Non Traditional Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving.... over two weeks late. I hope it was wonderful :) We've been gone since the end of November, but I'm so happy to be home!

We celebrated Friendsgiving the Tuesday before with our Village. I cooked my first turkey and managed not to screw it up! (Thanks, Williams-Sonoma Brine!)

Only 'group photo' we took... whoops. That could have gone better.

Getting ready for dessert!

We had a great time. If you notice all the funny hats, they are from our Christmas Crackers we each had. Have you ever done them? When I lived in London, everyone had them around the holidays and I thought they were so much fun. You always get a paper crown, and some type of toy, riddle or gadget. They're kind of silly, but it's a fun tradition that I stole from the Brits, because it's just fun :) I bought them at TJ Maxx, but have also seen them at Target.

The morning of Thanksgiving, we boarded a plane! We spent 90% of our Turkey Day on three different planes and in four different airports.... whew! Luckily, our second flight had free satellite tv, so I was able to watch the Macy's Parade! Gotta love technology.

I mentioned our Honeymoon in Mexico at a resort called Capella Ixtapa in the Zihuatanejo region. It's beautiful and remote, and we just love it.

there.

We were blessed enough to find that gorgeous resort on a Flash Sale via Jet Setter (seriously, sign up NOW) for about 60% off regular cost, and decided to take a mini-cation to celebrate our first anniversary and have ourselves a non-traditional Thanksgiving. 

We tacked it onto another trip, which I'll explain more about in the next few posts.

But as assumed, it did not disappoint.

We ate and drank to our hearts content, enjoyed every sunset on the balcony, swam in the pool, visited the shops in town, finished a few books and just generally enjoyed each others company while being unplugged. We even saw three whales playing out by the islands in the bay, schools of fish jumping around, and tons of beautiful birds. So pretty!

view from the balcony

inside

outside. Paradise, right?

First sunset.

Reading by the pool!

Enjoying the chips, salsa, guac and cervezas they delivered to our room each night!

Dip in our personal pool.

Down by the hotel pool

Tapas menu and my Diet Coke.... i only drink it in Mexico!

We were really stressed, as you can see.

Matt asked for "Chips and Salsa, Mas Grande" for lunch.... and this is what happened. DELICIOUS.

Sunset.

Never gets old.

bathing suits are on, i promise!

After breakfast one perfect morning.

I mean seriously. What a forecast for November/December!

These are all iPhone pics, I have a few on my camera as well. But I think it's so beautiful, it almost doesn't matter the quality of the pictures!

Can it be our anniversary every day?

I want to go back.... NOW. I asked if the hotel was hiring, and I was only half kidding.... because if I could live there, I think I would! Also, we were leaving Mexico and heading straight to Bozeman, Montana.... aka, the Arctic Tundra. More on that later... but let me give you a hint: 100 degree difference in temperature. YIKES! 

Have you been to Mexico? If you are married, have you ever revisited where you honeymooned?

xo

picture day.

My talented friend Abby was in town this weekend, so I thought it was a good time to have some pictures taken for a Christmas card! You know when you're in high school and you say "I'm always going to do ___________ when I'm an adult", and now that you are, you probably do two of those things? Yeah, well sending out a Christmas card/having family photos taken was on my absurd list, and it's probably the only thing i've stuck to.

Abby is the photographer and designer behind Conteur Co., and also the woman responsible for my engagement photos which i LOVED.

She's probably the only person I don't feel awkward around with a camera pointed directly at me.

Speaking of vulnerability, i could probably find something wrong with myself in every single one of these pictures. I'm working on not doing that anymore, and accepting my quirks and self-proclaimed flaws.... but it's a process.

(I'm looking at you, crooked smile.)

So if anyone out there feels the same way when seeing themselves in pictures, I hope you'll join me in trying to accept your quirks, too :)

Anyway, here are a few of my favorites from the 1 million she took this weekend at Shelby Bottoms Park.

this one sums us up pretty well i think :)

The full set can be found here, and I'd highly suggest Abby for your weddings, babies, engagements, christmas cards, and so on! Also, any insight to the best photo for a Christmas card.... suggestions welcome! :)

DIY Decor

Since a new apartment is around the corner
(hopefully signing the lease at the end of this week!!! yay!!!),
i am just dying to redecorate.

Our living room is going to be black and white with accents of dark purple, maybe some grey.
Our kitchen doesn't have a lot of wall space - but will have a vino theme to it. Greens, redish-purples.
My bedroom will now be primarily yellow and grey - i've decided the dark purple wall (RIP) would be such a pain in the butt to paint back... i'm just not sure i can commit to it.

 So after many hours on Pinterest, and seeing Cait with Pretty&Fun post her upcoming decor inspiration, i decided i'd follow suit. Here are some of the craft projects i'm cooking up!

Redecorated Tray

this isn't the pattern i'm using. BUT, i found a plain unstained wood tray,

which i have spray painted white, and will be adding a black&white patterned paper to.
We'll be adding purple accents, and this will go on the coffee table in the living room.

Jewelry Organizer

A few old frames. Some paint. A staple gun, and chicken wire. And perhaps a few hooks at the bottom.
I'm making one for myself, and one for each of my roommates!

Old Frame + Chalkboard + Corkboard

Mine won't look like this.... but it was my inspiration! I took an old frame, and used chalkboard paint, scrapbook paper, and a cork board. You'll see :) This will either go in the kitchen or hall by the laundry room.

Those are just a few of the DIY projects i've got going so far.... i'll post pictures once they're done!

Also - i've got options for bedroom furniture.
This is what my comforter looks like. And the color scheme of my life, basically.

I also have a lot of yellow accents - cabinet, mirror, end table etc.
I have dark grey sheets.
And deciding on which grey to use for the walls.
(i'm thinking the 3rd grey for all walls, w/ an accent wall of somewhere between the 1st & 2nd. thoughts?)

Now my question in - white furniture (antiqued) or black furniture?
I feel like it could go either way... but that the white might pop more next to the grey walls.

Any other recommendations?

Wanderlust Wednesday: Free Trips and First Class

This just in: I officially have enough Delta Sky Miles to go anywhere in the continental USA!

I am also 1,000 miles away from having a free flight on Continental (read: my favorite domestic airline!!!) And luckily for me, you can buy 1,000 miles for a mere $50 - so i'll be doing that shortly! Because $50 is close enough to free in my opinion (when i haven't found a flight for less than $175 in the past year).

Which means all of my time and money going into these companies may have finally paid off - i get to go on two trips for free.

Free!!!!!!!(ok, plus $50)

Ok sorry. Hello. Back to reality :)

On another free trip alert: Delta royally screwed up my flight back from Wichita . They overbooked my flight by 15 people, and didn't have another available flight back from Wichita to Ft Myers until 4 days later.

Not cool, Delta.

I found a flight out of OKC the next morning, and came to Delta with my plan - and told them i'd like to be compensated for my time and trouble..... they appreciated my proactive approach and gave me the following:

First Class from OKC - ATL // ATL - RSW.
and $400 in FLIGHT CREDIT.

Thank you Delta! You can mess up again if you want to :)

First Class - my first time in first class, might i add - was cool. This was pretty much what happened.
- Sat down in my larger, extra leg room: Ooo. This looks cozy. But i'm 5'2'' - does it look like i need much extra leg room?
- Attention from Flight Attendants: Yes, a water prior to take off would be lovely. And you'll put my bag in the overhead bin for me? Muchos gracias.
- Unlimited Free Drinks: it was a 6am flight. i felt obligated to get a Bloody Mary. but i already had 3 Free Delta Drink Tickets... so i didn't really need it. But i guess i can use those on my next flight :)
- Flight Attendants Checking on you every 5 min: I'm fine!!!! I just got here! Leave me alone i don't need another drink. Oh, but that free banana and bag of Sun Chips look nice. Thanks!

and this was all prior to take off.

i felt very fancy! and it was comfortable with my complimentary blanket and pillow in my extra large seat.
but i'd never ever ever pay more than a $50 upgrade charge to do it; average domestic round trip first class tickets are 60-75% more expensive than normal flights - and all you get is about $25 in added value.

maybe $50, if you keep the drinks flowin.

My pepperless bloody mary.

But a very cool experience nonetheless :)

Now - where to go with my 2 freebies and $400? Any suggestions?
Unfortunately none of this is applicable to foreign travel.... so looks like i'm keepin it States side!

Pretty Ritzy

That's right, this weekend i stayed at the Ritz! I love hotels. One of the reasons i probably love them is because i almost never stay in them! So it's always a special treat. But the Ritz Carlton? That is most DEFINITELY a special treat.

This one was especially great! one, i got to hang with Kim, who now lives in Kansas, so i'd hang out with her in a Motel 6 if that was the case! But this was far from it. Chocolates on your pillow, everything clean and white, polished to perfection. it was beautiful.

Here are a handful of pics! (there is a whole album for those of you on Facebook)

Pinkies up! We ARE at the Ritz, after all :)

Strawberry short cakes and wine within an hour of getting there. I like this place already.

Kim <3's Strawberry shortcake!

at dinner the first night

the view :)

the room!

bathroom photo shoots. typical.

do not disturb

our view from the patio bar at night 

best chocolate martini's in the SRQ

Ritz Carlton Beach Club

key lime coolers - divine.

she's so pretty!

i'm sorry, chocolate on my pillow with nice notes -- that makes me smile :)

the gorgeous lobby.

chandeliers and marble everywhere!

It was gorgeous. Another cool part about this Ritz is that it's in Sarasota, right by the bridge to Longboat Key, Seista Beach, etc. So the pictures right on the beach were at the beach club that we were able to use, lay by the pool, sip fun drinks, etc :)

Both mornings we were there were quite rainy while Kim was in conference, so i just wandered a bit, read, listened to music, and just got to be lazy. I never really do that at home, because i always find something i "should" be doing! So this was really nice.

The only thing i felt bad about is how scared the staff were of us. Not us, specifically, but of all guests in general. I felt the need to be extra nice and casual when addressing any of them, because they would jump at anything! at one point i asked the concierge for a book of matches (i collect matchbooks... yes, i know that's cool) and the girl was scrambling to find them. she kept apologizing and apologizing... then ANOTHER guy came up, and ran (literally -- RAN) to the bar in the back to get me my matches. holy. cow. it was intense. i just wanted to give them hugs and tell them it was going to be ok. little do they know, i don't actually have enough money to be a real guest there :)

I don't have to be this fancy all the time, but it was fun to do for a weekend :) Glad i got the experience. and now i can always slip in "well, when *i* stayed at the Ritz...." into conversations (always a perk!)

hope your weekend was fun! fancy or not :)

xo