Oh, How Pinteresting! Wednesdays

Happy Wednesday! Hanging on to the fact that I only have to survive 2.5 more days of work...

                                                                                  Source: dirtyflannel.com via Aubrey on Pinterest

Pearl Jam. I have a new respect for them after watching PJ20 this past weekend.

                                                                                   Source: Uploaded by user via Aubrey on Pinterest

...and a much more accessible one thanks to a new Keurig at home AND work!

                                                                             Source: penniesonaplatter.com via Aubrey on Pinterest

Finally found a pretty-close-to-perfect recipe for cheese dip (the kind you get at Mexican restaurants)!

                                                                                  Source: Uploaded by user via Aubrey on Pinterest

favorites // Tori Amos // Under The Pink

                                                                                        Source: modcloth.com via Aubrey on Pinterest

Flourish De Lis Dress from Mod Cloth. LOVE this color.

Lately...

I guess I've fallen off the face of the earth a little....well, for three weeks-ish. My journey to "Frugal Living," well, that's another post (or maybe not, because the daily challenges are sitting unread in my inbox). There's not even a reason for my lack of blogging other than I've been readjusting to five day work weeks after the holidays.

The closest thing to exciting that happened recently is a couple weeks ago, I won tickets to see Sarah Jarosz at Neighborhood Theatre here in Charlotte! She is what I would consider bluegrass...but I guess maybe more progressive bluegrass. Probably a couple years ago, I purchased her first album on iTunes after randomly stumbling across it, so I was kind of familiar with her songs (although she had also put out a new album since then). I happened to see that Creative Loafing was giving away a pair of tickets, so I submitted my email address and won! It was a nice surprise since I think I had forgotten I even entered to win in the first place.

Several things hit me that night: (1) Sarah Jarsoz is far more talented than I realized. (2) Going to see live shows of not-so-well-known musicians is something I should do WAY more often. (3) There is a difference in spending time with your husband on the couch watching tv and actually going out and doing something. (4) Someday, I want to learn how to play the banjo.

Items #1 and 4 are pretty self explanatory. Sarah spent most her time on an octave mandolin, which I had never seen before, but she also switched between it and the banjo. She usually performs alongside a cellist and fiddler, but was sans cellist for this one. Sad face. BUT, fiddler Alex Hargreaves was out of this world.

Number two, Charlotte isn't exactly what I'd call a music scene hotspot, but I think it's improving. Not too long ago, Sara Bareilles played at Neighborhood Theatre. Ross and I have seen a couple good smaller shows at Amos' Southend, too.

As for number three, it really was kind of an "a-ha!" moment. My husband and I both thoroughly enjoy being at home, but we realized that it is fun to actually go out and do things together sometimes. Who would have thought? We eat out a lot, but that doesn't count. And to be honest, seeing a movie doesn't really count either. I mean, those are fun things to do, but we both love music...and it was just something different. Had we paid for the tickets, seeing Sarah Jarosz would've cost us the same as seeing a movie, anyway.

Since we live right down the road, we also need to take more advantage of NoDa, and I suggest you visit if you live near Charlotte...it's almost like a mini-Boone, which I love. I really liked Neighborhood Theatre as a venue, and we tried Revolution Pizza for the first time and enjoyed that as well (side note: I tried Four Friends Queen City Red there and would recommend it).

So those are the recent happenings, and hopefully there will be more similar things to discuss in the future now that we have realized there is a world outside our apartment!

Frugal Living...? Oh snap.

The f-word isn't even one I'd consider to be in my vocabulary. Ever. Before I make it sound too bad, I promise I'm not someone who needs to go to shopaholics anonymous or anything like that (my husband would probably say that's debatable). I do have some self control when it comes to finances, but I'm willing to admit there is room to grow. Either way, I want to be smart about things. I want to recycle things and be wise when it comes to purchasing (or not purchasing) everything from clothing to food. I know it's possible, it just requires a little creativity and discipline.

So, I'm giving this a try. I'm not quite sure what to expect, but it will be a fun way to attempt being, what's the word again? Oh, yeah. Frugal. This whole thing starts tomorrow, and hopefully I'll have some positive updates from time to time on my life as a frugal-person-in-training!

Oh, How Pinteresting! Wednesdays

Some of my recent favorites!

                                                                         Source: aspoonfulofsugardesigns.com via Aubrey on Pinterest

Love this idea! Recycle Christmas cards into gift tags. I saved several of my cards this year in hopes of finding a good idea like this one.

                                                                                  Source: turbogirl.tumblr.com via Aubrey on Pinterest

So true.

                                                                                      Source: jimhillmedia.com via Aubrey on Pinterest

Babes in Toyland (Disney, 1961)

I loved watching this movie when I was younger, and decided to buy it on DVD this year!

                                                                             Source: imperfecthomemaking.com via Aubrey on Pinterest

Thankful that there are so many blogs out there that have such great cleaning and organizing tips! I enjoy reading them. Still working on the whole actually going through with it part.

a shiny, brand new year!

Happy 2012 to you all! Hope everyone had a very relaxing and stress-free holiday. Ours felt crazy busy...four family get-togethers. Thanks, marriage. I do love every second of it, though. I managed to squeeze in a few days away at my grandparents' mountain home. Definitely needed that, but it wasn't long enough (it never is).

Christmas in the mountains

Those few days away gave me time to enjoy my new Nook, which I actually AM using. Currently reading Wuthering Heights and loving it. It was actually kind of witty here and there in the first few chapters, which was a bit of an unexpected surprise. I'm only on chapter ten, so I have a ways to go. Not sure what book is next...so many choices!

Other Christmas gifts I'm enjoying include

my Minnetonka Moccasins/slippers, and my new pink Snuggie, for starters. The pink was a welcomed replacement for my camo one. Somehow I always manage to wind up with Snuggies after Chinese Christmas/Dirty Santa/whatever-you-want-to-call-it games.

Now for my Minnetonka mini-advertisement (can I get paid for this?). The moccasins have lived on my feet for the past four-ish days because they are amazing. They are toasty warm, soft enough to be bedroom slippers but durable enough to wear out, and they molded to the shape of my feet after a few wears. Five stars.

And...I jumped on the Keurig bandwagon! Didn't feel like that warranted a picture. It really just made sense, especially since my husband is not a coffee drinker. Best part...I don't have to wash the darn thing out everyday. I know, how lazy is that? But for real.

As for New Year's resolutions, I'm still thinking about those. Really, if I had any, they'd mostly be things I've been trying to do all along. Come up with a cleaning routine, wake up earlier, go to bed earlier (obviously I'm trying real hard), eat healthier, the norm. Maybe it would help if I set goals. Well, resolutions or no resolutions, last year was wonderful and I hope this year is even better. 

last update before the holiday madness begins

We have been busy since not long after Thanksgiving. Busy, and I've been tired. Not that ten+ days without a post is a rare thing around here. Between work and getting ready for Christmas, there hasn't been much time.

I did really well this Christmas in terms of shopping. Really well considering I'm usually a day-before-Christmas marathon shopper. With work and an hour-long commute home at the end of the day, I realized there would definitely not be time for that. I wouldn't say I started early, but it's one step closer, so maybe next year I'll have most of it finished before December 1!

Speaking of December, I cannot believe tomorrow is the first day of winter and it's supposed to be 70 degrees here. This is ridiculous, and I hate it. Honestly, ever since I moved back from Boone, there have been several heavy sweaters I can't even wear because it just doesn't get that cold. I like the seasons, winter included, and I at least want to be able to comfortably wear a sweater and a cute scarf or something without burning up. Snow would be nice, too, but I realize the chances are slim.

The next item on my list of things to talk about is: Merry early Christmas to me, I have a Nook! I bought it yesterday. Just the Nook Simple Touch. I really like the Kindle Fire, but I don't want to feel like I'm staring at another computer screen after I've stared at one all day. I like that the basic e-readers look so much like book pages, and I'm kind of disappointed that the Fire, etc don't have an option to somehow switch display modes. Someone get on that.

I guess if I decide I want a tablet, I'll spring for an iPad. I got some funny looks from everyone some people (namely my husband) when I told them I wanted a Nook, because I'm not big into reading. But maybe now I will be? Seemed like good logic for purchasing one. Haha. In all seriousness, there are a lot of books I want to read, and this just makes them way more accessible. First on my list is (free, of course) Wuthering Heights. Don't ask me why, because I realize it's kind of random. I'm also excited to get into this whole library thing, I guess I need to get a library card so I can borrow via my Nook. Yay reading!

This weekend (and beginning of next week) is going to be a whirlwind of traveling and family get-togethers, and I'm excited to see everyone and spend a few days in the mountains. I hope you all have a very Merry Christmas!!! I'll leave you with our we-didn't-send-out-Christmas-cards-so-I-posted-a-picture-on-facebook picture:

ps. our bow is red, not pink. (it kind of looks pink in this picture, doesn't it?)

Ten on Tuesday

1. What are three things that are on your Christmas wish list?
Minnetonka Slippers, a Kindle or a Nook (the basic, not the tablet), and that's about it.

2. What's your favorite Christmas song?
Do You Hear What I Hear?

3. Do you have a favorite band or singer that sings it especially awesome?
Not really...but Destiny's Child did a pretty good version of it. Haha

4. Have you heard about the website goodreads?
Yes, I'm on it...I like the idea, but I don't read that often.

5. What are three books you want to read?
I think I would like to try The Hunger Games series (I know, that's more than one book), The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, and The Help.

6. Do you hunt deer?
No. I know people who do, so I have eaten deer meat before and it's pretty good.

7. Have you started Christmas shopping? Are you completely finished?
I'm ahead of the game compared to most years, but "ahead of the game" for me means doing any shopping before December 20. I only have a couple things, so I've still got a ways to go.

8. Did you shop on Black Friday? What was the best deal you got?
I did! I've gone shopping during the day on Black Friday before, but this year I decided to try midnight shopping! I left for Concord Mills at about 11:45pm on Thursday night and arrived at about 12:10am on Friday. It was a madhouse! As big as Concord Mills is, I thought for sure it wouldn't be busting at the seams, but it was. As for the "deals," I was pretty disappointed. They didn't seem any different from the sales that happen most days in December. BUT - I have been looking for a pair of boots for a while now, and I didn't want to spend $50+ on them. I found a pair (the very last pair of these specific boots, I might add) that were regularly $59, had been marked down to $45 or something like that, but were on sale for Black Friday for $22!!! It was a fun experience, but I can't say I'll do it again.

9. What's one holiday tradition your family has?
On Christmas morning, we always read the story of Jesus' birth out of the Bible, and then we go around the room and each of us talks about what we are thankful for. We do this at both of my family get-togethers (mom's side and dad's side).

10. How many blogs do you read? Do you subscribe/unsubscribe often or do you purge every once in a while?
On a regular basis, I'd say there are 7-10 blogs I keep up with via google reader. As far as subscribing/unsubscribing goes, I guess I just purge every once in a while.

Questions found here.

Christmas continued: decking the halls!

Everyone else is posting pictures of their trees and Christmas decor, and I took pictures a week ago with the same intention...so here we are!

The perfect Christmas tree! This was a difficult choice for me, and major props to my husband for standing in Lowe's while I stared at pre-lit trees for an hour trying to make a decision. I grew up with real trees, so the switch to an artificial wasn't easy, but it made the most sense. The tree is pre-lit with clear lights, but I added multi-color strands. :) It being the first year I've had my very own tree to decorate, I cannot believe how expensive tree skirts are! Maybe it's just me, but I refuse to fork over $40 for a round piece of fabric that someone decorated. I bought the cheapest one I could find at Target...solid red, and it was either $15 or $20.

My stocking display...another "first" - first year without a fireplace! These shelves are a great replacement. On a side note, we have the most randomly placed thermostat.

And the elf & ornaments. Plenty of NC State candy canes and my little ASU snowman! My grandmother has an (very vintage) elf she puts up every year and has a few smaller elf ornaments. I love them, and happened to find one in a store. I just realized the ornament on the bottom left kind of resembles a grapefruit. The picture doesn't do it justice, though. It's beaded and sparkly, and I bought it when I visited the Biltmore in December a couple years ago.

I love Christmas decorations, and I may just leave mine up until March. Ok, not really, but I wish I could!

Christmas music is my favorite!

Christmas music never gets old to me. I know, crazy. For someone who says every other song is "way too overplayed," I sure do have a high tolerance for holiday tunes played 24/7 over the course of two months (Light 102.9 starts on Nov. 1!). I think it's because I appreciate the variety. So many different interpretations of the same songs. How many times can one song be recycled? Every year there's something new.

I have an old favorite this year and a new favorite. My old favorite Christmas album (well, old as in 2006) is Wintersong from Sarah McLachlan. When it came out, I listened to it every night as I was going to sleep for like three weeks. That's pretty huge for me because I'm not a listen-to-the-tv-or-radio-when-trying-to-fall-asleep kind of person. One of my favorite songs is "River" (originally by Joni Mitchell), but I love the whole thing. Sarah McLachlan has a heavenly voice, and this is the perfect quiet/peaceful/soft Christmas album if you are looking for one.

My new favorite is the recent release from Kate Bush: 50 Words for Snow. LOVE Kate Bush. I guess it doesn't really qualify as Christmas music...more like winter music. This album is completely slow-moving (in a good way), but the story each song tells keeps you waiting for the next note and lyric. Definitely the most haunting winter album I have ever heard. "Snowed in at Wheeler Street" (w/ Elton John), "Snowflake," and "Among Angels" are the three I'm loving right now. A snippet that sums the whole thing up for me:

they (the songs) contain wondrous multitudes thanks to the singer's still-expressive voice and knack for uncanny arrangements. And mood. There's an appealing creepiness that runs through this album...
-Pitchfork

I'm willing to admit the record is a little bizarre, but that's Kate Bush.

You can see a little pattern here, I guess. All creepiness and bizarreness aside, I prefer the Christmas (or winter) music I'm listening to to be as relaxing and/or quiet as I hope the holidays will be. Hah! What are you listening to this holiday season?

Home.

Well, second home. Boone and ASU definitely have a special place in my heart - I graduated from App, and so did my parents and grandparents. I grew up spending fall weekends in Boone for football games, and (obviously) I spent four crazy but wonderful years there.

My senior year of college, I was so blessed to become a part of a group of great friends, and every year we get together and rent a cabin for a fall weekend. I LOVE that we are continuing this tradition and it is something I look forward to every October (or November). We had a great weekend that involved King Street, Macado's, Dan'l Boone Inn, downtown Blowing Rock, and of course the game vs. Western Carolina (that I, admittedly, was quickly bored with).

There is just something amazing about Boone. I love that beauty is everywhere, and you don't have to look hard to find it. It's hard to be unhappy when the awesomeness of God's creation is so in your face. Sorry, I couldn't think of a more eloquent way to say that. I would move back in a heartbeat. And yes, I love snow. My husband hates snow and the cold, but we're going to work on that.

Speaking of snow, we saw a few snowflakes this past weekend! Somehow, that led me to the decision that it is not too early for Christmas decorations. With a few hours to spare on Sunday afternoon, Halloween was packed up and a few Christmas decorations were put out! I have a pretty good beginning collection, but it needs to be improved upon. This weekend I am (a) deep cleaning our apartment and (b) buying and putting up the Christmas tree! Hooray! I know some people think it's too early, and that's fine. I just decided it wasn't too early for me. Maybe, instead of a fake tree, I can convince Ross that another trip to Boone is necessary to get a real one...