Wednesday, December 19, 2012

What I Love Wednesday.

I thought I would share what I am loving this Wednesday morning.
I love:
Seeing The Hobbit in 3D on Monday. I adore date nights with the boy. It is so much fun to go out in public and act silly.
My brother's rendition of how to wrap Christmas presents.
My company Christmas party date.
Putting together my best friend's "hostess basket." I got her a few things from downtown Petoskey. Cranberry wine, Mango Habenaro Salsa, and blue chips. Perfect items for my favorite hostess.
Getting reminders from lunch's fortune cookie.
 
Thanks to Pinterest... I will be making these the next 2 days for our company wide potluck.
 OR
What I love most?
We are about to be hit with a huge snowstorm.... I put a red dot on the map to show where I live.
It's going to be a very white Christmas! Bring it on. I am finally ready for some (or a lot) of snow.
 
What are you guys loving this Wednesday? I want to hear.

Tuesday, December 11, 2012

Great Wine Paired With A Bad Movie.

After cleaning my apartment and making dinner, I decided to just chill and catch up on TV shows I have been neglecting in my DVR... That was when my boyfriend knocked on my door. He just smiles, holds up a bottle of my favorite wine, and says "its a movie night." While Mike was preparing some appetizers in the kitchen, I poured us some pretty heavy pours and we got ourselves situated in front of the TV.
I have been wanting to see The Apparition, a scary movie starring Ashley Greene for awhile now, so I figured it was the perfect pick for the night. Boy was I wrong.
We hated it.
Between the wine and the two of us trying to be funny, we ended up ruining the movie by pointing out EVERYTHING that is wrong with each scene. Needless to say, I will be completing the movie on my lunch break today because I need to know how it ends, but we ended up turning it off and getting another bottle of wine out of the refridgerator.
The rest of the night was spent on the couch with a glass of wine in our hands just talking and laughing. It was beyond perfect. Sometimes you just need nights like that.
Nights with no plans...
Nights of staying up...
Nights of hanging out with your best friend....aka your boyfriend.
Such a goodnight! (bad movie and all.)

Monday, December 10, 2012

Boyfriend's Christmas Gifts.

This Christmas will be the second time my boyfriend and I will celebrate together. Last year, he ended up loving his stocking stuffers way more than his big gift. I think its because I can find things that he would never think he needed or wanted but I wrap it up and boom... its the "best gift ever."

So Mike's big gift this year is this baby:
He is constantly stealing my iPhone in order to check his football fantasy team, baseball fantasy team, e-mail, or the ESPN app. So now he will have all of that and more on his own iPod touch. Thank goodness. Plus he is a painter so I don't know how he has lived without his own music to motivate and recharge him throughout his long days.

So here are his stocking presents all wrapped up:
And here's whats under the BEAUTIFUL wrapping:
1. American Spoon Food Jalapeno Pepper Jelly
{His favorite snack. Put this over cream cheese and the boy is in heaven.}
2.       MLB The Show 12 PS3 Game
3.       AXE Excite Body Goods
4.       Havoc Hockey Stick Bottle Opener
{For his hockey celebrations in the locker room, perfect for his hockey bag zipper.}
5.       Chaps Golf Water Bottle and Sleeve
6.       Nike Juice Golf Balls
7.       iTunes Gift Card
8.       Battleship DVD
9.       Gym Towel with a Hidden Zipper Pocket
{This is the most practical of the gifts… yet perfect! He can have his wallet/phone on the bench for away games so it’s not left in the locker room.}
10.   iPod Hockey Goalie Case
There you have it. I think it is going to be a great Christmas and I cannot wait to see his reactions.

Anyone else have more fun finding/buying stocking stuffers instead of big gifts? Any ideas for a golf playing, hockey obsessed, and music loving boyfriend?

Friday, December 7, 2012

Life Lately.

I thought I would update my blog with what I have been up to lately. Let's see... I have been wrapping Christmas presents like crazy. Everyone on my list this year is done and now all is left is pretty homemade wrapping touches.
All I want for Christmas is...

My next DIY project for this weekend is this:
 I've been waking up to the best text messages from the boyfriend whose been away this week.
Tonight is one of my favorite hometown events... Downtown Open House. All the boutiques and shops downtown Petoskey stay open late and serve drinks/cocktails/appetizers to their shoppers. I just love how downtown looks all lit up and the sounds from the Petoskey High School Steel Drum Band as they play music in the middle of the street to make things festive.
 Here's a video from last year's open house night:
Nothing like Christmas decorations and music to put you in the mood to bundle up in a huge coat and hat to venture downtown to shop, eat, drink, and be merry!

Any big plans for this weekend? Anything full of Christmas spirit?

Thursday, December 6, 2012

Work Party Inspiration

So after texting, emailing, and pinning ideas with my best friend Emily, I have come to the conclusion of what I will be wearing for this year's Company Work Party. I am an engineer so getting dressed up has been dress pants and a nice top for the past few months. Not to mention that I have to be at work at 6 in the morning, so when I get ready at 5 am, I throw my hair up and quickly apply some makeup. Now I will get to throw on a dress and look put together for a night in front of my coworkers.

My mom got me this gold sparkly dress a week ago and I knew I had to pimp it out with color and jewelry... which is honestly my favorite part... accessorizing! So here's the look:
With this hair:
And these nails:
OPI's Skyfall
The only problem is I have to drive 45 minutes away to a nearby town in order to buy these beautiful shoes, but while I am there I will be looking for some sort of cover up, either a cardigan or coat to put over the dress at times.

So what do you think? Any ideas for this look? Trust me I need all the help I can get!

Friday, November 30, 2012

Random Friday Rant.

Thank God it's Friday!

Ahh, this has been a crazy and hectic week so I am ready to kick back and relax. I love how I say that but in reality I need to make 2 dozen cookies for my first ever cookie exchange party tonight before I can "relax." But I am excited regardless. I feel very grown up by being asked to participate in the party... I am sure there will be plenty of wine drinking but still, this event screams "grown-up" to me. I am planning on making Corn Flakes Wreath Cookies (glorified rice crispy treat) and Andes Mints chocolate cookies.
I was an impulse buyer last night and purchased this print of my alma mater's pub scene. Yeah Miami University! As soon as I saw this I thought "oh that's funky and cool," but then I realized I had to have a copy... It seems only fitting since I have spent many nights dancing, drinking, gossiping, and hockey player people watching at those places. Now I need a frame... I bought it so fast that I don't even know how big or small it is. Who does that?

I made my boyfriend a stocking earlier this week, but I finally got around to making my own. So now we have matching Christmas stockings... P.S. How unfortunate to have the initials S&M... I mean really?
While the boy was at hockey last night, I got to watch his pride and joy... Lola.
Not to wish my weekend away but I cannot wait for Sunday's new episode of The Walking Dead. I am upset its the mid-season finale which means I have to wait MONTHS in order to get my fix. My boyfriend and I watch this show religiously. Sundays are meant for getting take out dinner and eating from the coffee table ready for it to come on. So to make up for the hiatis, looks like I'll have this youtube video on repeat. Hello, Daryl Dixon...
Norman Reedus is my ultimate celebrity crush. Love love love.
Wow, this has been the most random post I have ever done. I like it. So that is what I am loving this snowy and cold Friday morning.
 
What are you loving? Any Walking Dead fans out there? Enjoy your weekend, loves.

Tuesday, November 27, 2012

Christmas Gifts? Check.

Last night after work, I laced up my snowboots and tracked out into the snowy downtown shopping district to pick up the last of my christmas presents. Yes, you read that right...

I am officially done with Christmas shopping!

Thanks to Black Friday and Cyber Monday I have checked everything off my list and now I can kick back and relax the entire month of December. How great does that sound?

How can you not get in the Christmas mood when the outside of your apartment looks like this? I love living in Michigan.
Did you guys partake in Black Friday? Check off a few (or all) gifts for your love ones?

Monday, November 26, 2012

Christmas Prep.

So after 4 days off from work and plenty of shopping, I am now back in the engineering office trying to get motivated for a week of craziness. I miss "vacation" already.

Over my time off, I started to decorate my apartment for Christmas. It's a family tradition to go tree shopping the day before Thanksgiving, so I picked out my beautiful tree and couldn't wait to decorate it. I was surprised to find out that the boy is kind of obsessed with tree decoration. It was the first time I had gotten all my ornaments I have been collecting for years out and it was fun to see what I have purchased over the years. 
 
I still want to make the Pinterest inspired tree skirt... so thats on the to do list. I bought a dollar store one (shown above) to revamp into a ruffled-filled white skirt.
I made Mike a stocking... the store bought ones are never big enough. I put one DVD in a stocking and boom its filled...so I decided to go BIG. You can't really tell but this stocking is as long as the window. Amazing! So I just sketched out an "m" and added some sparkle. Love it. (Now I need to make myself one!)
I wrapped his stocking stuffers.
It definitely helped that Black Friday was a HUGE success. After spending 4 1/2 hours at Walmart, Mike and I walked away with a 40" TV, Blu-ray Player, new sheets, and enough DVDs/TV series to keep us occupied for another year.
Christmas is so soon and I am ready for it. I only need a few more presents and I am done with my gift-buying. I cannot wait to just kick back and relax once Decemeber hits. I want to enjoy next month.

Are you Christmas decorating? Did you partake in Black Friday? Any good deals? I want to hear about it!

Tuesday, November 6, 2012

Off To The Polls.

Tonight is the night. Election day is finally here.

Mike and I will be going together to the polls after work to cast our votes. It feels more officially this year since the last presidential election I had to fill out my absentee ballot from Ohio. But tonight I cannot wait to punch my ballot for Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan!
 
(And also to vote for my good friend as Michigan's State Representative again)
Afterwards, we will be getting cuddled up in front of the TV with our amazing coozies...
and red/white/blue cupcakes to wait for the results. Hopefully, we will see a change for the country with a win for Romney/Ryan.

Make sure you guys get out and vote for what you believe in.
Are you planning a little election party? How will you celebrate? Will you vote?

Thursday, November 1, 2012

Just A Little Wishlist.

Happy 1st of November!
Ahh, I cannot believe it. October went by way too fast, however, it was such a fun month. Now it's time to look forward to Thanksgiving, Election Day, and of course my personal favorite, Black Friday. I started throwing my list together in order to give my parents and boyfriend ideas. So here is what I am lusting over:

1. Daisy by Marc Jacobs Perfume
2. Michael Kors Turquoise Watch
3. Walking Dead Season 2
4. Kate Spade Hi-5 Mittens
5. Ralph Lauren Sweater Boot Socks
6. Long Black Winter Jacket
7. Michael Kors Black Purse
 

The boy is getting an iPod for Christmas. So I need to order that baby, because I want to get it engraved. I even have started buying little things for his stocking already... Okay, now I sound crazy. But honestly I love giving presents, so I obsess over it a little bit too much.
 
What are you guys asking for this Christmas? Anything I should add to my list?!

Wednesday, October 31, 2012

Grown Up Dinner.

Last night I attended an amazing dinner at my favorite restaurant, Noggin Room, located in the Perry Hotel. One of Michigan's own beer companies, Short's Brewery, teamed up with the Noggin to deliever a night of great food with complimenting beers. My boyfriend and I have been wanting to get involved with these events for awhile now, so when this one starting being advertised we decided to mark our calendars. I usually never take pictures of my food (mostly just my alcohol) but I had to do it for this dinner. Absolutely stunning presentation and delicious combinations. Here's the five course run-down:

First was the Loaded Bloody Mary Inspired Beer:
Vodka poached shrimp, garlic brined cucumber, and pickled peppers
Pork Empanada
Corn flour pastry filled with pork carnitas, salsa roja, and guacamole
Beer Selection: Cerveza de Juli
Buffalo Bratwurst Slider
Buffalo sausage patty, red cabbage kraut, pickled onios, smoked Jarlsberg and Thousand Island dressing.
Beer Selection: Noble Chaos
Dry Aged Filet of Beef
House aged beef tenderloin medallion, coffee and cognac laced demi glace, blue cheese and walnut crust with a roasted grape garnish.
Beer Selection: Wizard
Candy Corn Baked Alaska
Golden sponge cake and peach ice cream surround with meringue flambe {it came out on fire!}
Beer Selection: Peaches n Creme
Overall, it was a perfect evening. We had a reserved table of 3 couples who happen to be my most favorite people in the world, so of course there was plenty of laughter and good stories. The host was very funny and insightful too, so we will definitely be attending these dinners in the future. Another thing is this night made us feel so grown up. We paid a pretty penny for this meal and it was worth it. Now if only I could cook like that so we could have grown up dinners all the time... Here's to hoping!
 
So check out Short's Brewery. Their beer is one of a kind and simply fantastic.