New Years Eve

Happy New Years Eve!

Wouldn't any of these shoes be fabulous for tonight's outfit?

What are yall wearing?

Whenever I think New Years Eve, I think gold and black!

Going to get my hair cut this afternoon.  I figure...why not make a hair appointment on a day when I want my hair to look nice anyway, right?!  :)

Have a fun and safe night!

Fisherman's Inn

On our way back from Baltimore last Wednesday, Mom, Dad and I stopped at Fisherman's Inn in Kent Narrows, Maryland. 

You know you're in Maryland when old bay is a common seasoning with salt and pepper!

Nothing better than cream of crab soup and a side salad.  YUM!

Usually we stop at The Narrows, another restaurant but evidently my parents have been stopping here too.

Of course it is on the water with gorgeous views.

I love spots like this!  When I'm traveling for work, I always ask for recommendations on what is the local hot spot!  Do you?  What is your favorite hole in the wall restaurant?

Snow

As you all know, we had the big snow storm this past weekend!  Maryland's eastern shore got about a foot of snow! 

Of course I was home at my parent's for Christmas and was supposed to leave on Sunday morning.  We went to the airport and of course the flight ended up being canceled. 

It just kept snowing and snowing through Monday early AM.  I'm booked on a 5pm flight today back to Charlotte so we'll see.  So far all of the flights that have gone there today have left on time so hopefully that continues!

Obviously it hasn't been a bad thing that I got stuck at home.  More time at home-home and with my parents.  Can't remember the last time I've been here for a week...probably one of my first couple years of college.

In the mean time, check out the above cutie (definitely worth it to turn your head or computer screen).  My niece Anna Kate in her NC State cheerleading outfit I got her for Christmas.

Hope yall are enjoying a relaxing week!

Christmas Day

My parents and I started Christmas around 9am.  We missed Clay, Emily, Anna Kate and Fin being with us.

These are our neighbors and their dog.

He is wearing a Maryland Santa hat and Dad is wearing a new NC State running hat.

Mom is always so creative on our stockings.  Pineapple corer, Sylvia Benson hair pins, crab coasters, lilly cocktail napkins, flower cocktail napkins, Lilly koozie, a pocket notepad, gummy lifesavers, nail file, lottery tickets and a navy blue box.  More on the navy blue box in another post!  ;)

And how about this GORGEOUS antique table they gave me?  Love it and can't wait to get it back to NC.  Not sure how that is going to happen yet but we'll see. 

I also received a dutch oven, 12" skillet, some clothes, emergency radio, scarf (from friends), frame (Emily's parents) and a new clutch.  Too much!

A couple favorite ornaments on our tree...the crab.

A Santa made with an oyster shell. 

A Christmas post isn't complete without the tree picture.  They used some new lights this year that can be left on at all times (at night and when we leave the house).  They don't look as great as the other ones but it's nice to have the convenience to not worry about it.  Mom is posing by it.  Sorry the picture won't turn!

Oh and here is another old ornament.  It is really pretty and was made out of an ostrich egg.  How cool is that?  Very fragile.

My favorite part is giving others gifts.  I got Dad a neat Peter Millar shirt, NC State hat, LUSH shaving cream.  I got Mom some new slippers, Thyme Kimono Rose lotion, really strong magnets for Anna Kate pictures and some lipstick.  Mom got Dad a stationary bike holder among lots of clothes.  Dad gave Mom a new mailbox post (ha!), a pretty pair of earrings and some fun accessories from Nordstrom.

Santa was too good to all of us.  Way too many things!

Hope you all had a Merry Christmas!  What was your favorite gift that you gave and received?

Family Dinner and Church

On Christmas Eve Eve we had our family dinner over at my 2nd cousin's home.

We love going over each year and look forward to seeing everyone.  They live on the Wicomico River in a gorgeous home!

The hostesses with the mostest!

The cousins minus Uncle Mac!

My Mom and Dad!

My parents and I...

On Christmas Eve we went to dinner with some family friends.  It was really fun to do this as we grew up with their children.  The only other "kid" (other than me) was Andrew.  We had a good time catching up and spending time together!

Church was that night and I got to catch up with some old friends.  Here is my friend Ashley.  She and her hubby are expecting a lil girl on May 5th.  I loved seeing her pregnant!

We all grew up going to Asbury!  L to R - Ashley, Laura Leigh, Me, Ashley, Lindsay.  Lindsay and Ashley are sisters.  Laura Leigh lived across the street from my parents but she goes to college at St. Mary's in Maryland now.  She is so grown up and I remember when she was born! 

Lindsay and I always pick up where we left off.  I think that is the fantastic thing about old friends.  I got to meet her new boy Vlad on Thursday but he had to go back to Philadelphia to work on his thesis.  They are a great couple! 

The church service was gorgeous as always and my Dad ushered.

In the next couple of days, I'll recap our amazing Christmas!  We've also done some other things this week that I'll post over the next week.

Hope you all enjoyed your Christmas with family and friends!

Christmas Cocktail

This is a really fun and easy cocktail to serve over the holidays!  Just be careful because it'll sneak up on you!  I always joke (sorta!) to take people's keys at the door!  :)

I make it in a big punch bowl and simply add it all together and stir! 

Diana’s Punch
1 fifth southern comfort
1 can lime ade
1 can pineapple juice
1 bottle cranberry juice
2 quarts of champagne or 7-Up (I use champagne, of course!)


Serve chilled and garnish with orange slices!

We serve this during the holidays, New Years Eve, engagement parties...basically everywhere that needs a lil bubbly!

Please tell your favorite holiday cocktail or link to your blog if you've already posted!  It would be fun for us all to gather lots of ideas!  :)

PA and MD

Today I'm sitting in the US Air Club on my way to PA for a night meeting tonight.  From there, I'll drive down to Baltimore to stay the night.

My parents are meeting me in Baltimore for a couple things and then we'll drive over to Salisbury tomorrow for Christmas. 

This is my parents and I last Christmas. 

I'm looking forward to seeing them and hanging out for 5 days.  Although I'll miss Kevin a ton, I know it's the right thing to do - for us each to be with our families.

Merry Christmas!  :)

Jen's Birthday and Weekend

On Friday night, we went to Aria to celebrate Jen's birthday (which is Christmas Day).  We had so much fun!  Here she is with her BF Corey!

Fran and Jen.  Great friends!  I met Jen in school (we suffered through civil engineering together) and Fran worked with us at my old job....poor girl had to go to Clemson.

Fran and I with my Kev.

Jen, Corey, Kevin and I walked over to Dandelion.  This is front of the Christmas tree which is at the main square in Charlotte - Trade and Tryon.

We loved celebrating you Jen!

On Saturday morning we went to the Diner which just opened at the bottom of our building.  We ended up seeing several couples there that are our neighbors.

That evening Kevin and I headed down to Waxhaw to visit with his parents and brother/SIL.  Since I'm going to be out of town for when we all typically do Christmas, they wanted us to come down early.  We ate at a new place called Maxwell's Tavern in downtown Waxhaw.  It is such a cute downtown with all the white Christmas lights!

They gave me sooo many goodies....it was too, too much!  An off white light blanket (which I cuddled up with all weekend), a pretty green scarf, mulling spices, Philosophy Candy Cane set and Kevin's Mom's Mom's stocking filled with things.  So sweet of them to think of me and include me as part of their fam.

All in all, a great weekend!

Christmas Decorating

Thought it would be fun to show you some of my home while it was decorated for Christmas.  Of course Mom helped me when they were here for Thanksgiving.

Love the boxwood wreath.  I decided to do it for something different this year! 

This is the table in my entrance foyer area.  As yall know, I live in a small condo so I only have a few rooms!

I love the silver candle holders and pewter wine holder.  In the center is something my friend Beth gave me.  It is a glass hurricane with different ornaments in it.  A couple favorite ones are the Lilly one my friend Kelly gave me and a Chi Omega one that I got.  Mom gave me the table runner this year and I think it is so classy.

I got some fresh greens and decorated with little arrangements...

This is the left side of my bookcase.

 The right side of my bookcase.  Lil Anna Kate is in her Christmas outfit on the left!

On the top of my bookshelf/entertainment center, I always put fresh magnolia with some berries.  Also is a little snowman on the right side.  This isn't the best picture!

A couple years ago when my home was on the Holiday Home Tour, my friend Lauren gave me this Habersham candle.  I just love pulling it out every year....the scent is just amazing and smells so Christmasy!

This is another favorite Christmas decoration.  My Mom made this little tree and all of the ornaments for it.  It also lights up (should have turned it on for this picture).  Since I have such a small place, this is my Christmas tree!  ;)  The poinsettia came from the Avenue Holiday Party - they let us take some of the decorations!

This is anther little arrangement on an end table and a cute reindeer my friend Suz gave me!

Okay and I have another favorite haha!  Mr. and Mrs. Claus!  Mom gave me Mr. the year my home was on the Home Tour.  She gave me Mrs. this year to add to it.  Aren't they just gorgeous?! 

I've had this gold tree for awhile but below it are the White House Christmas ornaments for every year dating back to 2002.  I love that Santa brings me one each year.  What a nice collection piece to have!

Have a great weekend!

Girl's Night Holiday Style

Last night I went out with the girls to celebrate the holidays with dinner at Basil and a gift exchange!

Back row L to R - Molly, Kim, Fran, Emily, Tara, Emily

Front row L to R - Me, Lizzy, Jen, Koren, Kristen and Wendy

Lauren was also there but had to leave early for her company party.

You girls are the best!

We did a little gift exchange and Lauren had found a cute little poem about the night before Christmas in the RIGHT family household.  Every time they said RIGHT in the story you had to pass your gift to the right.  Anytime LEFT was said in the story, you passed your gift to the left. 

We all ended up with the gift from the person to our left.  So fun!

And I got this from Jen.  How cute is it?!  I'm so excited to read it... The Gospel According to Coco Chanel....life lessons from the world's most elegant woman.

Who knew that Coco's life started out pretty rough and she pulled through to become such a prominent woman.  Talk about inspiration!  Thank you Jen for the fun gift!

Hope you ladies had a great time.  It was so fun celebrating the holiday season with my best girls in Charlotte!

Merry, Merry!

Lil work trip and TB

Yesterday I had a work trip to Norfolk, VA again but connected through NYC.  Yeah don't ask - it was just much cheaper haha!  I always book the left side of the plane when I fly into Laguardia so I get a great view of the City!

I got up realllly early this morning and flew back to Charlotte.  Always good to be home and not in a hotel.

In other news, I had a negative opinion of the Revas (comfort wise) until my new black pair I got for my birthday.

They are the most comfortable shoes.  I LOVE them.  Maybe it was the material of the brown ones I have...who knows.  These are so fun and I wear them all the time.  I know these are too expensive but they are timeless and match everything for each season.

And don't you think every lil girl needs a pair too?  I personally think Anna Kate (my niece) and my mini cousins need these....specifically in NC State red!  ;)

Do you like your revas or are they uncomfortable?

I won some gorgeous Lilly!

Yall....I never ever ever win anything!  But yesterday, I did!

Thank you to Hot Pink Dahlia!  I won Lilly Pulitzer Christmas Misletoe Christmas Cards, Photo Cards, and Photo Frames which are ornaments.  How presch is that?!!!!

I cannot wait for them to arrive!  Thanks SO much girl!

Now go visit and tell her hello!  ;)