Christmas 2013

Hey hey, how was your Christmas this year? The past week has been a complete whirlwind. I started my meager Christmas shopping on Christmas Eve (about a day after getting all caught up on photography work), then of course celebrated with family on Christmas day, and the day after Christmas we finally, FINALLY closed on our house, and have been moving in ever since! (follow along on Instagram for updates in real time!) More on that later, because right now I just want to take a time out to look back on Christmas this year. 

To be honest, I almost feel like we skipped the whole Christmas season because I didn't have much time to enjoy it and because so much of what makes me feel in the spirit of things centers around my own home... which, obviously, we weren't in yet during the entire season. However, it was certainly an unforgettable holiday spend with people we love, and that's something to be grateful for.

Some in my family were hurting this year - it was my mom's first Christmas without her mom, my sweet Grandma, and my Grandpa's first Christmas without his sweetheart in over 60 years. The holidays have a way of bringing out the most blissful happiness but also the deepest despair at times, don't they? They tend to remind you both of what you have and what you miss. A strange jumble of emotions.

I can't tell you how excited I am, though, about the coming year ahead. I cannot wait to have my home and office all set up and ready to show you, and I can't wait for the work that will be done there, both professionally and personally.

Enjoy your day and week ahead, my friends!

morning at my mom's...

and evening at Matt's parents'....

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From my family to yours...

Wishing you and yours a very Merry Christmas from me and mine... 

May your holiday be beautiful, peaceful, and bright. See you again after Christmas!

(these photos were taken just this morning... apparently fall doesn't arrive fully in Texas until Christmas! :)

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The materialism struggle (#firstworldprobs)

Ugh. This time of year, you guys. Specifically this year this time of year. Do you struggle with materialism? I do. Always have, probably always will.

This is not a post about what some might deem the deeper and more important things in life - about poverty or addiction or abuse or true suffering. It's just about one girl's struggle with materialism, and who's to say that's not an important thing in life, I guess. A struggle is a struggle.

The truth is, I like stuff. We have this plaque in our bedroom that says "the best things in life are not things," and I jokingly tell Matthew that I disagree... terrible to even joke about, I know.  But I do value aesthetics and the way nice things make me feel, and I don't think there's necessarily anything wrong with that, in itself. I like to support those who make beautiful products that make life nicer for others, and I like to enjoy said products. But there's such an undefinably small line between just wanting beautiful, useful things in your life and always pining, pining, pining after the next thing.  How do you find the line? How do you keep to the conservative side of it? How do you not live your whole life working just to enjoy things? Is there really anything wrong with that, if you place a high value on people and health, as well?

I feel like this struggle is always at its absolute peak for me around Christmastime, when the push is on to buy, buy, buy, and stores are pulling out all the stops and wafting the best aromas just under your nose. It's this feeling of not having enough, which I know is an absolute lie. It's the push to buy gifts for others because it's the traditional thing to do, when you really can't afford it and should just say so.

This year I find myself systematically unsubscribing from store emails and purposefully avoiding Instagram and gift guides, just to eliminate that feeling of yearning for things. I haven't had time to shop for Christmas gifts even yet, and Christmas is in less than a week. Oh, and we should be closing on our house Saturday or Monday, so the next week will be a liiiiittle busy. At this point, I'm thinking about just bucking the whole system and skipping it this year. Not buying into the consumerism, since it absolutely isn't adding peace to my life. And isn't that what Christmas is supposed to be about? Peace? Unless you have all your shopping done by Decemeber 1st, which, let's face it, will never happen for me, there doesn't seem to be much peace around the holidays, and I crave that as much as I crave the ridiculous little blue ceramic fruit cartons at Anthrolpogie. Damnit.

This has very much just been a stream of consciousness type of post, so thanks for hanging in there. Believe me, I fully realize that I have a beautiful life and so much to be thankful for. I realize that even admitting this type of struggle will cause some people to bristle because, duh, it's pathetic. But unfortunately it's reality for so many of us in this day and age... and I'm thankful to at least recognize it for what it is, which is the first step to keeping it under control.

Hope you find peace and a reprieve from the consumerism over the next few days leading up to Christmas.... Happy Thursday... :)

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5 Days of Giveaways, Day 4: 25 free holiday cards from Minted.com!

It's no secret that Minted.com has THE best holiday card designs, so when I was presented with the opportunity to offer one sweet reader some free Minted cards, I was all over it. Just for fun, I played around with some designs to show you all a couple options, but there are literally a bajillion choices to fit every taste. Did you know Minted has awesome party decor and cute ornament cards, too?! Sweet. I had no idea they had such a variety of adorable stuff until recently. 

Enter below for your chance to win, and good luck! 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Christmas 2012

Another Christmas come and gone... I know this is the most cliche thing to say, but it really does feel like each holiday season hurries by faster than the last one, and right when I have a moment to sit back and enjoy the spirit of things, it's suddenly over just as quickly as it came.  This year I found myself really looking forward to having children, because I imagine creating a beautiful Christmas for them, complete with traditions unique to our family, will bring the magic flooding back. For example, I think when we have kids, I'd like to make Christmas a full week affair, leading straight up 'til New Year's Day. None of this Christmas-is-suddenly-over-on-the-26th nonsense. There will be more cookie baking, more Christmas movie watching, more acts of Christmas kindness, etc. I'd also like to have my kids write letters to their future selves to tuck away in their stockings for the next year. These letters will include New Year's goals and a thankful list of all the gifts they received in the current year. That way they can open it with their stocking goodies the next Christmas, and remember and reflect. Isn't that kind of a fun idea? Thought maybe some of you with kids old enough might like to try it.

Anyway, enough of my rambling this morning. Here's a few photos of our day! I hope you all had a really wonderful Christmas...

my mom got this for Matthew... he seemed to think it highly applicable to our life.

mom and Norman!

mom clearly enjoying her cupcake :)

Edd... still with us.

Norman feeling very sad about being made to wear a sweater.

the most delicious breakfast casserole evvverrrr.

got any scraps for me...?

Didn't take very many pictures at our second stop of the day (Matthew's side of the family), but here's a couple fun ones!

Matthew's Grandpa... the hat swings back and forth, as you can tell from the blur! Hilarious!

Most meaningful gift of the year. A beautiful canvas print of my little family, from Matthew's parents. Made me happy-cry. :)

Have a great Thursday!

merry merry...

mom, this is stupid.

Merry Christmas to you and yours! Hope it's a beautiful holiday for you.  We made chili stew and Christmas cupcakes today (an odd combo, I know), and tonight there will be cuddling and rum-and-eggnog sipping and Christmas movie watching... and if we're feeling really adventurous, we might go look at Christmas lights in our favorite neighborhood downtown.  

Here's a little peek at our Christmas Eve... see you after the holiday! 

peppermint vanilla cupcakes

Making Spirits Bright...

Wanna know something shameful?
I have never sent out a Christmas card. Never!

What it boils down to is laziness and procrastination on my part, because I love the idea of Christmas cards and really enjoy receiving them from friends and family, but I've just never gotten around to sending them. I am enough of a Cluster-You-Know-What around the holidays without adding in another to-do list item like sending out cards. Plus, if you send them out every year, people will come to expect them. I like to keep expectations low around here.

BUT. This year I had the ingenious idea of making a virtual Christmas card post on the blog, and that way family, friends, and beloved readers of SOML alike can all enjoy our card. And the best part is it took almost no effort, and I don't have to pay shipping. BOOM.

Print this baby out and hang it on your fridge, yo. (let's be honest here... the only one who might do that is my mom, and even then, it's highly unlikely.)

*Card by Tiny Prints, which is THE place to go for holiday cards! Love the choices over there.

**MERRY banner by Bungalov. Such a sweet shop stuffed with upcycled shabby chic and vintage finds!  (banners, chicken wire frames for jewelry, decor, and more. My favorites are the banners - planning to use them in upcoming photo shoots. Best news: SOML readers get 15% off in the shop through THE END OF JANUARY with the code storyofmylife15)

* * * * *

And here are a few more shots that didn't make it on to the Christmas card! Thought they were still worthy of posting... especially the last few. :)

My mom and I were fiddling with my camera when we turned around to find Matthew had wrapped our "merry" banner around his head. Men.

Consider this your formal MERRY CHRISTMAS, from my family to yours! :)

Christmas Home Tour 2012

Well folks, Matthew brought home something foul from law school, and I officially have the sickies. (he denies being the bearer of said sickness, however, it seems logical he would be, given I fell ill immediately after our first make out session of Christmas break.) Thanks a lot, you dirty law students! 

But anyway, I have still been plugging away at the decorating in our home, and today I have a few pictures for you. Hope you enjoy the little peek at our decor this year! And I hope your day is far less sniffly than mine...

"Love" banner from here

And some shots at night...