Oh Hi

Anybody else get wrapped up in the holidays and just (mostly) forget about the internet?  I have like 1000 posts to catch up on in Google Reader, and my Pinterest has a dangerous number of pins to catch up on.  But I'm back to work tomorrow, and easing my way back into reality today.

We've had a great time with our families this past week.  First we spent New Year's Eve at my brother's house.  They made a beautiful dinner of a prime rib roast (I don't love red meat but it was so delicious, he made au jus to go with it and it was just insane).  We also had mashed potatoes from scratch, stewed spinach, and chocolate mousse made from scratch by my SIL.  I really appreciated that they made the whole meal gluten free for me.  My SIL's mom even made a GF dip and brought rice crackers for me.  Plus it was just plain delicious.

That morning we had woken up and opened presents.  Of course, I knew what my H was getting, but it was still great to see him open his new safety razor, a shaving mug and some delicious lime soap, and his favorite cologne.  He also got all of the Lego Special Edition Minifigures he needed to complete hit collection up to Series 5.  It was hilarious because my parents wrapped each one separately (17 total).  So when we passed out gifts, he had WAY more than the rest of us.

I got great gifts too, and I think everyone really liked what we got them.  My mom got a sweater and necklace from Anthro, and a book that she already had (damn!).  I got my dad a couple of books and some great, thick socks from J. Crew.  My brother got an English wool blanket and a Christmas Story mug, and we got some nice hand cream and solid perfume for my SIL.

I'm sure I won't remember everything, but here are some highlights.

Gold skull Bhati Beads

I love the color of the silk wrap on these beads.  Michelle Obama wears the plain gold version (I guess the First Lady shouldn't be seen wearing skulls?), which is what turned me on to them.

This is golden quartz mounted in an old brass bullet casing.  It's on a longish brass chain and SO gorgeous.  This is probably my favorite gift.  I also got another brass necklace with a cluster of pendants, including an owl and a little clock.

This collage on a canvas is so beautiful in person.  I can't wait to hang it in our living room.

This sweatshirt is a really soft waffle texture, and the banded bottom gives it a really nice fit.

My brother got this watchband for me from Brooks Brothers.  It fits my J. Crew watch perfectly and I love how preppy it is.  He also got me a book of rejected New Yorker cartoons.  Since my husband likes to poke fun at how pretentious my brother and I are, it was just perfect.

I also got a $50 amazon gift card, and $200 cash between my in-laws and Brett's grandparents.

I also haven't blogged about a gift from my Secret Santa.  I love doing SS with a group of ladies from a message board I hang out on.  These were honestly some of the sweetest gifts I received.

I love this vintage magnifying glass necklace so much.  I'm already wearing it a few days a week.

And these measuring cups are cracking me up every time I go in the kitchen.

The best, though, was a huge handmade leather pouch with gold sequin lining.  I know she meant it as a joke to poke fun at my horrible taste in handbags.  But I've used it a couple of times while packing, so joke's on her.  It makes a great travel bag.

Now the holiday season continues with us deciding what to spend our cash on.  We each ended up with around $300, but we're going to save a chunk of it to spend on Brett's birthday gift next month.  We're getting him a new computer!  Long overdue.  Plus it means I get to have his old one for photos and stuff.  We're already mentally rearranging our office.

Anyway, Brett spent a little over $100 on a Keurig today.  He's really excited, and our friends who have them love them, so I'm happy he got one.  He never bothered to make coffee with our old machine (I don't drink it, so making a pot for just him seemed like a waste).  We also got some hot chocolate cups for me, which I'm psyched about.


For my part, I just ordered a new handbag.  I chose the yellow Cambridge Satchel, in the 13" size.  I also got my initials embossed on it.  I really can't wait to get it, although I know it will take a while.  I also bought some tees and a pair of skinny cords from J. Crew sale for super cheap.

The only other thing I think I'll be buying soon is some new towels.  We're getting one Turkish peshtemal to see if we like it.  Then we'll decide whether to stick with those or go with a regular style towel.  But we had a fantastic holiday break, and now it's time to get back to the grind.