Middleton Perfection

Happy 30th birthday, Princess Kate! You certainly do Britain proud in acting like a true lady, carrying yourself with grace and being a wonderful and supportive wife to William. Princess Diana would have been quite proud too. Happiest of days to you~

A Loving Quote from my BFF

My best friend, Emily, sent me this quote, which I love for all that it stands for and the cute image of girls sharing secrets, stories, everything probably. It's funny because she is a brunette and I am a blonde so of course this quote and image was meant to be ours..

She, like myself, decided to take a big leap and move from Washington DC and start over somewhere. She chose Florida, I chose California. Both of us made these choices for many reasons. I miss her every day and miss our memories and the walk down the hall to her apartment-it just so happened to be that we were neighbors in the same apartment building the last year we were in DC together.

We both will go on to make new friends, to new jobs, to have new experiences and adventures but this quote says it all---despite all the up's and down's and all over's....she and i will remain as close as can be and nothing will change or get in the way of our wonderful friendship.

I love you, girl XO

Big Goals for 2012 *Printable*

Yesterday I was checking out ABD new post on facebook about her Big Goals for 2012 check list. I, along with several others kept saying we'd love to have a copy of this great list for ourselves and maybe, hopefully, fingers crossed it could even be a printable. Our wish was granted. Go print out this wonderful printable and continue to make 2012 a bright and lovely year!

I am not a big believer in New Year's Resolutions, I find they often get broken and abandoned a few weeks into the new year. Instead I think one should continue to better his or her self and achievable goals should be created. I also like to practice on going organizational skills, pro-activeness and all around positive thinking.

Click here to print out the adorable design. Thank you, Ashley, you're the best!

My Return from Italia/Christmas Preparations

Looking OK for no sleep in over 24 hours...the lattes made up for it!

beautiful friends

Evie at her art exhibit-so proud of her showing her art in Florence, how cool?!!

one of my absolute fav things about Italy in December, all of the pretty lights

the Duomo

this bartender was an artist

first night

I had a lot of ribolleta on this trip, this one was more like stew but totally yummy

the best food store ever

w/ Uncle Dick on the bridge

gorgeous.

I couldn't resist these gloves. My splurge on the trip. I got the grey pair on the right. Maybe it was the ruffle, or mini bow, or the fabulous color, which I have been obsessed with this Fall/Winter... I HEART THEM

snuck a shot of David

the best dinner on the trip. so much fun!! butt jokes, delicious food, sweet and funny Italian staff and chefs, lots of booze and time together

a cute one with Kristina

the most amazing dish I had! pasta with white truffles. orgasmic :)

the owner of the restaurant and our waiter. the owner was so dreamy in person :-)

the cutie chefs...when the guy on the right found out we were from CA, he said "we need to go to California"-with a wonderful Italian accent, hehe

the butt...

we sent the Chanel party some prosecco and they toasted us with it. so cute

Jen with our waiter...she is almost tanked at this point

no words needed

WOW

and thats a wrap!

almond gelato, the bestttt

the Biennale Artist dinner for our last night...definitely not what we thought it would be, thank goodness for the crazy dinner the night before :)

Back to America...Back to my husband and little Louie :)

My hubby got Louie groomed for his first time while I was away. What a magical surprise, so happy to hold my little man again!!!!

And he put up the new curtain my mom made for our master bedroom...I love the birds in the floral design

And he put up lights on our balcony...AND he cleaned our whole apartment from top to bottom. I love him so.

My dining room table scape. I was proud of my work...I like to think sometimes I have an eye for things, maybe I'll keep hoping. Thoughts?

We strung popcorn and cranberries for our tree-which turns out is a hubby fam tradition and one in mine too. Love that similarity!

While Louie napped...

Our tree in all of its glory...and Louie too

B made awesome homemade chocolate, caramel and seat salt popcorn

Gifts arrived from my family on the East Coast

Garcy turned 92 and was surrounded by her family for the occasion. What a wonder she is to all of us!