2013

As this year closes, I realize that even though it wasn't marked by important milestones, it was one of my favorites because it was filled with friends, family, and love.  Here are some of my favorite moments of 2013.

In the New Year, I plan to update you more on what we have been up to in our home, travel excursions, date nights, and more DIY projects.  I can't wait to see what this next year has in store.  Thanks for your support this year, and have a safe and happy New Year celebration!

Christmas Snapshots

Just a quick hello this evening to recap some of our Christmas fun in pictures.  We had a quiet holiday with just the two of us this year.  But our house was no less filled with Christmas cheer.  We hosted our annual holiday party and baked cookies for two days straight.  Tomorrow I'll be back with a year-end round-up and some thoughts on the new year ahead.

{Festive rosemary cocktail}

 

 {Butterscotch fudge}

 {Rib roast for two}

 {Rib roast feast}

{Kevin's homemade pigs in a blanket at our Christmas Party}

 

{Winter sangria at our Christmas Party}

 

{The weather outside being frightful}

 {Patatas bravas at our Christmas Party}

 

{Kevin's pulled pork. A staple at almost all of our parties.}

 

{Tons of cookies}

Merry Christmas

Holiday Sangria

Since starting this blog about 9 months ago, my Summertime Sangria recipe continues to be one of my most popular posts.  It's my signature drink at get-togethers, and I love tweaking it for different occasions.  Back when I first posted it, I promised a winterized version for you, so wait no more because here it is!

1 750ml bottle red wine
1 tablespoon mulling spices
1/2- 1 cup sugar, to taste
1 cup cranberry juice
1 cup Triple Sec
1 cup brandy
2 cups club soda, chilled
1 orange, sliced
1 apple, sliced
1/2 cup cranberries
2 cinnamon sticks

Pour 1/2 bottle wine and cranberry juice into a small saucepan.  Add mulling spices.  Gently simmer for 20 minutes, until fragrant.  Do not bring to a boil or you will be burning off the alcohol!  Let cool.
 

Strain wine mixture and pour into large pitcher.  Add rest of wine, sugar, Triple Sec, and brandy and stir until sugar dissolved.  Adjust sugar to taste.  Stir in soda, fruit, and cinnamon sticks.

  
Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour to let flavors blend.  Serve over ice.  Enjoy!

 *Linking up with Ashley and Jessica for Taste of Tuesday and Shanna for Random Wednesday

If I were more prepared for Christmas...

...we would have a taken a picture in front of our tree to use as a Christmas card, not because it was the only open spot in our house to take an anniversary photo.

...we would have worn cutesy Christmas paraphernalia.

...we would have decorated the tree right after putting it up.  Instead, we waited until we had a party this past weekend.  I'm not even sure if it was so that the tree would look nice or so that the ornament box wasn't sitting in the middle of the room when guests came over.  

...we would have already sent out personalized Christmas cards like this one instead of buying some plain ones in bulk and letting them sit in the box (probably until next Christmas).

This is all to explain part of the reason that we have a Christmas party every year.  This past Saturday we hosted our Third Annual Christmas Party, and it might have been the only reason that we got our acts together and decorated.  I don't mean to sound like a grinch, but I am just always that person that complains that Christmas just sneaks up on them every year like I don't know that it's December.  The place looks great and I always love it once it's done, but for some reason I'm just slow getting started every year.  Maybe next year, we'll be better?  Coming up this week, I'll share details from the party, and how we're finally catching the holiday spirit.  *Spoiler alert: a healthy dose of snow always helps*

Anniversary Week: Gifts

Three years ago today, I married my best friend.  I have known him since I was ten.  We were friends for years, and will always be friends first.  Today I thought I'd talk gifts.  We've exchanged many over the ten years that we have been together, and it's safe to say that Kevin is by far the better gift giver in the relationship. So far, we've tried to stay traditional with our anniversary gifts to each other.  Here's the run-down.

Year one we gifted each other tickets for a cruise to Cozumel and Belize.  It was fun in the sun with umbrella drinks, hot tubbing, and cave tubing.

Year two we also went on a trip, but we kept it a little more local with a weekend in Stowe, Vermont.  You can see highlights of that trip here.  Not only did we embrace the cotton theme at The Stowe Mountain Lodge where the sheets are made of clouds,*  but we also gifted ourselves a nice California King mattress.  I talk about that purchase more here. 

*Okay, so we asked the resort employees, and apparently very little actual cloud goes into the manufacturing of their sheets, but I would have believed it!

Neither of us were really in need of either of those.  We both have gifted each other some nice leather gifts over the years, and we're not really fine crystal people.  So going the glass route, Kevin got me a pair of beautiful Prada sunglasses (we are frequent patrons of Sunglass Hut and love any sunnies of the polarized persuasion).  Also on our shopping trip, we picked up a new coat for Kevin.  Not really a traditional gift, but we made it work by saying that it was the right type of coat to replace his leather jacket on rainy days.  Yeah, it's kind of a stretch, but he looks great in it!

In addition, we're going out on the town tonight for a special date night.  I will be wearing a leather dress to stick with the theme.  First on our itinerary, cocktails at Drink followed by dinner at Menton.  As a big Top Chef and Kristen Kish fan, I'm really excited about our meal.  I'll share details on that later this week.  In the meantime, head over to my Facebook page for a peek at our wedding highlight video.  Enjoy!

Anniversary Week: That Time I Planned Our Wedding

Hello everyone!  I'm so excited for this week because Kevin and I will be celebrating our third wedding anniversary.  I can't wait to share some of the details of our wedding day as well as some of our anniversary traditions with you.  Today I thought I'd share a run-down on what went into planning our wedding.  So here you have it: our wedding planning process (over two years worth) in 10 easy steps.

1. Put my guests first and my vision second. 

    This was my priority from the beginning.  How would my guests feel?  What would they like?  How could I make them feel appreciated?  This outlook led us to make decisions like having an open bar, renting a bus to transport guests from the hotel to the venue, and having the ceremony and reception at one location. 

2. Chose a venue. 

The Mill at Fine Creek in Powhatan, Virginia

We checked out others including a botanical garden and the Science Museum of Virginia, but in the end this one just felt like us.  It's hard to describe, but there wasn't even a discussion about which one we liked.  We booked immediately.

3. Chose a theme.

    {Grey and white with a pop of red}

4. Chose a dress.

{Jasmine Haute Couture via Unique Bride - not the most pleasant part of the process as service from both of these vendors was only mediocre, but I was happy in the end}

5. Chose my vendors wisely.

{Wedding Photography: Angie Garfield Photography / Wedding Cinematography: Josh Gooden Photography + Cinematography / Catering: The Mill at Fine Creek / Flowers: Flowers Make Scents / Wedding Invitations: By Invitation Only / Groom & Groomsmen Attire: Calvin Klein /  Bridesmaid Dresses: J.Crew / Wedding Cake: Sweets and Soirées}

    It cannot be stressed enough what a big impact your vendors have on your day.  I started my research early and focused on getting quality services on the cheap a couple of different ways.  For photography and videography, I chose vendors that were still trying to build their portfolios.  Now they charge exponentially more for the same great services, as they should because these people are talented!  

    My other money saving trick was to enter contests like crazy.  This is how I ended up with a free wedding cake!

6. Chose the food.  
    
    Gah!  I wish we had pictures of the food.  It was so delicious!

7. Did about one million DIY projects.

{programs, tissue paper pomanders, escort cards, favor boxes}

8. Made hundreds of whoopie pies. 

{These served as a dessert table treat and favors for our guests}

9. Had one short-lived cry before walking down the aisle.  

    This wasn't part of the planning as much as a realization that it was over and the day had finally arrived.  I'm glad I didn't cry throughout the day or in front of Kevin, but my pre-ceremony cry with my bridesmaids and my mom made things so real just when I needed to snap out of planning mode and remember what the day was about.

10. Chose to relax.

 {Worrying doesn't change anything and what matters the most is to live in the moment and forget the rest.}

For more photos from our big day check out our feature on Style Me Pretty from back in 2011.

Our Gourmet Thanksgiving: The Drinks

    So yesterday, I let you in on the 10 courses that we served at our Friendsgiving this year.  My friend and I each prepared half of the food courses, and the drinks were up to the husbands.  Below are five of the cocktails that were chosen to accompany the courses.  The remaining courses were paired with wines and a port.

 Cranberry Orange Sparkler

{via}

Classic sidecar- my first ever!

Euphoria- my favorite drink of the night!

{via}

 Pumpkin Pie Old Fashioned

{via}

Apple Pie Shooter

{via}

These drinks were the perfect fall send-off, and now with Christmas just around the corner, I can't wait to share some holiday cocktails with you including my Christmas update to one of my most popular recipes!  Stay tuned!

Our Gourmet Thanksgiving

Call me gluttonous, but I may just be coming out of the food coma from last week's Thanksgiving feast.  We were unable to make it back home to Virginia this year, so we splurged with friends by making a fancy ten course dinner for four.  It was awesome!  Each course was paired with a drink, so we went slow.  In fact, it took us six hours to eat.  We took breaks for conversation, more cooking, and one of us (read: me) may have had a little nap!  If you're into doing something non-traditional for the holidays, I highly recommend this format.  Perfect for a Friendsmas!

{Amuse bouche: deconstructed french onion soup}

{Salad: roasted butternut squash with warm cider vinaigrette}

{Soup: Mushroom with truffle oil}

{Pasta: sweet potato gnocchi with sage brown butter sauce}

{Seafood: seared scallops with oyster stuffing}

{Entree: roasted turkey, goat cheese mashed potatoes, cider gravy, and cranberry sauce two ways}

{Entree: braised short ribs, creamy polenta, and roasted vegetables}

{Selection of cheeses served with honey and dried apricots}

{Bruleed pumpkin pie served with bourbon whipped cream}

 {Chocolate molten cake with beet syrup and ice cream}

Tomorrow I'll share the drinks we chose for each course!  I'll share recipes if anyone is interested.  This post was just getting really long!