Merry Christmas

This Christmas season sure has gotten away from me! I have spent the first part of my break cooking, shopping, baking, gift wrapping, and hanging out with wonderful family and friends!

I also have been a bad blogger and have not taken any photos of my vacation so far! I will get on that and promise to have some posts with actual content later this week.

I will also be heading to Seattle to spend time with some of my favorite ladies, starting on the 1st. So be looking forward to some great posts recaping that!

For now... Please enjoy the Minert Family's first Christmas card!

What I'm Loving Wednesday YouTube Style

Wednesday Wednesday Wednesday!! It's Wednesday!

I have a big meeting today (not loving so much) but after this I am in the clear and only have two more days of work before break! And I am loving that wonderful little fact!

Also, I have been pretty busy preparing for said meeting and haven't really had time to prepare a wonderful WILW post for you... so instead please enjoy a few youtube videos that I have been loving lately!

One that's in the Christmas spirit and just so cute and creative and great.


Two music mashups because... Confession: I have an obsession with mashups. Obsession Confession. (See what I did there?)





And one more, just because it's my all time favorite...

High Five for Weekends!

Tomorrow is Monday. Blah. Which means my weekend is over. And while I normally detest this day of the week... tomorrow will be my last Monday before Christmas break, so there's a small silver lining.

My weekend was great. Five great things happened.

1. We got out Christmas cards in the mail! I was nervous that they were going to take too long to get here and I would get them out late but they are here! And addressed! Doing big things here!

2. Justin (finally) put up our Christmas lights on the outside of the house, and they look great. He did a really good job. And I have to say I am surprised that they can look as good as they did last year without me standing at the bottom of the ladder shouting out orders requests.

3. My MIL and I made and decorated a butt load of Christmas cookies. And I decorated them. And we used homemade buttercream frosting that is seriously so delicious I could just sit and eat it with a spoon... which I kind of did... #sorrynotsorry #worthit

My favorite

4. The Christmas party went off without a hitch! So fun and with such great people, and such great food.

My MIL's beautiful mantel... I dream of moving into a new home with a mantel available for holiday decorating!

I'm also a professional gift rapper slash bow maker. 

5. I spent all day today lounging. I didn't even get out of my pajamas! And I took lots of naps! It was glorious.

Yay for great weekends and here's to my last week of school before break!!

What I'm Loving Wednesday Is Back!

Oh WILW... I have missed you, I'm so glad you're back! And I have been saving up quite the list for you lovelies.

I am loving that my MIL is throwing one heck of a Christmas celebration this weekend! It is going to be the party of the season! And I am so excited to help her throw it, but also to get to celebrate with some awesome people.

              

I am loving the Christmas cards we ordered! I am not on the ball at all and had to rush order them so that they would get here at a decent time...but I'm still excited.

I am loving that The Taste is coming back!!

And I am loving that The bachelor will be back on JUAN-uary 5th.

Yummy!

I am loving that we finally got back our Wedding photos. Although I did not love my photographer, the fact that I have not gotten my photos until now is not his fault, it's mine. After the wedding I was so done with stress and wedding planning I was just ready for a little break from all of that. But anyway, you'll be getting to see those soon!

I am loving all of the Christmas lights on my street! One of the benefits of living in a cute suburban neighborhood I guess... but there's a street right around the corner from mine that literally has 20 houses in a row with lights. It's so beautiful. I love it. I wish our HOA rules made people put up lights. Haha

This isn't the actual street... but this is what it looks like. 

I am loving mexican hot chocolate. This is something that was such a treat when I was a little girl. I was craving it so badly the other night I sent Justin out for it, and now I can't get enough of it! I'm obsessed. You all need to try it.

I am loving the ornament exchange I am doing, hosted by Life of Meg. I can't wait to get my ornament from Emily at Love Woke Me Up This Morning, and send one to her!

I am loving that Justin and I have been watching Christmas movies every night. Monday night was Elf, Tuesday night was White Christmas, and tonight we have scheduled A Christmas Story.

Happy Wednesday you all! Hope your holiday season is starting out as wonderfully as mine! 

Sharp Objects

When I read Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn I knew I was going to have to read the rest of her novels. Sharp Objects was just as addicting as Gone Girl, but a little darker. Actually a lot darker. It had a lot of twists and turns and definitely kept you guessing.

Here is Amazon's review:
WICKED above her hipbone, GIRL across her heart 
Words are like a road map to reporter Camille Preaker’s troubled past. Fresh from a brief stay at a psych hospital, Camille’s first assignment from the second-rate daily paper where she works brings her reluctantly back to her hometown to cover the murders of two preteen girls.

NASTY on her kneecap, BABYDOLL on her leg
Since she left town eight years ago, Camille has hardly spoken to her neurotic, hypochondriac mother or to the half-sister she barely knows: a beautiful thirteen-year-old with an eerie grip on the town. Now, installed again in her family’s Victorian mansion, Camille is haunted by the childhood tragedy she has spent her whole life trying to cut from her memory.

HARMFUL on her wrist, WHORE on her ankle
As Camille works to uncover the truth about these violent crimes, she finds herself identifying with the young victims—a bit too strongly. Clues keep leading to dead ends, forcing Camille to unravel the psychological puzzle of her own past to get at the story. Dogged by her own demons, Camille will have to confront what happened to her years before if she wants to survive this homecoming.

With its taut, crafted writing, Sharp Objects is addictive, haunting, and unforgettable.

Although it was a little dark, it was addicting and I just sped right through it! If any of you read it you should let me know what you think!

And this is the first book I've read since my 30 Before 30 post! One down, ninety-nine to go!

Long Time No See... Or Read

It's been awhile! My life has been a little upside down this last week.

On Tuesday my dad had a much needed surgery. I spent most of the week in the hospital with him helping him to recover.

I need to thank everyone who has been so supportive, with their kind words, prayers, texts, and everyone at work who let me take off so much time to be at the hospital.

He is now home from the hospital and recovering. I am so proud of my dad for doing this surgery, and thankful. He was incredibly brave and I know my siblings and I are one of the big reasons he decided to go ahead and have it. Dad, I love you so much, and am so thankful for you.

While I did spend most of my week at the hospital... I also got to attend a fun Favorite Things party on Saturday night! It was so great and a prefect way to relax and have a little fun after a stressful week.

Our host went all out with so many cute chalkboard details and some delicious drinks!

If you are unfamiliar with a favorite things party... Each person brings three of their favorite something. (I brought three tubes of my favorite ever mascara... Better Than Sex Mascara by Too Faced.) You draw three people's names and take home one of their favorite things. It's pretty great.

I came home with these goodies:

Penzeys spices, Wildtree Zesty Lemon Grapeseed Oil, Cool Gear Tumbler, and cute framed quote from the host! 

I had such a great time with some wonderful ladies. Thanks Jenn for such a wonderful party! =)

Thanksgiving Weekend

I had Wednesday through Sunday off from work and it was Uh. Maze. Ing. Wednesday I indulged myself by sleeping in, reading, and getting a shellac mani pedi.

After that I headed up to the inlaws to start the Thanksgiving prep. It started like this:

So... perfectly.

We prepped the stuffing and I made pecan pie.

And the doggies got a little bit spoiled.

Thursday morning Justin and I went to his Dad's house for coffee and donuts with his dad and grandparents. Then we went back to Justin's mom and stepdad's house to start the cooking!

I was in charge of cranberry cake with hot butter sauce, green bean casserole, and homemade rolls!

I was lucky enough to get to have my dad with us as well. I think this was the first holiday I've ever spent with my dad without my siblings. Although I missed them dearly it was kind of nice to have him all to myself.

We had amazing people, amazing food, and so many blessings. It was a wonderful day.

The cooks relaxing after dinner...

...while the guys cleaned up!

Friday we went downtown for the lighting ceremony. Justin usually has to work through this, but this year he had it off! It was his first time ever going to the ceremony!

There is a parade, amazing firework display, and then all of the downtown Christmas lights turn on at the same time. It is spectacular.

Saturday and today were spent getting helping my MIL get her house ready for Christmas, and the getting our house ready. Complete with decorating the tree!

I even got a little bit of reading done!

It was such a great little break! Now I am all rested and ready for a busy work week!

Hope you all had an amazing holiday weekend!