Santa's Workshop

The list is crossed off.

The gifts are bought.

Now comes... the wrapping!

Yesterday at lunch time my office looked like Santa's Workshop.  I was frantically trying to make the deadline to ship my East Coast gifts and found myself surrounded by scraps of glitter paper, pieces of yarn, and those annoying spiky balls of excess scotch tape (you know what I mean?)

Wrapping always takes longer than I think.  Truth be told, I adore me some pretty wrapping.  It's truly an art. I'm always trying to find ways to present pretty gifts in the most resourceful of ways.

I was impressed by the simple but lovely display my boss's wife put together for my gift.  She wrapped a cookbook (signed to me by the author!) in a holiday kitchen towel and tied a wooden spoon into the bow.  How practorable.  (That's practical and adorable put together - I have a feeling it won't catch on)

Ignore my perpetual office clutter, por favor

Inspire Thursday #2

It is Thursday yet again - are you ready to be inspired???  

"Far from what I once was, but not yet what I am going to be" - Anonymous (or some cool band that I'm too uncool to know about)

This quote stands out to me because it's easy in our twenties to feel the "tug-and-pull" between being adolescent and being a grown-up:  What I once was and What I'm going to be.  There is a lot of what we "were" in us today, and we all (I hope) have a goal of who we want to be.  We with wanting to get "there" as soon as possible,  instead of just enjoying the journey of figuring out who we're going to be.  I think it's nice to remember that we're constantly evolving, constantly learning, and constantly becoming better versions of ourselves.  

Christmas Challenge

A week has passed since my last Christmas post, and let me tell you - almost each day was jam-packed with twinkle and jingle.  I can't get enough of this season!

Thus begins - MY CHRISTMAS CHALLENGE.

This is a challenge I just created for myself, and I strongly encourage you to join in.  There are two rules:  

• Engage in a Christmas activity each day
• Report back

Would I have engaged in this anyway?  Likely.  Does making it a challenge make it more exciting? Absolutely!

Okay, considering I didn't have this CHALLENGE before today, I think I deserve a pass if each day wasn't Christmasy.  However, I think I can muster up something for each day, knowing me.

Without further ado, my CHRISTMAS CHALLENGE since my last Christmas post:

Inspire Thursday

We all need some inspiration now and again.  In an effort to make this blog a place for celebrating positivity, I'm going to post a good thought to chew on once a week.  How's Thursday, people?  Thursday is always a day I need an extra push.  Almost to the weekend, but not quite there yet!

Also, I like pretty things.  I will post quotes that look pretty.  However, I will try to err on the side of appealing, not something that would show up on Lisa Frank's Instagram.

Today's Inspire Thursday:  "We must be willing to let go of the life we have planned, so as to have the life that is waiting for us" -Joseph Campbell

I like this because it especially applies to people in my age group.  Until we are 18, we're all on the same timeline. Then, most of us go to college for four years.  It's the mid-20's where everything gets muddled up.  Some get a high-paying job straight out of school, others pay their dues in dream careers with low pay (entertainment anyone?).  Some are married, some are single, some even have kids.  A few years out of school, and groups of friends that used to have everything in common are now all over the map, both literally and figuratively.  It's not bad.  Everyone's just doing their thing. But like they say, the grass is always greener on the other side, and maybe you had your own inner timeline - Promotion by X, Married by Y, House by Z.  Campbell's quote reminds us that we all take different paths, and not only that - but we often take a different path from what we planned for ourselves.  Personally, I didn't plan to be living in California, but here I am, and I am so happy.  To me, this quote means letting go of expectations for my life and letting the "life waiting for me" happen by pursuing what makes me happy and what feels right and not comparing my life to others.  If we let go of expectations, and allow ourselves to accept when life doesn't go as planned, we might be surprised at how awesome plan B can be.

It's Beginning To Look a lot like Christmas!

It's here, it's here!  My favorite time of year!

(Wow, I'm just one newsboy cap short of being a holiday-pushing newsboy)

We are four days into December and right in the middle of the season when everything is fresh, there seems like a dozen weekends until presents are "due", and the carols don't feel as if they are on repeat.  We feel warm and fuzzy and -- I hope -- remember the reason for the season.

I admit, I've been alternating between "Frank Sinatra (Holiday)" and "N'Sync (Holiday)" on Pandora for quite some time now, but what is your favorite Holiday tune?  Right now I'm really into classic carols like "O Come Emanuel" - hauntingly beautiful!  Who's got a candle to light up in here?

Here are a few snippets of my Christmas season so far.

Santa rounding out the Los Gatos Christmas Parade.  According to Webb's dad, it's one of the best parades on the West Coast!  Something has to be said for a parade that attracts a ton of people in the pouring rain.  

A night of Christmas carols at the First Presbyterian Church of Berkeley.  Beautiful singers, hand bell-ers, and whistlers!

Union Square in SF - picture taken from the Starlight Room

We still have 21 more days of this glorious season :)

Cape May

As you know, I simply adore the Jersey Shore.  Ever since I've had a Cali boy in my life, I've been telling him how he just needs to go to the beaches of New Jersey to understand!  Granted November isn't the best month to go, but I finally did get my wish and we spent 24 hours in one of my favorite towns, Cape May.

If you're going to go to a northeastern beach in the winter, Cape May is definitely the place to go.  It's cozy bed & breakfasts remain occupied by mostly couples looking for a getaway. The usually bustling shopping & restaurant district is eerily quiet, but still open.  The combination of the unoccupied streets, crashing waves and cold air made us feel like we were in a Stephen King novel!  But in the best cozy, relaxing, quaint way.

Our bed & breakfast was the adorable Angel of the Sea.  Oprah stayed there!  Obviously, that gives it a gold star in my book.  

We're just like Oprah!

The B&B was stocked with games, books, coffee and tea so it would be tempting to just hang out there for a few days.  They also offer wine, appetizers, a huge breakfast, and bike rentals.  

So many teas!  Not pictured: the cookies and cakes :)

The biggest appeal to the tea & wine times is the chance to chat with the other people staying there.  Webb and I chatted some interesting characters, including a guy who works at a high security prison - he had some pretty crazy stories for us (which only added to the whole Stephen King thing).

For dinner, we shared a delicious lobster bisque and seafood risotto (had to do seafood!) and a few nightcaps at the Ugly Mug, a lunch favorite for my family.  

Pretty crowded on a Monday night in November

The next morning included a big ol' breakfast with our fellow bed & breakfast-ers and a bike ride down the beach and around Cape May's beautiful Victorian homes.

Our view in the morning

Picture with the bell: Required.

Another fun quick trip with my favorite travel buddy :)

How delightful!

E & D 11.17.12

What's more delightful than a wedding?!

On Saturday, November 17th, 2012, one of my best high school friends married her sweetheart, and it was one of the best parties of the year!  I was honored to be part of the festivities at her attendant :)

Thursday night was the rehearsal at the church in which I learned it was not okay to walk down the middle aisle for my reading (oops) and we got the first glimpse of what Erin & Daryl would look like as bride and groom (cue teary eyes).  After, we had a delicious dinner at The Brick House.  Despite it being so close to home, I had never been there, but I loved the setting in the wine cellar and the food was awesome.  It's definitely going on my NJ restaurant list!

my two lovely friends at the rehearsal dinner

It always sets in at rehearsals that the wedding is actually happening, when for months it seems so far away.  Lucky for us, we had an extra day between the rehearsal and the wedding to relax and have a fun day together.  We had a day of lunch & nails and it was totally girly and totally awesome.

The wedding day was a total dream!  The weather was uncharacteristically warm for mid-Nov in NJ and everything just went so smoothly.  Erin looked so beautiful and happy all day.  We all got ready at her house, then limo'd off to the church were they got hitched!  Not gonna lie, I shed a few tears.

The beaming bride and her parents

Then, it was on to the breathtakingly gorgeous Estate at Florentine Gardens.  After snapping a few pics and chowing down at the awesome cocktail hour (seriously, so much food) we moved to the gorgeous reception room.  The blackout shades, DJ lights and projections made it SUCH a party - even a photo booth!  Webb joked that I was "in my element" but who wouldn't be, at a joyous occasion with best friends and family?! I love weddings.

my high school best friends after quite a bit of dancing

After the reception, we were limo'd off to the city where a bunch of us hit up a bar and bid adieu to the newlyweds.  I missed NYC!  It was glittering and started to have that holiday glow.

All in all, an amazing few days and awesome celebration for the new Mr. & Mrs. Leegwater.

Here are a few more pictures from the day ~ Enjoy!

Cutting the cake!

happiness :)

My man has moves!