I Do Declare

Paperless Post - Valentines + Give-away

2012-02-10T10:47:00.002-05:00

My favorite online stationer, Paperless Post, has some of the most cute and clever Valentines cards available if you are a last-minute card shopper....which I am!

For less than than what you'd pay for one paper greeting card, you can send a card to your Valentine, your friends, your family - pretty much everyone you love, with enough left over to design a girls' night invitation around a movie! And, to prove that love don't cost a thing, Paperless Post is introducing a line of FREE designs, too!

What I love about Paperless Post, as opposed to other sites that offer e-greetings, is that the designs are as original and elegant as paper products you'd find in a boutique stationery store.

To Carrie. Love, Big

The designer gets to really put her special touch on an invitation, birthday or holiday card. I sent this one, from the new free line, to Dan (or as I usually call him, Z) who's been out of town with work while I've been home going to boot camp. Cute, no?

There are even options for photo cards (think grandparents if you have kiddos!). I used this ~~engagement~~ pap shot of Dan and me to for a magazine cover card....

with this funny message...because I've been known, on occassion, to read the tabloids.

If you want playful or pretty, you'll find all styles of cards at Paperless Post! I love that Paperless Post cards arrive in the recipients inbox in a cute envelope that opens up to reveal a pretty liner, which the designer can select. Because it really isn't like JUST sending an email, your intended will surely feel special (not like you just forgot...and sent a quick message!).

I'm SO excited that Paperless Post is offering one I Do Declare reader a chance to win 50 Coins for creating and sending clever cards and invitations - for a birthday, for a party....OR, just in time for Valentines Day!

To enter, be a follower of I Do Declare and then leave a comment telling me how you'd use the Paperless Post coins! Will you create invites for an upcoming St Patricks Day party? Will you play Cupid sending Valentines to everyone you know? Are you like me, who likes to just send Paperless Post when setting up dinner plans because designing one is so, so fun??

I'll announce a winner on Monday, February 13!

I was compensated only with a reader give-away for this post. I am a longtime customer of Paperless Post and feature often the designs I create on my blog.

Why I Won't Make My Valentine See The Vow

2012-02-09T05:38:00.039-05:00

When I stood before God and everyone to marry Dan, I promised, among other things, to always respect him. It is that vow that will keep me from dragging him to see The Vow this Valentines Day (haaa!). I'll save the pull of his man card for a date night watching This Means War.

Paperless Post invite*

That's not to say that I'm not all over this movie like cupid on a heart-shaped Whitman's Sampler...like Brandi Glanville on Eddie Cibrian's tires. Oh, I'll see it. I'll be there opening night. When I saw the trailor for this The Notebook-wannabe romance months ago, I knew without a doubt it begged for a movie night with the gals.

So, throw some tissue (and chocolate, and wine!) in your purse and get your sweetest friends together for a little Valentines Ladies Night.

You'll love the time with your friends. The man in your life will love you for it. And...next year when The Vow comes on cable and your remote lands on it one rainy Saturday, your guy will argue against watching it by asking, "Haven't we seen this?". Then, upholding your vow of honesty, you won't be fibbing when you answer, "No...we haven't."

P.S.
I designed my Paperless Post invite after seeing this FANTASTIC Oscar invite created by Erinn at Fancy Napkin. I love how she did the who/what/when. And seriously, could I love a blog name more??

P.P.S.
Maybe...if it was called Total Basset Case.

P.P.S.
I found these two blogs from another fun blog called Wine Taste Girl - she's from Nashville, and features great products for those of us who need to be budget but like to live spendy.

P.P.P.S
These new blogs are my Valentine to you. I hope you heart them.

A Dinner Date With My Husbands

2012-02-07T05:35:00.024-05:00

When I was in my late twenties/early thirties and still single, I confess that I would often get a tad bitter when I'd hear about a woman my age or younger who was on her second husband. To nurse the sting, I’d often turn to the bottle…

Kidding about the bottle part. But Photojournalism 101 - Write to your pictures. I digress...

Not that anyone should be denied a second-chance at love, but I wasn't processing the news with that kind of mindset. Selfishly, I was questioning how some people could land two husbands when I couldn't even find a good boyfriend. Silly? A little. Human? I think completely.

Years (and hostility) have since passed as I now find myself with two husbands of my own...without the drama of divorce, AND at the very same time!

Now, I rarely drink alone....

That part is actually true.

Friday I went to dinner with the husbands at Aqua Al2, a new-ish restaurant in the Eastern Market neighborhood of Capitol Hill.

You know Dan, of course, the first and primary spouse. We happily share all the good and the bad that comes with a legal union. He cringes when forced to wach One Tree Hill, still feigns interest and amusement when I plan a party, and says he thinks I look pretty without any make-up. We like to hold hands while sitting on the couch. And introducing (said in the same TV voice as the Smash commercial) Patrick...

Patrick is my work husband. We share all the good and bad that comes with a job in politics. With me, he never tires of making reference to when that dog ate Dan Scott's new heart, is very vocal about how ridiculous he thinks my party planning can be, and tells me that I’m in high-def when I come to work without my face on. We like to gmail chat while sitting six feet from each other.

Disclaimer: I'm not mocking real marriage here, and all parties involved in this little dinner trifecta (i.e, the Brother Husbands and I) know there's no divorce trajectory in motion. Our husbands jokes are all in good fun, even if a tad cheesey...

With them, I had a grand time putting the "2" in Aqua Al (where we went to celebrate Patrick’s birthday!).

Two dapper dates, two bowls of homemade pasta...

...that makes me one happy girl!

Super Bowl Fumble - Trader Joe's Chocolate Cheddar Cheese

2012-02-06T09:28:00.001-05:00

I rarely meet a cheese of any kind that I don't like, and lately, I've had so much luck with the speciality cheeses from Trader Joe's. The Cinnamon Toscana? Obsessed! Mostly recently, I bought a white stilton cheese with apricots that was really tastey. I've tried a handful of other Trader Joe's cheeses that blend an odd fruit or flavor, and always I go back for more-usually to find that the cheeses were a limited edition and are all sold-out.

When I'm sipping on a red blend, I want nothing more than cheese and chocolate for my nibble. That's why when I stumbled upon a chocolate cheddar I was so confident that it would be amazing that, after sending a picture of my find to my friends, Mary + Jocelyn, I bought two blocks - one for the Super Bowl and one for a little pre/post-gaming when my friends gather to watch The Vow (oh yes we are!) this Friday.

I'm so sad to report that this cheese is not good. No matter how much you enjoy pairing cheese and chocolate when you're enjoying wine, the full-on blend of it falls short.

If you're an impulse buyer like I am, if you've got a weakness for cheese and chocolate...if you see this in your store and think it will be so perfect for Valentines, it makes me feel like I'm cheating on my boyfriend Trader Joe to say this, but...I wouldn't recomend it!

Pillow Fight!!

2012-02-03T06:06:00.009-05:00

Every reader of home decor books and magazines knows that the easiest way to spruce up a room is to change out pillows. In my Q1 put-lipstick-on-a-pig efforts to make our house more of a home, getting new sofa pillows has been budgeted for February. In addition to the main pillows, for the smaller sofa that we call Chloe's Couch (because it's her favorite place to rest) I want one basset hound pillow.

photo credit - Etsy

Chloe needs one.

photo credit - Pottery Barn

Someone thinks such a decorative touch is...non-essential.

photo credit: Overstock. com

Someone will likely lose this pillow fight.

The Hard Habit of Soft Rock and Other Empty Thoughts

2012-02-02T05:44:00.007-05:00

I can't get enough of the Comcast cable Soft Rock station. I want it playing at dinner, when I cook, as background music for cleaning or if nothing else is worth watching on television.

"You know how listens to Soft Rock?" Dan asked me, then followed before I could answer with, "Old people."

Please.

2.

Speaking of age...The former small town medal head that is now my husband would love to see Guns and (or is it -N-; I should know this) Roses when the band (save for Slash - tragic) plays near D.C. this month. So, I looked into it. The show is on a Thursday night and it starts at 10pm. TEN! I don't think either of us have the Patience to wait that late for a concert to start. Hee. Doesn't GNR know its core audience isn't Sweet Children anymore?

Smash on NBC - I am captivated!!! It debuts Monday, but the first two epidodes are available now On Demand for Comcast customers, and also on iTunes. I watched it this week. LOVE - and I'm not even a Gleek. Also, because we're cheesey, my friend Patrick and I now and will henceforth refer to Katharine McPhee as Introducting Katharine McPhee.

Mature.

4.

Last Spring, I raved about how much I loved face wipes for a quick make-up removal, since I'm terrible at washing off my make-up before bed. I still love them, but I feel like I should offer this disclaimer now: they aren't so great for your skin. My friend's dermatoligist said wipes are terrible for drying out one's face (especially around the eyes - do not use to remove eye make-up!) and should be used ONLY as a last resort (ie, when you're camping). Sadly, I've retired the wipes, and brought back old fashion face-washing.

5.

In advance of boot camp, I spent last weekend on a bit of a cooking bender. I made a pasta dish so good I ate it the next day for breakfast, shirmp and grits (that weren't my best work), and the apple cobbler in this month's Southern Living. I didn't have cherries, but used peaches instead, and also cheated with Trader Joe's canned biscuits instead of rolling my own dough. Still, it was SO delish, and very easy. Here is the recipe if you want to make it.

6.

That's a Thin Mint cupcake. So that bootcamp won't prove to be entirely for naught, I only had one bite of it yesterday when the Girl Scouts celebrated its 100th birthday on Capitol Hill! I'll be writing more about that next week for DC Ladies because the Girl Scouts began down South! What I won't mention there (but I will tell you!) is that Hill staffers LOSE their mind over free things and there was a silly little showdown when someone refused to follow the take-just-one rule for lifting a box of cookies. Obviously, that person was never a Scout...

7.

Rotten.

Fitness Bootcamp - I Enlisted!

2012-02-01T05:41:00.003-05:00

I'm down to my last gimmick for weight loss and it's... exercise. I'm not just talking an occassional Zumba class, though. I'm going to see the My Fitness Pal app and raise it Monday through Friday 5:30am work-outs for the entire month of February. I enlisted for bootcamp and it starts on Monday.

I'm a lot terrified. I'm a little hopeful. And, if I'm being at ALL honest, I'm totally motivated by vanity. I have two girls trips in the works this year for places that are warm and where people are generally beautiful. This means I will have to pack a swimsuit. I was already entertaining boot camp before these trips were solid, but is it kind of sick and twisted that having to be all BFF bikini with my friends is a bigger motivation than, well, most anything?

Last week, Kris over at {the really fun and clever} Simply Fabuloss told me about a bootcamp that is in our neighborhood. I called and talked to the trainer who is called George, but I might refer to him as Bob or Dolvett just because I watch The Biggest Loser. I told him that while I do Zumba and walk that I'm by no means in shape. I admitted that group exercise intimidates me. Bobby Georgevett assured me that the class will inspire and motivate me, and that if I can't do all the assigned push-ups he won't shame me in front of ~~everyone else on the Ranch~~ the rest of the campers. So I told him to hold a spot for me.

Have you ever done a fitness bootcamp and lived to tell about it? If so, please share your advice!

A Party: Life is Sweeter at 30

2012-01-31T05:24:00.025-05:00

My friend Shannon turned 30 this month...

Paperless Post Invite

Jenni, Josh, and I couldn't let that milestone be marked without celebration!

Always humble, Shannon asked us to keep the party low key. So, we tried, by mostly just serving desserts...

and cocktails...

But 30 is a big deal (and we're not exactly a low-key people) so....

we had to light up the night just a little!

Since we were going for a snowy, wintery look....

the 23,424,234 (or more like 50!) votives we used helped make things feel cozy, if not "low key"...

...as did the "snow" (it was just sugar) we sprinkled on the antique window panes used for serving up the sweets!

Just as I believe you can never have too much candlelight, you can also never have napkins that are too personalized - hee!

My favorite napkin vendor on ebay is Party Favors Plus.

These days, you can't have a party without some sort of Pinspiration. From Pinterest, I got the idea to hang balloons upside down...

It was perfect for framing the main food table, plus it was easy and very inexpensive (just toss in a marble before your hot air - no helium, obviously)! It's also a different way to use balloons without your affair looking like a child's birthday party, or a middle school dance. I also saw this photo and knew I wanted to make pretty drink flags....

I used the same font from Paperless Post featured on all the party's papers, printed a page full of "Happy 30th Shannon!" lines on regular paper and just cut the "flags" down to size. Josh used a glue gun and attached the papers to drink stirs - so cheap to do and very easy!

We stacked the cupcakes on a cake plateau, which sat atop shiny fabric that covered a strand of white lights. With the main lights dimmed, it looked so pretty, as inpsired by this. And finally, the sticks....

Or, as Dan - who oversaw the gathering, spray-painting, hauling from suburbs to city, and constructing - calls them, the *#!$ sticks! Though they didn't turn out quite like I'd Pinmagined, I couldn't not feauture them after all the curses, sweat and tears offered up by my wingman (we've been watching Top Gun at our house). This guy, however...

...he doesn't even need to mine from Pinterest. Josh made this pretty flowered "S" to hang above the fireplace all by himself!

Before guests left the party, everyone signed an empty recipe binder for Shannon, who loves to bake, with their ingredients for having a sweet, 30-something life...

It looks like the Birthday Girl is well on her way!

Happy 30th, Shannon!

A Fu Ball Watch Party

2012-01-30T05:51:00.034-05:00

This time last week I was fielding calls from concerned family and friends who were checking in on Dan's emotional state after the Raven's heartbreaking loss in the final seconds of the AFC Championship game against Tom Brady's team. It's taken a week for hearts (mainly his, though I had started to search for good restaurants in Indianapolis, just in case...) to heal in our house. Enough time has passed now that we can recall, despite the loss, what a fun time we had watching the big game!

Our friends Kim + Dave have a perfect space for hosting watch parties in their ~~basement~~ Tavern. The guest list is made mostly of their extended family who live nearby. Since BFFs Dan + Dave go to all the home games together, we're often honorary guests for watching games - a status we appreciate! Even though this game sent everyone home pretty devasted, the party rated up there as one of the most fun!

The day took on a Fu Manchu theme, seeing as how Raven's QB Joe Flacco had been sporting such a mustache throughout play-offs.

So, too, did lots of these loyal fans...

including Kim and her mom, Mary Carole, who are rarely out-accessorized!

Growing up in Tenneseee, NFL football was never on my radar; we just cheered for the Vols. No one really paid attention at all 'til Peyton was drafted. That is not the case in Maryland. For two week during play-offs everything was purple. It was so fun. Now, sadly, anticipating a Super Bowl without the Ravens, faces are clean shaven and hearts are mostly....blue.

A Favorite Weeknight Meal

2012-01-27T09:35:00.000-05:00

A few things will make a recipe a repeat offender in my house. Obviously it has to be tastey, moderatly healthy, and easy to prepare after a long day's work/commute. Roasted Potatoes, Chicken Sausage and Peppers from SkinnyTaste.com is slowing earning the top spot for my favorite weeknight meal. I made it last night for the third time since I found the recipe!

It's hearty, inexpensive, and it requires only one pan. The chicken apple sausage is so good, too! I serve it with a green salad. So...if you are into processed, fruit-flavored meats {which I clearly am} you can find the recipe here.

A Party Sketch...

2012-01-26T15:44:00.000-05:00

Before I assmeble a tablescape for a party, I usually draft up something like this:

Last weekend, I co-hosted a 30th birthday party (details coming soon!) for my friend, Shannon, and had the above set-up in mind. The main table, however, ended up looking absolutely nothing like my vision.

This sketch proves two things:
1. You can over-plan a party.
2. I have no room to judge people who make spreadsheets.

%h!t People in DC Say

2012-01-19T18:30:00.000-05:00

At this point, you've seen a handful of those clever YouTube guys mocking a particular demographic. Today I saw Shit People in DC Say and it is HY-ster!

It's been a good nine years since I jumbo sliced it, and all my friends have moved out of their English basements, but it makes me kind of happy that, despite my address in the Maryland 'burbs, I'm still hip to the DC Scene (see also my posts on: biking, cupcakes, embassy parties, Food Truck Friday, and a new burger place) at least according to YouTube.

I can't wait for Shit Hill People Say to come out.

Is your boss still here?
Are we in Session?
Bullies or T-Coast?
House Side or Senate Side?

The ~~shit~~ material would be endless!

Let's Call Them...Habit Changes

2012-01-11T15:22:00.002-05:00

January 9th, long since passed, is the day on which most people who made new year's resolutions have already broken them. This year, I've been kind of slow to get my affairs in order, and since I'm a tad tardy on setting resolutions anyway, I'll just call my own intentions for 2012 Habit Changes!

I plan to attack these changes on a quarterly basis (January- March; April-June; July-August; Septmeber-December) as if I'm Donald Trump running a businsess. I just thought to write CEO of My Own Life, but then hated myself a little for even having such cheese mold around in my brain.

I think starring down changes in the short term might serve me better than the both grandiose and general goals of yesteryear, so....for Q1 I'm getting more specific:

Moderate Home Make-Over:
In our time as roomies, Dan + I have failed to truly make our house a home. This is in part mostly because we know we aren't going to live there forever, and also because we've spent all extra funds on travel. I love to entertain and not having a space I enjoy sharing with guests is weighing hard on me, plus...I don't want to look back on our first place together in total disgust. While there won't be extreme overhaul and redecorating, I am going to try put my best lipstick-on-a-pig efforts into sprucing up what we do have, purchasing each month something classic to tie our hybrid mix of Shabby Chic Single Girl and Big Screen Bachelor furnishings into something a bit more cozy. Just this week I found this on Craigs List for a steal:

Steal My Youth:
Back in the day I could sleep in make up and wake up with plump, zit-free cheeks. Now when this happens, which sadly, is often, I just wake up looking....older and more time-stamped. It's time for some serious skin management. Any money that used to be spent on manis and pedis now goes exclusively towards facials. In addition, nightly face washing and sleeping in thick creme.

Operation Austerity:
I am so terrible at both saving and managing money. For a year I've had a personal budget each month which I think I adhered to MAYBE twice. For Q1, I want to stay on budget every month with a goal of helping Dan + I bank a certain amount by the end of Q1. I started by canceling a $40 montly Weight Watchers membership, which I joined in August but havent used since.....August.

Weight Watching:
Last year I lost nearly 30 pounds...but I hit a wall in the fall and indulged through the holidays. I don't want to quit, though, or fall back into my evil eating ways. By my 35th birthday in March, I want to have shed 15-20 more pounds.

How are you doing on your goals/resolutions/habit changes?

While The Year is Stll New...

2012-01-06T10:05:00.000-05:00

Happy 2012 Friends, real and imaginary!! I've been a bit AWOL from the webs since Christmas, and when that happens to me, it's hard to get back in the groove. While the year is still new, I thought I'd capatlize on (the very few - tisk, tisk!) holiday photos I took.

It isn't just for blogging that I'm not back to normal, though. While typically January 1 for me brings all kinds of dramatic reflection and fresh start resoluting, this year, I haven't felt that one bit. I don't know why....

Maybe it's the lazy, but very relaxing way in which I welcomed in this new year with just a little flannel and fondue at home. And...a boot-legged copy, fresh from the streets of Manhattan, of New Year's Eve, the movie. (It is not an Oscar contender, but it was kind of perfect to watch on 12.31!)

When the clock struck 12, I had Chloe on my lap and Dan by my side. It was very sweet, but hardly the swining celebrations of yesteryears. During the day on New Year's Eve, though, we did meet up with my blog bestie, Dee, for an early (and very fun!) dinner in Baltimore and the intruduction of the Hokie husbands. Still, we were home by 7, and asleep by 12:30. Hold your confetti...

That slow, easy tone is trickling through January's first week for me, and that's ok. December was wild and busy and fun!

We spent a week in TN with {all} my parents and I also got to see my high school friends for our annual holiday hang.

We had big plans for a night on the town, but it poured rain, so we defaulted to take-out and couch gossiping instead - pretty much like when we were in high school, only with wine ~~instead of wine coolers~~.

But now, as January's cold blows in Merry Merry has been replaced, welcomed even, with the minutia. And I'm taking the start of the new year at a turtle's pace, if I'm being honest. I'm ready to hibernate a little, and I'm ready for a big snow.

What are you ready for in 2012?

Christmas on Capitol Hill - A Party, A Recipe

2011-12-21T06:54:00.008-05:00

So, it’s not Manhattan, but I do really love Christmas in Washington….

Capitol Hill specifically (cue every Washingtonian's favorite holiday song!).

Sometimes during December I’ll take the long way back home to the 'burbs, driving through neighborhoods on the Hill, peaking in windows to see pretty trees lighted and natty people mingling at parties. The scenes often feel, no kidding, straight out of a Hallmark movie.

Last weekend my friend Kerri hosted such a fete at her really beautiful home on the Hill….and while perfectly festive, magazine worthy I’d even dare say….

the tone was probably more Bravo! than Hallmark Channel. Think Real Housewives, only without the drunken brawls and Botox.

The food was just amazing, and displayed so nicely. Leave it to a Southern host to class up even Chick-Fil-A….

Though it isn’t fancy-schmancy, Kerri always serves up this pizza dip at her parties (as seen below) that is just rediculous (in the total opposite way of RH Atlanta, to be clear, though if you opted to sub sausage for pepperoni, you probably could). Seriously, it’s sooooooo good.

Seriously, I watch too much trash television.

If you’re still putting together menus for any holiday hosting you might be doing between now and New Years, you’re in luck because she gave me the dip recipe!

If you have a large crowd, you'll need to make two - there is NEVER any left!

Just three days til Christmas....are y'all ready? I have a to-do list longer than Santa's scroll, but I've really loved every minute of this December, and I'm very excited about the main event!

Bright Lights, Big City: Christmas in NYC

2011-12-20T05:44:00.052-05:00

This is what the weekend before Christmas looks like in the suburbs:

Mass chaos in the streets outside the Target/Old Navy/TJ Maxx/Toys R Us strip mall. Not that that kind of hustle and bustle isn't an amusing part of the Season - even holiday traffic is fun to me (for like 5 minutes), but....to embrace a little more holly jolly, Dan + I escaped for a day this weekend to New York City.

I'd never been to New York at Christmas-time....

so in the day that we spent there, we hit all the highpoints and did everything a tourist should do in December.

Macy's at Herald Square, {window} shopping on and around 5th Avenue. Look at this wreath made entirely of gold heels...

...and a break for cupcakes.

I hope I don't frost anyone the wrong way when I say this about the famed Magnolia Bakery, but: OVER-RATED. I much prefer D.C.'s Hello Cupcakes to this Carrie Bradshaw favorite.

After the Rockettes Red Velvet indulgence we ventured into St. Patrick's Cathedral, where I lit a candle and offered a special prayer for the new year. My photos don't do the inside justice, but here's a peak from the outside in the courtyard of The Palace Hotel......

The decor inside The Palace was some of the most beautiful in the entire city (there were also characters dressed as Nutcrackers and Sugar Plum Fairies handing out cookies). I loved the chandeliers flanked with "sticks", as described by Dan....

(Some really clever Pinterst-type needs to figure out how to recreate this!)

From Midtown, we chugged it down to Central Park for a carriage ride, and because we're not afraid of being cheesey tourists, we also grabbed hot chocolate and roasted nuts from the street vendors.

After, we quickly dropped the cheese and went all too-cool with a late brunch in SoHo at Balthazar, where I'd make a reservation weeks ago, because the last time I was in New York I waited too long to call and couldn't get in the door. Dan declared the sour cream hazelnut waffles he ate the best of his life, and since that man does not waffle when it comes to any kind of dough-based entree, I believed him...especially after stealing about five bites!

Since it was right next door, I popped into C. Wonder, the new store owned by Tory Burch's ex-husband Chris. The store has been getting tons of hype.

It's whimsical inside, very preppy and hip, and indeed more affordable than his first wife's line, but as another shopper (think Anthony from SATC) suggested aloud to everyone while we all rummaged through expensive (but bright and colorful) plastic bangles - $60 for Made in China - The world is coming to an end. I didn't buy anything at C. Wonder, but I get some gifts in other cute SoHo shops, and then we wondered in and out of art galleries (where we didn't buy the sweetest basset hound painting but really wanted it) and around the neighborhoods, peaking into everyone's windows and pretending we were locals. That was actually my favorite part of our day.

Because he'd been such a trooper playing Big to my Carrie, Dan earned a time out in an Irish pub to watch some football. There, we warmed up from a perfectly festive but still very chilly day....

...and then caught ourselves living out our Christmas card.

When we left out on the train, I asked Dan....Do you have the Sex and the City theme song in you head? No, he assured me, but maybe The Sopranos. Amtracking back to the 'burbs, I cound't help but wonder (hee!), will there ever be a time when I visit New York and don't think in SATC references?

A Cheeky Christmas Greeting

2011-12-19T09:55:00.001-05:00

It's hard when you have no kids to showcase and you spend all year blogging about your dog to come up with a Christmas card featuring a family of two plus fur, year after year, that isn't tired or gratuitous...or just plain boring. So, when in doubt this Christmas I did what I always do when under pressure: make fun of myself (and by default, Dan).

On the back, not to be forgotten, the Diggers dog gets in on the action, too...

I had another silly idea in mind, but when we shot the pictures, it just didn't translate. Then my friend Kim (who suffered through the aforementioned photo shoot as our photographer) posted a joke card not unlike this one on Facebook that I thought was SO funny, so I decided to steal the theme. I mean, if we're to illustrate what our year looked like, the photo above is representative of many a moment...

One night out on Capitol Hill I had a bartender snap the photo of us. Does it get more classy than a beer in your Christmas card photo? We like to think....not at all.

A Merry Little Christmas Now

2011-12-14T06:39:00.023-05:00

I'm having such a Merry Little Christmas season. Last weekend brought more cards in the mail, more gifts wrapped under the tree, more movie watching and pomengranate flavored drinks*.

Mostly, though, I got to let my heart be light with faithful friends who are dear to us.

EstroActually was relaxing and indulgent as always. I fell asleep here after dinner, and didn't even make it through Love Actually. It was a lovely winter's nap.

Shannon brought us all these ornaments to commemorate the the Royal Weddding Watch Party we all did together. I love it so much!

Also this weekend, Dan + I got to celebrate some parents-to-be where there were more bottles {of champagne and vodka} than I've ever seen at a baby shower.

Though it was a co-ed baby brunch, the entire time we were divided men and women....how 7th grade dance of us, no? It only made sense that we pose for pictures that way, too.

Next weekend, if the faits allow, promises more of the same merriment. I hope the same for you, that you have yourself a merry little Christmas now.

*For a great Christmas cocktail, split this punch with champagne, and add a dash of cinnamon and pomegranate seeds!

It's Christmas: Cue Joni Mitchell

2011-12-09T05:49:00.006-05:00

The movie Love Actually - I've surely seen it a hundred times! You too, right?

It doesn't have to be Christmas-time for me to get sucked into a British rom-com, but it has become a holiday tradition that my friends and I gather for a little girls' night in to watch Hugh Grant dance to the Pointer Sisters and to hear Joni Mitchell sing against Emma Thompson's breaking marriage.

In our younger days we would get dressed up and hit the town, but now that we can't burn our yule log at both ends, we all look forward to a girls' night in, in our Jingle Jammies, with wine and a cozy fire. That's happening tonight!

Here's the invite I designed for us on PaperlessPost to look like the movie poster:

My friend Mary and I did not let slumber parties die with junior high. When I was single and still living in the city, I would leave the District on a Friday and hunker down at Mary's Winter Home where we'd hide from the world, facing no one but the pizza delivery man for days. Those retreats came to be known as Estro Fests because, clearly...hormones were the driving force behind our seclusion. Now, nearly every fete at the WH takes on some kind of "estro" theme. Tonight shall be no different, and I can't wait!

Do you have holiday traditions with your girlfriends?

What I Love About Annual Holiday Parties

2011-12-08T05:08:00.002-05:00

Every year my friends Fran + Matt host an ornament exchange.

I love that I'll always have at least one new ornament for my tree, and every year when I pull it out I'm reminded of the good times had at this party with friends. This year, Dan + I brought a pickle ornament....

Since our engagement story involves the Pickle Tradition, it's become our signature Christmas bauble.

I love that Fran's menu rarely changes....

because part of the fun of this season is indulging in foods that you just can't justify January - November, including lamb lollipops. Fran gave me the recipe for her marinade and I'm going to serve these up when I host Dan's family for Christmas!

I love that there is always a fancy cocktail involving champagne, and as with ANY party Fran hosts, always cute drink labels.

I love that even though I won't know every person in the room, as is often the case in Washington, you meet such interesting people, including those who whip out their phones to show you hanging out with William + Catherine is just all in a days work.

That just doesn't happen at every holiday affair.

I love that this soiree, assuming I keep landing on the guest list and my friends keep hosting, has become a favorite part of the Season for me. Maybe next year Catherine will pop in to say Happy Christmas?...

Like Learning the Truth About Santa...

2011-12-07T05:25:00.000-05:00

My friend Fran hosted her annual ornament exhange this weekend (more on that tomorrow!) and Dan + I were guests. Nosing around in Fran's husband's office I saw this:

I'm no English major, but I did earn A's in all my college Lit classes. Still, I had no idea that to some Islands in the Stream is more Hemingway than Parton. Before it was a hit country song, it was a serious book title.

Fran's powder room, with its chalkboard painted walls, is the cutest - and so fun at parties. I turned my grief into graffati:

I'll never hear Dolly + Kenny the same again.

It's Not Going in Our Yard, Russ...

2011-12-06T05:09:00.007-05:00

"We're kicking off our fun old fashion family Christmas by heading out into the country in the old front-wheel drive sleigh to embrace the frosty majesty of the winter landscape and select that most important of Christmas symbols." - CWG

After two years of shopping the suburbs for our Christmas tree, Dan + I finally ventured back to where the pines grow for an authentic day of searching for and "cutting the most important of Christmas symbols".

It was so much better than just going to Safeway.

Not just because it felt so Clark Griswald, but also because we went with friends...

From our times with them in the pumkin patch, we knew Dave, Kim + Ben would prove to be both adorable...

and entertaining in the spirit of holiday memory making.

The place where we went...you can't get more authentic unless you literally trespass on someone's tree farm.

It was just a huge field where there was no one to help you saw....

no one to help you carry your tree or bag it up all fancy-like....

...but that's what made it all so much fun!

Holiday Movie Themed Hostess Gift

2011-12-05T05:16:00.003-05:00

From Thanksgiving until Christmas, everyone loves watching holiday movies! I know it's a favorite pasttime of the season in my house, and from all the blogs I read, I know it's true for many other families, too. That's why I think popcorn and a movie make the perfect hostess gift!

You could do movie passes and a gourmet popcorn tin, or...you could be a little more thrity and creative to personalize the gift.

I picked up a few holiday movies at Big Lots for just $5 each....in other stores, you can usually find holiday DVDs anywhere from $5-$15.

Then, with a recipe from a friend, I made white chocolate popcorn.

It couldn't be easier: nuke two bags of natural microwave popcorn, melt one bag of white chocolate chips. Put the popcorn in a bowl, then pour the white chocolate over the popcorn, stirring it in until all the popcorn is covered. Next, place the popcorn on some parchment paper to harden for about 30 minutes. It's so tastey - and also very good when sprinkled with cinnamon. When sealed tightly, the popcorn will last for days.

I put the popcorn in a festive tin, wrapped it up with the movies and took it to a party this weekend to provide some holiday entertainment to a hostess who went well out of her way to entertain me this Christmas.

Wine and candles make great hostesses gifts - both are usually my go-to. Still, it's always fun to change things up, and give a gift that stands out among the usual standards.

What do you give as hostess gifts during Christmas?

Love Me Like My Dog Does

2011-12-02T06:27:00.003-05:00

If you need a break from Jingle Bells, you have to hear this song.

If Dan was the kind of man who called up radio stations or wrote to Delilah (there are two camps here, people who LOVE or people who HATE Delilah - I'm firmly in the former! You?) to make dedications, I'm certain this is the song that would have him begging, So Casey...could you please play, for me!

This weekend will you be at a Christmas party? Tree trimming? Couched with egg nog and gloriously bad cable holiday films? All the fun is about to start in the 'burbs and beyond, which means...much less blogging about my dog.

Happy Friday!

Back To December

2011-12-01T07:19:00.007-05:00

Let's all say it together: Can you believe it's December?

Since the weather in Washington has felt more Easter than Christmas, no...I really can't believe it. But...since I'm preoccupied with, among other things, what holiday treats to make, getting the photo for our Christmas card, making time to buy wrapping paper, and...we still haven't bought a tree, then I'd say...feels pretty 'Tis the Season to me.

Save for some Christmas with Southern Living books I dug out for recipe reference, the only thing that hints of holiday in my house is the chalkboard in the kitchen.

And the truth is...that's left over from 2010. I could play this as I'm always a peppy elf (it is a neutral, spirited message for all times, no? )...or I'm more of a lazy elf. We'll let Santa decide, yet either way...a tad embarassing. Oh, and I do have festive nappies...

Always, the napkins.

Still, Happy December to you. That's not the same as a slanted, PC-greeting, but it's just my way, on a day when I'm struggling for blog content, of saying bring on the Jingle Jammies, bring on Clark W. Grizwald, bring on Hallmark Channel, ABC Family and stalking the tv's guide channel to DVR Smoky Mountain Christmas to be saved for eternity and then watched in May. Also, here's hoping December (or at least its weekends) are as slow as Christmas {what even does that mean?} so that we can all have time to wrap up memories, momements and merriment. Just like in the movies.

But it's already December, so....time to get started, actually. Especially if you want to seduce your boss, learn a new language to woo your hired help, make the leader of your government your new boyfriend, finally tell your crush you've got the hots for him, move to another country just to get lucky or fall in love with the person you're being paid to dry hump...all by Christmas. Hee.

Next week - a LoveActually themed holiday party...because who doesn't heart that movie?