Dear Restoration Hardware, PLEASE bring back these wreaths!

Last year I was obsessed with these wreaths from Restoration Hardware. I've had it all planned out to buy one of them this year to hang from the mirror above my mantel. BUT, they don't have them this year! I keep waiting and checking their stores and website, but no luck. I've given up hope!

Aren't they just so pretty? 



Christmas Curb Appeal

Here are some pictures I took last year of houses in my favorite neighborhood in the city where we used to live. (SOMEDAY Evan and I plan on moving back here and getting our 'forever' house!)

I hope you love them as much as I do!

Local Walking & Shopping :)

My black Friday was spent FAR away from malls and super stores. My black Friday was spent walking from my parents house with my mom and sister to the downtown area of their neighborhood! No crowds, fresh air, great company, and great shopping :)

So much fun, and a great way to burn some of those Thanksgiving calories!

Thanksgiving Recap!! Full, Happy, & Thankful :)

This has been one of my favorite days of the year :) I LOVE Thanksgiving!

This year we celebrated with my family at my parent's house. 

Me & Tucker - I love this pup :)

We've been playing lots of Scrabble (and drinking lots of wine!)

The boys (brother Brian & husband Evan) have been enjoying their football games. Go Packers!

We had an AMAZING meal - yum :)

Food coma time... 

And now I'm off to have some pie :) 

Hope you all had a WONDERFUL Thanksgiving!

Packed Up Fall & Prepared for Spring

This weekend, I packed up all my fall decorations and put them away!

I also planted daffodil bulbs for spring.

I thought I'd missed my opportunity, but we had yet ANOTHER warm, beautiful weekend here in the midwest! Thank you Lord :)

AND, I also dug out my Christmas decorations.. but you'll just have to wait until after Thanksgiving to see those :) 

This sounds weird, but I LOVE my dresser! :)

I really love my dresser. It's true. I've had it since I was probably 10 years old, and about 6-months ago I repainted it white and added new hardware. I don't think I'll ever, ever get rid of it. The drawers are the perfect width and depth and it fits everything perfect from my socks to my tank tops to my jeans!

I also love the accessories - functional and beautiful! I love candlelight, fans for white noise, and my little dish for change and storage of my everyday jewelry.

It is one of those places in my house though that I look at and sigh and smile.

(See my new Kate Spade iPhone case?? Couldn't resist!) 

Half Bath - Halfway Done :)

Upon moving into our new house four months ago, our half bathroom wasn't terrible but it was definitely very BLAH. The worst feature of this room was just the layers upon layers of yellowing wallpaper. Typically I would remove wallpaper and wouldn't even THINK of painting over it, but trying to remove even a small corner of it proved to be really scary! It just kept going and going! SO, I got out my trusty Killz Premium Primer and put two coats on over the wallpaper. It's nice because it acted like glue and held down the edges and corners that were starting to peel.

I then painted the room Martha Stewart's "Mushroom" from Home Depot (same color as the hallway and mudroom) and repainted the trim, doors, and built-ins a clean, fresh, white. I also removed the hinges and spray painted them oil-rubbed bronze (Rustoleum Brand spray paint- love the stuff!) And added oil-rubbed bronze hardware to the doors. I've only done half the transformation, but it makes a WORLD of difference! The room feels so much cleaner and so much more modern.

My next step is to add a new mirror, light fixture, and towel rod. The ones I've picked are from Pottery Barn. (Note: Eventually we will rip out the Pergo flooring and put in slate in the mudroom/hallway/and bath as well).

All of these items are on my Christmas List :) And as you can see, I already have my nice little Christmas hand towel in there! (I couldn't resist!)

And now, we are starting the upstairs bath!! Ah it is a disaster zone!

Dining Room Thanksgiving Decor + My Pinterest Challenge!

My dining room is all dressed up for Thanksgiving!! 

The banner is my "Pinterest Challenge" project.. Not nearly as good as the original, but at least it looks good from far away! Maybe next year I'll try to do it in burlap (this year I just used brown craft paper!)

At this moment, I am thankful my house is finally starting to come together :)

PS - Sorry it is so dark in the pics! One of the cons of daylight savings time is that is already dark when  I get home from work :(

PPS - I need new drapes in here!!