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...

Ten on Tuesday

1. What are your pantry staples?
Umm...haha. Right now, my pantry is an abyss. On my to-do list is inventory everything.

2. What are your refrigerator staples?
See above. Just kidding, my fridge isn't quite as bad. Orange juice, milk, Pepsi and cheese.

3. You already look like Heidi Klum (or your favorite supermodel). Now, what are the top three non-physical things you would change about yourself?
That's tough. And I mean that in a completely non-cocky way, it's just hard to pinpoint exactly what I would choose to change. I could stand to be more assertive, I wish I was more organized, and more motivated.

4. What's holding you back from your dream job? (If you already have your dream job, how did you get there?)
The short answer: money.
The long answer: Well, what I think would be my dream job (still a little uncertainty there) would involve more money and schooling. The tough part is that it's completely non-related to anything I've studied before. That would mean the schooling wouldn't be improving upon what I already have (i.e. getting a Masters degree), but starting completely over. And it isn't like law school, so in other words, it would basically be a completely new Bachelor's degree. Not to mention it would be in a field where I think there is a lot of uncertainty, and getting a job would be quite a feat (but that's almost every field right now, I suppose). It would probably also involve me not being able to work full-time while going back to school. Kind of a perfect storm for financial disaster. Just call me Debbie Downer.

5. You have $500 to spend but it has to be on one item only. Go.
If we are speaking in terms of frivolity, I'd say a new Kate Spade bag. Reality - my car is in need of some body work, so I'd probably do that.

6. What is something you are embarrassed to admit you buy on a regular basis?
Starbucks. The item isn't embarrassing - but I'm embarrassed to admit that my habit has become out of control lately. Like seriously, I don't even want to know how much I spent on coffee the past month. My excuse is that I can't get coffee I make at home to taste right.

7. What's in/on your bed every night?
Pillows, sheets, blanket, and my super soft green blanket that I got from Target.

8. What is a non-necessity item that, no matter how expensive it gets or how tight your budget is, you will always find room for?
Nail polish. I've always found it to be a good way to buy something new and fun even if you are having to clamp down on the rest of your spending.

9. What is the weirdest sandwich you've ever made?
I haven't, really. But my husband always eats cheetos ON his sandwiches (like if he has a turkey and cheese sandwich or something). I think that's pretty weird.

10. Would you rather: Be banned from Pinterest forever, but gain a million captive Twitter followers; or, never get on Facebook again but gain five thousand blog readers?
Tough question. I think I would go with the Pinterest scenario. Of all those things, Pinterest is what I use the least. I don't really care about Twitter, but I think I'd rather keep Facebook and live with the fact that probably only 5 people read my blog. :)

Questions found here.

Ten on Tuesday

1. What's your favorite television show for each day of the week?
Monday: The Sing-Off, Jeopardy and Wheel of Fortune ...and that's about all the tv I watch. I've been falling behind lately on Sister Wives (Sunday nights).

2. How many times do you wear your jeans before you wash them?
Twice...maybe three times. I've noticed the tags on a couple pair of jeans I recently bought even say, "wash me as little as possible."

3. What is your favorite pasta shape?
I don't have a favorite. I love all pasta equally!

4. Do you read newspapers?
I read them online...haha.

5. Do you sleep in socks?
Usually I do in the winter. Just depends on how cold I am, but my feet tend to stay freezing most the time. I have some of those slippers that are made to look like Uggs, and I actually get so cold that I sleep in them sometimes.

6. Favorite genre of movies?
Romantic comedies, duh!

7. How do you feel about wrestling?
Eh...I don't like it. I guess I can understand it as a competitive sport in high school or college. But I have no desire whatsoever to watch it, and I definitely don't like any kind of pro wrestling.

8. Should men pluck their eyebrows?
If they need to, then yes!

9. Do you have dimples?
I do not.

10. Do you like to camp?
LOVE it, but I rarely get to go. We went camping as a family a lot when I was growing up. But I had my first "rustic" camping experience a few years ago. Rustic as in - not at a campground, but at some random spot 45 minutes off a dirt road in the mountains of Tennessee, no running water or restrooms, no one else nearby. That was really a lot of fun. I don't think I strike a lot of people as someone who would enjoy camping, but I definitely do. There's something about no electricity, sleeping in the woods, sitting by a fire all day and doing nothing that's just wonderful.

Questions from Roots and Rings.

end-of-the-week hodgepodge: movies & money

Hope you all had a wonderful Halloween weekend/Monday! I have zero to report from Halloween, since Ross and I spent the weekend hanging out at home. :) This is the first year in quite a while that we didn't dress up and go out, but a weekend of rest is definitely what we needed. Well, a weekend of rest and switching out summer and fall clothes for me. That was a chore, and I'm still not quite finished yet. I really don't mind doing it though, because I forget what I have and then I'm like "I forgot I had that sweater...love it!"

Aside from swapping out clothes, I also spent the weekend watching all the Halloween movies on ABC Family. Saw Coraline for the first time and was thoroughly freaked out. What a weird flick. But then it came on again, and I loved it after watching it a second time. Same with The Corpse Bride (except I loved it after watching it the first time).

We saw Puss in Boots as well. Very cute. It got great reviews on Rotten Tomatoes, and someone even said it was funnier than Shrek. I wouldn't go that far, but I'd say it's worth seeing if you like Shrek-ish movies. Had no idea Zach Galifianakis was in it either, so that was an added bonus.

On a completely different subject, in my quest to be more organized lately (I haven't gotten too far with that), I've also been thinking about getting organized financially. I will be the first to admit that personal money management is not my strong point, nor has it ever been. Marriage has forced me to be a little better about finances only because I know that my decisions affect someone else now. So this is mostly a question to you all. What are your tips on money management? What budgeting programs (if any) do you use? What have you found to work and not work? I've tried using Mint.com, but it was too elaborate for me. I just need something simple where I can keep track of everything, and see when I'm spending too much in one area, etc.

Not that this post needs anymore randomness, but I want to end with a couple links:

Clean Mama - I stumbled upon this blog somehow and found "31 days to a cleaning routine" (and free printables to go with it). She also has an etsy store for all her additional cleaning/organizing printables which look awesome. AND, there is currently a giveaway going on for two of her starter kits! *crosses fingers*

Best Case Scenario Me - Something I really enjoyed reading. Featured on KylaRoma.com, written by Sarah Von from Yes & Yes

Oh, how pinteresting!

Trying something new and fun today...a collection of some of my favorite pins from the week:

Source: katespade.com via Aubrey on Pinterest

Kate Spade knightsbridge debra agenda. Loooove this - and love the color! If only I had $225 to spend on a planner...early Christmas present to myself, perhaps?

Source: lyndarthemerciless.blogspot.com via Aubrey on Pinterest

Sparkle in a sophisticated-not-sixth-grade way. Although I'm not gonna lie, I love all things sparkly, so you will still probably catch me wearing all out glitter nail polish from time to time.

Source: bonadrag.com via Aubrey on Pinterest

This is another LOVE. I have honestly spent time browsing zappos.com looking for ballet flats that actually resemble real ballet flats. Why? Because I like the look. These fit the bill perfectly.

Source: tinyapartmentcrafts.blogspot.com via Aubrey on Pinterest

Golden Snitch ornament (Harry Potter)! Not sure what the wings are made of, but it looks super easy to make.

Source: tatertotsandjello.blogspot.com via Aubrey on Pinterest

Practical pin of the week! I have not tried this yet - but it's on my to-do list. It looks like the plastic bag monster vomited all under my sink in my kitchen, and plastic bags are just stuffed wherever they will fit. What a clean and neat way to store them, assuming that it does actually work.

And that's it. Happy pinning!

On being a homebody.

Before starting this, I pulled out the trusty ol' webster.com and looked up "homebody." The definition is this: one whose life centers on home. That's a really good definition, in my opinion. I actually expected to see something more along the lines of "introvert who has no life." I guess I just think that is what everybody else thinks.

Although the two aren't really connected, what started me on this topic was when I realized that this blog is picture-less (I'm not counting the pictures of random things and wish list items, etc.). The obvious explanation for this is that I'm not a picture taker. I wish I was, but I'm not.

But that led me to my next point - I don't do much. And I'm lucky to have a husband who loves being home just as much as I do. Maybe I'm normal in that I spend 40 hours a week at work, and can't find time to do much more than just hang out on the weekends. But I have always, even in my teenage years, "not done much," and I enjoy it. "Not doing much" isn't really an accurate way to describe it, though. There is still a lot I don't know about myself, and things I'm still figuring out. One thing I do know is that I have always loved home. There is absolutely nothing I love more than to be at home with my family, or spending an hour (or several) chatting with a good friend. Those times are especially precious now, when it seems like no one knows how to press the slow down button (or does that even exist). Spending time with the people I care about is something I never get tired of, and something that I will never not have time for. Not sure how many of you listen to Sara Groves, but her song "Every Minute" might be a perfect description of what I'm trying to convey. You can listen to it, too. :)




I am long on staying, I am slow to leave
especially when it comes to you, my friend
You have taught me to slow down, and to prop up my feet
It's the fine art of being who I am
And I can't figure out why you want me around
I'm not the smartest person I have ever met
But somehow that doesn't matter
No, it never really mattered to you at all

And at the risk of wearing out my welcome
At the risk of self-discovery
I'll take every moment, and every minute that you'll give me

And I can think of a time when families all lived together,
four generations in one house
And the table was full of good food, and friends and neighbors
That's not how we like it now
Cause if you sit at home, you're a loser
Couldn't you find anything better to do
Well no, I couldn't think of one thing I would rather waste my time on
than sitting here with you

And at the risk of wearing out my welcome
At the risk of self-discovery
I'll take every moment, and every minute that you'll give me

And I wish all the people I love the most could gather in one place
and know each other, and love each other well
And I wish we could all go camping and lay beneath the stars, 
and have nothing to do and stories to tell
And we'd sit around the campfire
and we'd make each other laugh, remembering when
And you're the first one I'm inviting, always know that you're invited, my friend

And at the risk of wearing out my welcome
At the risk of self-discovery
I'll take every moment, and every minute that you'll give me