Domestic Diva

I took a few days off work to rest and recoup after our big event. I have really loved my time off. After catching up on all of the housework, I was able to spend some time working on some holiday craft projects. I am really excited for our first Christmas in our house.

A few years ago, I purchased all the materials to make the Martha Stewart jingle bell wreath. I finally put everything together and I am pleased with the results. Now all I have to do is find a place to hang it!


This is the first year that we are going to get a Christmas tree for our house. I attempted to paint these clear ornaments. I think I have finally figured out the proper technique, but they didn't turn out too badly for a first try.

Thanks, Giada!

I made Giada's Spaghetti with Pinot Grigio and Seafood from the Everyday Pasta cookbook last weekend. It was awesome and as you can tell it made way more than Van and I could eat in one sitting. I substituted fresh baby spinach for the arugula, but otherwise kept everything the same. I will definitely make this again.

Another Reason I Love Target

I found these cute little lanterns at Target today in the special seasonal /dollar section. I added a tealight candle in each one and they have a spooky little glow. They will be perfect on our front steps for trick-or-treat. Of course, the best part is that I can use them again next year!

After Months of Searching...

After months of searching for drapes for our living room, we found this fabric online over the weekend. I hope that we still like it when we see it in-person. Now I just have to get a sewing machine so I can actually make the curtains - baby steps!

Friday Night Lights

We went to Coastal Flats last Friday for drinks and we were surprised with a fabulous view of fireworks. What a good way to unwind from a stressful week!

Pool Days

It's officially summer in DC. It was like 90 degrees and humid today. Welcome to summer! At least I was able to enjoy one of the best things about our new house -- the pool!

I made my first official visit to our community pool last Sunday and it was the perfect way to start my summer!

Blog Backlog

Two weeks ago, I made a quick day-trip to NYC for work. I had two free hours before I had to catch the train home. How best to use my free time? A quick stop for cupcakes at Magnolia Bakery and dinner at Les Halles.

Escargot - OMG so good!!

Chicken Sandwich and Frites

Cupcakes - My Favorite!

My Horizontal Life

It's been a seriously hectic couple of months so I was looking for a funny, light book to read on my flight out to LA last week. I picked up Chelsea Handler's book, My Horizontal Life: A Collection of One-Night Stands, and I was seriously laughing out loud on the plane.

The book started a little weird and I wasn't quite sure if I was going to like it, but by the middle of the book I was rolling. I was honestly trying not to be that weird girl on the plane laughing uncontrollably at some stupid book. There were definitely times that my efforts were totally fruitless.

Always the optimist, I realized that I will probably never see those people again and it was totally worth it to be so thoroughly entertained on my long flight to LA.

Redecorating

I know that I have been gone a long time, but there was a lot going on. I needed time to adjust to the new job, new house and being a newlywed. Now that things are settling down and I've had some time to figure out my new life, I'm ready to write. I decided to start back up with a clean slate and a cleaner look.

Happy Homeowners!

We closed on our house last Friday. YIPPEE! Everything went so smoothly. It is such a relief to have that part finally over and now the fun begins....moving! Yuck. At least we won't have to do that again for a long, long time.

Mexican Lasagna

I made this Mexican Lasagna by Rachael Ray for dinner yesterday and it was a big hit. The dish was well flavored and wasn't too spicy. Although, it would be really easy to add more heat.

I did make my usual substitutions and used 2 percent cheese and low-fat sour cream. I also added chopped fresh tomatoes (they were as fresh as you can get this time of year) and black olives.

The best part of this dish was definitely that the left-overs were really good. Van and I both had it for lunch today and there was still enough left for dinner tonight. It is so nice to start the week without worrying about what to cook for dinner.

Progress

Only 10 days until we close on our house! Yippee!!

I'm on a mission to get as much packed as possible. Thankfully, I've got quite the pile of boxes going in our living room.

As much as I hate moving, I am really happy that this will be the last time we are moving for a long, long time.

Happy Faces for Our House

We had our home inspection on Tuesday and passed with flying colors! We are so relieved to know that there aren't any issues with the house. The current owner has taken amazing care of the place and made some really nice improvements. Of course, the kitchen is huge!

I can't wait to get moved in and get the place settled. It will be so nice to finally unpack all of our wedding gifts and have room for all of our stuff. Most importantly, it will be so nice to finally have room to have our friends and family visit. Not mention how fun it is going to be to decorate!

Resolutions

I'm trying to only make one resolution this year - be a better blogger!

The last two months brought some major life changes for Van and I. I'm hoping that 2009 will be a time for us to enjoy some of the changes we made in 2008.

After much searching, we finally found a house and we are set to close on Jan. 30! Well, it's actually a townhouse, but it is more than twice the size of our little one-bedroom apartment. We have been very busy finalizing all of the details that come with purchasing a home - securing a mortgage, completing the home inspection, etc. I've also been busy trying to clean and organize our apartment and start packing. I'm really proud of myself because I have already taken six bags of stuff to Goodwill. Which I think is a big accomplishment for a true pack-rat.