also been relying some on southern living...whenenver they show a photo of a room you can refer to the sources in the back of the magazine for more details. i plan to head to sherwin williams, armed with magazine clippings and earmarked pages, marked up paint samples i grabbed while rushing through stores, and hopefully coming away with gallons of paint that will appropriately freshen up the house. wish me luck. and advice.

this morning i purchased a mailbox to be hung by our front door, and some cinnamon pinecones which i hope will make the house really smell like christmas. i'm really loving the little things this season. am headed to the us army band's christmas concert tonight... what a way to ring in the season! have a happy weekend!

clockwise from top left: house beautiful via apartment therapy, house beautiful, domino, frank roop photography

it's the little things.

if the artfully designed catalogs and unique finds aren't enough, i'm going to give you another good reason to shop at anthropologie this season. upon checking out, they will provide you with a tiny treasure in a white crinkly paper package that you will tuck away in your shopping bag, not to be found until you are unpacking your gifts to wrap them. and then you will happen upon this darling, labeled a present for your present. how cute is that?! inside you will find a perfect adornment for your christmas parcels. felt rounds in shades of green and blue, strung along a cotton tie. so far i've thought of about sixteen creative ways to use them. i just hope my recipients have as many!