On Savoring the Season (and the Egg Nog)

The Christmas season is a short one this year, with Thanksgiving coming so late and December, as always, coming so soon. There is usually a week or so of transition that we are afforded after Thanksgiving, where if your tree and decorations aren’t up immediately, you don’t have to feel too bad because you have a little time. But this year, while I wasn’t ready to put the tree up before Thanksgiving, as soon as Thanksgiving was over I felt like I was already behind in kicking off the Christmas season. I couldn’t win!

I am a very traditional person—in the sense that I hold fast to “The Way” things are done during significant times (especially Christmas). It is very difficult for me to think about (much less allow!) certain things to be different than they are supposed to be. Christmas trees must be real, and they must be cut from a farm. (And I pull the wagon with the tree on it after it’s been cut. Ever since I was a little girl, I’ve loved doing that. It’s just a thing.) We drink egg nog while decorating the tree, and the experience isn’t complete until Elvis Presley has sung some Christmas tunes.

With the shortness of the season this year, I realized that I’ve been carrying some stress about how I will have time to fit everything in that has to be done for Christmastime to be “right.” My and Levi’s companies both have holiday galas we are attending over the next two weekends, and then we leave for a week in SC the following weekend. And then Christmas is over. And so far I have purchased a grand total of one Christmas gift, so there’s the shopping too. But sometime last week I made a confession to Levi that I never thought I would hear come out of my mouth. I told him that I might survive if we didn’t go to a farm to cut down our Christmas tree this year. I wasn’t ready to say it was ok—only that it might be.

I’ve come to realize that in this particularly short season, if I insist on everything going according to “The Way,” I may actually be robbing myself of enjoying and appreciating everything to the fullest. If I am so stressed about when we will fit time into our schedule to x, y, and z, how am I even going to enjoy it when it comes? We’ve already made choices to attend parties and take road trips, and we’re excited about those choices. But this year, they mean that other things may have to be different.

So we decided last night. We’ll go to Home Depot and pick out a tree. It won’t be at a farm, and we won’t cut it down, and I won’t pull the wagon. But it will be real, and we will drink egg nog and listen to Elvis Presley, and we will savor and enjoy the experience to the fullest. We also won’t host a Christmas party this year like we have every other year, and I think I might miss that even more than the tree farm. But we get to dress up fancy and spend the night at the Grand Hyatt in downtown DC, and then dress up fancy again and attend another party at the Ritz Carlton. It will be different, but it will be fun.

Everyone talks about slowing things down, enjoying every moment, not getting lost in commercialism, and all of these nice things that—let’s be honest here—feel kind of cliché sometimes. And this isn’t even about slowing things down and making people feel guilty for shopping. We haven’t exactly slowed anything down, and we’re not really interested in fabricating this special feeling where time stands still and you’re caught up in the mystical act of “enjoying the moment.” We will just appreciate the fun in every activity as it comes instead of stressing about all the things we “have” to do meet the requirements of a perfect Christmas season. (And when I say “we,” I mean “I.”)

(Don’t get me wrong though—real trees are still a legitimate requirement for me. And for now, I will just remember my wagon-pulling days with fondness. Now that is a moment to enjoy.)

Thanks Giving

My heart is heavy with realization of the fleeting nature of human relationships and the unreliability of certain conditions of life in which we think we find security. I lost many coworkers yesterday to corporate layoffs—3 in my own department and more across our headquarters. You don’t expect to return to your desk, morning coffee in hand, to find your coworker leaving. For good. I didn’t even know she was leaving leaving until she was gone. And she was only the first. We lost 2 more before noon, and more tears were flowing and cubicles being emptied than work being done for the rest of the day.

We say how important people are and how the invaluable the “stuff” of life is compared to the relationships we build and the people we know. To know that in your head is good; to learn it in your heart is life-altering.  This may turn out to be the most meaningful Thanksgiving season I’ve known until now because it has been pressed upon my heart maybe more than ever how valuable the relationships I have are. I was sick a couple weeks ago for several days, and my husband spent day after day going to the store, cooking comfort food, cleaning the house, and taking care of my every need—even staying home from work to look after me on his birthday. I cried in his arms over feeling so loved and cherished, and I am still not over the awe I experienced from the sacrifices he made for me. I don’t ever want to be.

You never know when your job may be taken from you, your car may be wrecked, your house may be burgled or burned down. Those are terrible things. But then you never know when your coworker may leave and not come back, or your loved one may drive and not come home. The people we know and love are the true fabric of this life. When we truly see them, it is inevitable that thanksgiving will become not just a seasonal tradition, but a condition of the heart.

To my selfless husband, my loving families, my faithful friends: I love you more now than I ever have. And may I learn to love you and those who are strangers to me more and more the longer I live.

Introducing Polyvore

Polyvore is a site I've discovered that lets you create inspiration boards or sets by choosing from hosts of products across the internet. You can make your own from scratch or choose from pages and pages pre-designed templates they've created.

I actually discovered Polyvore quite some time ago, but I just never knew what I wanted to make or where to start, so I gave up. It was a little discouraging how much creative inspiration is required just to create an inspiration board!

I don't consider myself a very creative and certainly not artistic person in the first place, so this kind of thing can be real struggle for me. For instance, my initial impulse in creating the board below was to make everything proportionate in relation to everything else. Which obviously isn't how this kind of thing works. But after playing with it for a little while, I like how it turned out!

For this board I was too focused on simply finding things that coordinated and looked good together to worry about selecting things that I actually own or plan on getting for vacation next month. (Not to mention, a lot of the stuff you can choose from on there is designer-expensive.) The one thing I do own is the ruffle coverup from Target - but in magenta. Nonetheless, it was fun to make and gave the right side of my brain a good workout!

Beach Inspiration by abkauffman featuring messenger tote bags

Recipe: Bacon Wrapped Pork Chops

I'm trying to get back on the blog a little here, but I'm afraid I'm in one of those ruts where I'm lacking ideas and inspiration. So be it. That's when I resort to easy things like yummy recipes that have pretty pictures that other people took.

We had this for dinner last night along with rosemary potatoes and onions that I cooked in the cast iron skillet. It was absolutely delicious. The flavors of the onions and apples blended so well with the chops and bacon. And equally as exciting - it was so easy to make! Hardly any pre-cooking prep work...just chop and wrap...then wait.

The recipe, from Crepes of Wrath, is after the jump.

Vacationing: Good Reads

As you know, we have been living in a state of extreme anticipation of our tropical vacation that is now just over 3 weeks away. All summer long I have been telling myself I will get prepared for this vacation ahead of time so I have everything reasonable that I may need for an as near-to-perfect experience possible. You know, a beach hat, a beach tote, all foreseeably needed levels of spf, beach hair products, enough sets of swimsuits, no shortage of breezy sun dresses, and of course, some good summer vacation reading materials.

Which brings me to the question: What should I read?

I don't want some stupid modern drama filled with bad grammar and poor style... but I also don't want some old cozy mystery that you should be reading by a fireplace in the dead of winter. I want something light yet gripping...something that I don't want to put down...an easy read, but still well-written.

3-2-1-suggest.

Guest Room/Home Office Pt. 2

Remember the first post I wrote about changes I've been making in our guest room/home office? Well I'm finally posting part 2! I made these finishing touches a few weeks before Levi's family rolled into town, and I'm so happy with the look and feel of the room now. The only major thing still missing is a set of curtains, which I've picked out, but are currently out of stock. :( I think they will really complete the room.

In the last post I highlighted the new lantern I found, the large sea shell overflowing with fern branches, and the coral reef piece displayed on the bookshelf. Since then I've acquired a new lamp for the desk, some small desk decorations, and a mirror for the wall. I also printed some scenic pictures from our honeymoon to fill an old frame I had, which we hung on the wall beside the bed.

For the pen holder I got a plastic tumbler from Target for $2 and wrapped it with some twine I had at home. I used super glue to secure the ends and various points while wrapping it around, and I love how it turned out! I did the same thing with this glass vase I got for a buck or two at Michael's - also where the exotic looking flower that I love came from.






















 




I found the lamp at Target, and I think it was called a captain's lamp. (Perfect!)

I like keeping the desk clean and simple - not too much clutter. I envisioned this being the place I would work on my computer, pay bills, etc, but so far it hasn't replaced the comfort of the couch...

I found this round mirror at Target as well, and it kind of reminds me of a window on a submarine. (Also perfect.)

I hope you've enjoyed the snapshots of our nautical guest retreat! Hopefully the curtains become available for purchase to finish it off. Now we just need some more visitors!

Lately

Sometimes you just get caught up in a groove with things and feel like you'll never get over them. Then one day you do, and something else replaces them. But until then...

I am...

Listening:

Getting ready for work in the morning...cooking dinner in the evening. Can't stop. Here.

Watching:

Thanks Erin and Becky. And Netflix. Here.

Drinking:

Slightly chilled. With your feet kicked up. Here.

Reading:

I'm finally reading it. Here.

Dreaming:

A beachfront room in only 2 months. (Summer is flying by.) Here.