Painting the Town (Living Room) Red. (and white).

Its my favorite time of the year.

That's right.

Christmas decorating time.

I'm a little late on posting my pictures this year, but I'll have you know I was NOT late on getting the decor up. We didn't hesitate. We tackled it like champs. Pregnant, tired, champs. Day after thanksgiving, we all (the whole fam) headed out to Helvatia Tree Farm to pick out the perfect tree. And it was. (perfect).

see, told you.

I was so exhausted from tromping around the tree farm all day (don't get me wrong, it was fun), but I couldn't just let the poor tree sit naked and lonely, in an un-christmasy house. I had to suck it up and get to decorating. I documented a few things along the way, so enjoy!

Our homemade star made out of clothes pins from our wedding.

I never seem to find a star i really love, so on our first Christmas I made this guy.

It has held up pretty well.

Jars full of salt and candles. Courtesy of Gifted Magazine.

Cheap, only 5 cartons of table salt at $.75 each,

and candles from the dollar store. 4 for $1.

Some festive recycled wrapping paper in cheapo frames.

A little homemade garland from a few years back.

Candy canes.

Because it is Christmas.

That's all.

More jars.

I have a billion jars, so I use them every year.

lots of ways to change it up.

Birdies on the tree.

These guys are from Starbucks a few years ago,

they went on sale after Christmas so we cleaned out the whole store.

Classic red and white.

I'm not sure if I'll ever get tired of this or think its cheesey.

Its Christmas.

Awww. I love it. Keep posting your decorations, if you haven't already. Which I'm sure you have because its December 9th.

Happy Christmas.

I'm happier than a pig in poop.

yes, I just said that.

right now please

Below you will find a list of things I would like to do right now please.

drinking this mug of cocoa.

and licking the cup.

being the only person allowed in this store for a whole day.

be still my heart.

sitting at a table with my family, eating this.

but with more gravy.

playing with my sweet husband in this.

and shoving snow inside his coat.

chocolate+holiday cup=friday

Salted.

Caramel.

Hot.

Chocolate.

In a holiday cup.

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Some New Things

Today I tried some new things.

I have only lived in the Portland area for a few years, so I'm still not only learning my way around all its many neighborhoods, but around the hundreds of delicious restaurants and fun places to go and see in the city.

Ben and I had been planning on going out to breakfast this morning, since we almost never do that. We decided on Gravy on Mississippi, since I had never been and heard wonderful things about the brulee oatmeal. I was pretty disappointed in my decision though. I got there and decided a gigantic scramble sounded better. It was delicious, but I could only eat about 1/4 of it as I coveted my neighbors bowl of oatmeal with crusty sugar on top. Next time. Don't get me wrong, not knocking the scramble. It was great, but not crunchy topped oatmeal great.

After breakfast we headed over to Vivace for a little hot chocolate and took some silly pictures.

Then we headed up to a place I've never been, the Pittock Mansion.

Such a beautiful drive!

I love the fall!

I love new places!

I love mansions!

I love hot chocolate!

I love leaves!

Please Excuse Me...

Please excuse my absence in the last month(s).

I have been a little bit preoccupied doing this:

Ok, so that's not me...but maybe it will be in a few months

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That's right folks....we're pregnant! about 10 and a half weeks along and so excited!

Lots of baby posts ahead, so stay tuned! Any guesses on the sex?

(we won't know until after Christmas)

Droooool

i want:

maybe throw a boy in there too somewhere.

{but that's beside point}

Due to my current obsession with everything farm-like,

Farmhouse Wares

and

White Flower Farmhouse

feeding my love for updated rustic decor. I could spend hour on here! If only I had years to collect all these things from antique stores and flea markets. I would save a lot more money, that's for sure. Nonetheless, just looking is making me so excited to have a little house some day :-) enjoy, my friends.

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Yes please to all of these items.

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Fill In the Blank Friday

Hooray. Fill in the blanks. That's what we're doin' today. hey hey hey.

its a song.

If you feel so inclined, copy and paste the questions and your own answers on your blog and link it up to Lauren's heeeeere.

1. The strangest thing I've ever eaten is alligator jerky. sick.

2. I wouldn't be caught dead in public with pajama pants on. Not sweats...we're talkin' full on PJ's...with bananas or monkeys or something like that...know what I'm talkin' about? Come on folks...put some jeans on.

3. When I am 75 I will.... look back and say,

"well, that was fun".

4. If I had to be named after a place I would want to be named Carolina.

5. My name is "Amanda" - after a girl my dad new in high school who he said was "the sweetest, most kind person" he ever knew. I'm not sure if i totally live up to that but I hope I'm at least a little bit worthy of nice girl's name. - "Lee" - after General Robert E. Lee. Just kidding, I'm not sure if that's really true...I'm pretty sure its just Lee because it sounded cute with Amanda.

6. My all time favorite photo is a photo of mine and Ben's feet standing on a cute stone landing on a date. I love it because I remember taking it so vividly, and how much fun we were having. It was the night before we left each other for a whole month while we were dating (which is like torture when you're in l-o-v-e). It will always be one of my favorites.

(my friend put a little caption on it for me, kinda sweet)

7. If I could afford it I would quit work immediately So i could begin working on the following things I would then have time for:

.plant a garden.cabinet makeover.bedroom makeover.replace the carpet with hardwood.have a baby.take my dog to a Brittany trainer.buy my mom & dad a boat.fly to India.start a REAL recipe book.spend more time with family.work out more.

Joy The Baker

I just need to share this with you all.

Joy The Baker

Does everyone already love her?

If you don't currently love her, you need to love her. Her blog is hilariously real.

Trust me you will love it, but you have to read every word. She's a crack up.

party time

Lately I have been itching to throw a party or a small dinner to savor the last moments of summer while we still have it. Not that I'm sad. I love fall, but that's another post. Here are some lovely ideas I have been drooling over lately.

{All images found via Erin Ever After}

maybe a farmer's market inspired table of color

a frilly buffet of sweets

so girly. i need an occasion for this. A baby shower?

quick, someone get pregnant with a girl whose name starts with "R"

perhaps something along these beautiful lines.

"L is for Libations". i love it.

again with the paper bunting decorations




a colorful, whimsical, vignette



I'm gonna need a lake for this one. and only one guest.

so many romantic and woodsy details.

Now all I need is an occasion. Actually, scratch that, no occasion necessary.

life. life is the occasion.

♥

Things I Have Been Doing

really exciting post title. I wonder what it will be about?



Last week Ben was gone in Arizona for work all week, so I put myself to work a little bit, with the help of my bestest good friend Annalore, and gave him an office face-lift. I erased all my pictures of it because he was being sneaky and snooping through my phone. So I don't have any before and after photos. I'll take some more and put them up now that its not a surprise anymore. He was pretty excited though, he said "i want to sleep in here". I said "not ok".



This last weekend we had some good times relaxing and hanging out with the family. Since I'm lame and always forget to take pictures, I'll show you a few things that the last week/weekend have entailed...

Frozen yogurt for dinner 2 out of the 5 nights I was home alone. The other 3 nights included one night of happy hour, one night of cereal and a bag of kettle corn, and one night of a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Hello college student.

Hanging out with this little stinker. She is getting so big I can't even handle it. She was pretty hilarious at the farmers market and the fountain. Soooo much to look at. I freakin' love her!

We stocked up on veggies and fruit and BBQ sandwiches. Funny story of the day: Rachel (sister-in-law) got a thing of fries, and whilst standing in line, an elderly gentleman came up to her, tapped her on the shoulder, and the following transaction took place:

man: "are you gonna eat all those?"

Rachel: "no, I'm sharing them."

man: {reaches out and grabs a french fry off her plate and EEEAAATS IT RIGHT IN FRONT OF HER}

What the heck?

Anyway, here's the cute baby to look at...with my giant hand.

Since I was feeling project-happy while Ben was gone...I also rigged up this little guy here. I have been needing a place to display all the cute invitations, cards, and save-the-dates I have been getting and I got tired of a ream of paper being dumped on my kitchen floor every time I open the fridge...so I decided this was a better option. Look at the stinkin' truck one on the left. I guess you can't really see it, but it belongs to my friend sweet friend who just got married with a country wedding. Her pictures are adorable.

So there are a couple things i have been up to. Some of the other include delicious dinners with friends, visiting a new church downtown for the night, brunch with my parents, and work...which is unnecessary to blog about.

And now, go check out miss Lauren's giveaway!