I *love* this time of year!!!

I love love LOVE the holidays!!! My apartment has been decorated for a few weeks now and every time I walk through my front door I smile - the tree has all my childhood ornaments on it. PRESENTS under the tree (can I just say, I may be an adult and could totally open my presents whenever I want but I'll be darned if I don't wait for Christmas day to open them). Poinsettias on the coffee table. Snowflake stickers in the windows...apple cinnamon candles burning... Right now I have a red velvet cake in the oven (making Christmas goodies for the crew that works in my building) and I'm sitting in my big comfy lounge chair while I blog. Makes me happy :)

A few pictures since the last time I posted:

Laugh if you want, but this is one of the handiest little inventions I've ever seen. I think I was reading a Buzzfeed article that featured it and I *had* to get one - $10 off of Amazon and now I don't have to worry about ever losing my pens or business cards or phone or snacks! 

Oh. My gosh. Found my new 'spot' in Lawrence anytime I'm in the area for work - Three Dogz Diner serves up hearty, homemade goodness in a jiffy. This pumpkin cheesecake is one such example.

Progression of decorating :)

I'm slightly obsessed with the vlogger Ingrid Nilsen and watch most of her videos. She's doing a #DIYdecember series and one day featured a chocolate eggnog facemask that you could make yourself. I didn't have eggnog so kinda just winged it, but it turned out great! You can watch the video [here]

So....this exists. Just so you know.

Two weekends ago Gloria and I went to a little Christmas festival in Somerville - it was great because it was contained in a heated tent :) She got to decorate cupcakes!

A masterpiece

I helped her assemble a toolbox...but she handled it pretty well all on her own :)

Riding the choo choo train around outside the tent - we have a blasty blast together

I was reading an article earlier this week and this paragraph really stuck out to me...need reminding of this sometimes...

Pretty frost on my windshield

MADE MY DAY!!! I don't normally go for Dunks but I'm sure glad I did last week - I got this sweet note in my donut bag.

Gettin' my Olivia Pope on - <3 Scandal

Was feeling homesick last weekend so I made myself a good ol' southern breakfast

Biscuits and gravy, hash, eggs, fried taters, OJ, coffee...doesn't get much better than that :)

Gloria and I went on the Polar Express last weekend

I must say, the nutcrackers were a tad bit creepy...

But Santa came and gave us presents! (Including a free ticket to the Museum of Science, which is what we did this weekend!)

Dolled up for the office Christmas party on Friday

A wrapping session - we adopted a few families as an office for Operation Santa 

Elves (ever notice how that's one letter away from 'Elvis'? just hit me...)

Such a good looking office!

And what a pile of presents! (Let me tell you, delivering these was a trip!)

Christmas present from the boss - gorgeous statement earrings!

We went to Stella for dinner

I took Sarah as my 'date' - we always have so much fun together!

Sirloin, gorgonzola mashed potatoes, arugula with truffle vinaigrette mmmmm

Cheers-ing our cappuccinos

Headed back to the boss's place for drinks and a few rounds of Catch Phrase (our office is obsessed) - Andrew and Mishka 

And Kevin and Mishka hahaha

Christie hosted a *fabulous* brunch today - just look at that colorful plate! The 'southern-ness' came out when I suggested we drizzle bacon grease over the potatoes (tee-hee)

Salmon

The spread

Om nom nom nom

And today - The Museum of Science! We got to see a baby chick hatch!

They have a wonderful new exhibit about the human body...you get a wristband with a bar code and scan it into different stages and put in some basic demographic data (age, gender) and then go through the stations and see how your stats compare to other museum-goers'. This is an example of how many calories I burn walking and what my BMR is.

Gloria got to test how high her arch is - she had a blast!

I'm really excited for the next few days - I have a Christmas Eve's Eve service at church tomorrow (followed by cookies and cocoa at the pastor's house) and then 2 more sleeps and thennnnnnnnnnn....CHRISTMAS!!!!! I'm sad that I'm not home this year but super excited to get to Skype with my family and still participate in our holiday traditions with them (ornament presents first, then stockings, then actual presents! - my mom is AWESOME for sending it all up to me!). I even got some clam chowder to eat because my dad always makes homemade chowder to eat before Christmas dinner. I *might* try my hand at his hot cocoa recipe too...I'll definitely take pictures and share my holiday with you all. Merry Christmas everyone!!!

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas :)

HOW ON EARTH HAVE I NOT BLOGGED SINCE OCTOBER???? WHERE HAS THE TIME GONE???

My mind can't comprehend how fast 2013 has just flown by...especially the last few months! Ever since I started my new job I'm constantly on-the-go and I blink...and another week is gone. I've got a lot of ground to cover so let's get straight to the good stuff - the photos!

Lately I've become more and more obsessed with makeup... I got this Stila eyeshadow in champagne - it's so pretty!

Homemade poptart! (from a local bakery, but still way better than the things wrapped in foil)

Haha - only on Halloween do you see a Greek god driving the Saturn next to you

Team outing with the work peeps! <3 argyle

I didn't win...at all....

Pretty fall leaves - I was sad to see them go!

Another new obsession - homemade chai tea lattes! Just heat up soy milk and then steep your chai tea in the milk and add a touch of honey. I also used my emulsion blender to froth it up a bit. Yum! 

Fall on my front steps

My beeeeeeeeeeautiful seester!

Found a new favorite...

...by far the BEST eclair I've ever had

Finally got to hang out with V! It's not so easy to meet up now that we don't work for the same company but we still have a blast when we get to hang out

Cookie. In a mug. Cookie...in a mug. Wonderbar. 

Made pulled pork for tacos a few weeks ago - reminded me of my dad cause he always used to do this when he made us BBQ

Hanging out with Loren and Sarah means chocolate is involved...we went to the Melting Pot

So. Good.

I *finally* caved and got a snuggie! Gotta be Carolina, of course...one of the best purchases I've made this year haha

A wee serenade from wee Cole at community group

Haven't been here since my DECA days!

Had to stick with the classics - stuffed French toast with the usual

Best roasted corn mmmmmmmmmm

Brunch, party of one

Couldn't get over the cream pot! Too cute! 

Pistachios...in my pancakes. Interesting...

Andres (V's little brother) got a job at the 'bux - he's an excellent barista! 

Decided to do something a little crazy....

...and then do something even more crazy (a keratin treatment!) - don't worry, you'll see pictures of the finished product in a minute :)

Happy Birthday Han!!!

She's the sweetest...

One of the last decent days of fall - Gloria wanted to fly a kite so we did! 

It wasn't really windy enough so she had to give it a running go, but she still had a blast

The finished product!

New favorite after-work drink spot - sip. You can buy wine by the full glass, half glass, or 'sip' (just a taste of 3 oz)

It's RED! 

Shameless bathroom selfie ;-)

MADELINE CAME TO VISIT!!! AND SHE BROUGHT ME BOJANGLES!!!!!!

Hahahaha caught her by surprise

Breakfast time! Renee's for corned beef eggs benedict 

...we got the same thing (cause she copies everything I do...oh the problems of being an older sibling)

Having a drink at home before heading out to dinner

We love each other :)

All dolled up - isn't she simply GORGEOUS????

Sitting in a chair....in the elevator. Had to.

Dinner is served :)

Mmmmm

Simply. Amazing.

Literally *the most amazing* foie gras I've had thus far...and the coolest part was that I posted this photo on Instagram and the chef who prepared the dish found it and commented!! Too cool!!!

My main course...

...and dessert (peanut butter and chocolate souffle)

With coffee, of course

Sisters enjoying dessert

I normally don't like bloody mary's, but for some reason I saw someone else order it and just had to have one - and I liked it! Definitely going back to Friendly Toast for another sometime soon

Brunchin' it up....

...with Mexican mash (yep, she copied me again)  

We're gonna sign up for a 5k and each wear a track suit and we shall look awesome.

Last night in town, gotta round it out with a Blue Zone from Helen's Roast Beef in Medford (buffalo chicken with blue cheese mmmmmmmm)

Made my famous green bean casserole for the Thanksgiving potluck at the Pipkins'

Got to hang out with this lady while I was there :)

Post-meal food coma board games with the crew (click to enlarge)

Yesterday Gloria and I did arts and crafts

She made some pretty stellar Christmas cards!

I am SO. EXCITED. My very first Christmas tree!!!!! Had to get a real one, of course - can't move from Christmas tree farm country and settle for a fake one.

It's coming together :)

Decorating :) - I played the Mannheim Steamroller album that my family always plays at Christmas...felt like I was home...minus the 5 crucial people I normally spend it with...

(These photos are for you, Mom - I love you!!!)

Gus Gus! 

Swing Bear always goes front and center - I love all my ornaments!!! It's a tradition my mom started to get each of us an ornament every year so that when we got our own places, we would have ornaments from home for our trees. This is the first year any of us have 'left the nest' for the holidays - I'm sad not to be going home but so happy I can still have part of it up here!

Saw these guys and couldn't pass them up - R2-D2 and C-3PO!

:)

I've had this Santa for over 2 decades...

My cute little tree! Already started my present-wrapping too - family, if you want your gifts, you're gonna have to come to Boston! Just kidding, I'll mail them down...but they're going to look nice under my tree for a few days first :)

I even got my stocking to hang up! My mom made stockings for me and my sisters when we were little...mine has Santas all over it

The finished product (click to enlarge) 

The kitchen can't be forgotten! 

Me now - writing up this blog post, chillin in my snuggie in front of the Christmas tree...life is good :)

How on earth did I go from Halloween to Christmas in the same blog post??? I reeeeeeeeeeeeeeally have to get back into the groove of posting on a regular basis... There will definitely be more updates during the holiday season - have quite a few things planned with my Little Sister and holiday parties and the like...

Happy Holidays!!!!