come sit awhile

{Christmas} setting the table

i love dishes!  i mean, like really LOVE dishes...i have way too many, if there is such a thing and i love them each and every one of them

setting the table at Christmas-time is a pretty big deal at our house, well...atleast for me it is

here are some photos from our old home, i'm still working on our table for this year!

my favorite part of setting a table any time of the year is mixing everything up!  here i used my galvanized metal charges and topped them with a black and cream swirl plate from Hobby Lobby and then my ALL TIME Favorite black and cream check plate from Marshalls and TJMaxx!  i then placed a folded tartan plaid cloth napkin for added color...and some plaid!

the actual tablescape is made of the same tartan plaid napkins laid diagonally down the middle of the table with greenery loaded up with pinecones and berries.  in the center is a very large hurricane globe filled with a few of my favorite Christmas decorations from Potterybarn...big mercury glass ornaments!  i also placed a brown metal reindeer on each side of the hurricane globe for a little something extra!  you can see them in the photo below

here's a peek of everything put together!  gotta love me some black...

hope you enjoyed a little of our Christmas! 

i'm linking up over at Centsational Girl 

 

this is how we roll...

my parents have two 4 wheelers/ATV's, if you must...that we ride almost constantly when we visit the cabin.  now that the leaves have fallen and you can actually see through the 'woods', we have found more trails to ride on...

for hours on end

this {new} trail by far is now a new favorite!  there are a couple of places that are pretty steep and rocky which is what this whole thing is all about, right? 

nothing like three of your four wheels on the ground next to a drop off

this part of the trail was so pretty!  but perhaps not the best photos...taken while leaning forward, trying to distribute weight toward the front of the 4 wheeler while climbing steep incline

just sayin'

most of the time we wind our way through trails that reach from one side of the mountain to the other and the views from the top are beautiful!

jeff and jackson zooming past me and headed up the mountain in front of the cabin...another new trail

not quite sure who enjoys it more? 

maybe i do?

 

happy monday

 

Black Friday hoopla!

this one makes me laugh!

oddly enough...i am at walmart this morning?  ...shudder

and it's only been since 7am

definitely not in the category of 'crazy target lady'

and for the record...you KNOW i oppose the place!!

 

Happy Shopping!

 

happy Thanksgiving!

isn't this beautiful? 

via pinterest, of course...

 

Wishing you a wonderful Thanksgiving!

 

{thankful for}

24. heading out of town and getting away!

25. ham, instead of turkey

 

turkey trot'n

despite the fact that i'm in desperate need of new running shoes AND the fact that we're headed to the mountains where there are many different elevations and down right hills all over the place...we're turkey trot'n on Thanksgiving morning!

photo via pinterest

we signed up for the 2011 Blue Ridge Turkey Trot 

why not, right? 

last year we were at home and did a local 10k before heading north to my parents' cabin!  this year, we're heading that way early and decided the mountains would be...more...fun? 

allows you to eat more, maybe? 

 are you trot'n this Thanksgiving?   let me know about it and good luck!

 

{thankful for}

22.  running...some people can't

23.  running with jeff, even though i can smoke him!

  

{Christmas} via Pinterest

just sayin...

 i wanted to share some recent Christmas-y finds with you...ENJOY!

definitely a favorite!  i have a similar metal piece that i'm thinking of doing this with...just not entirely sure how yet?  jackson is pleading Christmas decor as of two weeks ago, so stay with me for this!

not your typical red and green...but i love it!  the brown buffalo check is cozy and beautiful

a simple centerpiece...with burlap

lanterns...i love lanterns anywhere!

adding some color outside...i'm liking this table too

all photos via pinterest...come check out my Christmas board!

and lastly, mason jars...does it get any better than mason jars? 

hope this inspires you to get those decorations out...personally, i'm trying to psych myself up for it!  it's a bit of a project around here, you know!

 

{thankful for}

17.  pinterest...it sucks me in everytime!

18.  time spent at home

19.  Sunday lunch with friends

20.  clean laundry

21.  pedicures and hair color

 

post tennis

and because the last post was photo-less

happy monday!

 

do you salsa?

a few weeks ago, my friend Julie and I...along with her friend Sara and several other friends, stay with me here, celebrated Sara's 30th birthday and Julie's so-called 30th birthday, right Julie?

we went salsa dancing!

now i'll be the first to say that i'm not really the dancing type and then throw in salsa dancing, of which i have NO CLUE of how to do...umm, could someone please pass the 'chips'?

i am also the girl who can't seem to stay up past 9:45pm lately and the girl who is almost 40...yikes!

we headed to Virginia Highlands around 9:30pm

Sara is from Spain and wanted to celebrate in style, so Julie asked around and found Loco Luna which is a tapas bar during the early evening and then a place to loose your mind and your hearing after 10pm!  it was CRAZY FUN and we had a blast!  however, i was constantly reminded of the fact that i love my husband and i am so very thankful to be married {to him}...and that i am way too old for this kind of thing!  there were iphone photos and TONS of dancing like we knew what we were doing!! 

we left the bar around 2am and then left Landmark Diner around 4am as the waitress happily spoke these words "have a good morning"  

i definitely agree with Julie...she said we will say that we'll never do that again, until we do it again and then it will all come rushing back as to why we said it in the first place

i got home at 5am

   

so do you salsa? 

 

{thankful for}

12. my marriage

13. feeling good in my own skin

14. the beautiful fall weather

15. jackson saying a prayer each morning on the way to school

16. Sunday lunch with friends

 

  

{the} Christmas countdown

i just knew that this year would be {the} year...you know, {the} one when he would figure it all out.  he IS 10 years old, but i think i had to have been like 16 or something...i'm just kidding!  so, as i made our yearly appointment back in September (our Santa is pretty popular that you have to be one of the chosen...no lie)  to sit on Santa's lap and told him that we had 'this many weeks' until then, he exclaimed "YES...I can't wait!"

phew...that's all i can say!

not quite sure if I'M ready for it...

and regardless, if 2011 does become {the} year...thankfully traditions stay for as long as you let them!

The Advent Calendar

jackson looks forward to this every year!  and what kiddo wouldn't?  i've included just about everything i can think of...from money to the Polar Express to Hot Wheels and crafts...and each morning, including the insanity of Christmas morning...he never forgets to see what's behind the tiny door

i'm currently searching around for new and improved ideas!  we need to change it up!  do you have some to share?  here are a few that i will be using this season...

*take photos for Christmas cards

*purchase a new Christmas CD

*make cinnamon ornaments (he loves doing this!)

*have a camp out in front of the Christmas tree and make smores

*do something nice for someone (his choice)

*make hot chocolate with all the fixings

 

let me know if you have an idea or two?   

and hurry, the countdown begins soon!

 

{thankful for}

7.  my desire to not let Christmas get the best of me!

8.  a toasty warm home

9.  coffee

10.  my friends

11.  quiet time with a good book

 

  

25 things

Thanksgiving is just a few days away, and with all of the hoopla that goes along with a holiday such as this one...i don't want to forget to share with you 25 things that i'm thankful for...right now!

AND i want to challenge you to do the same with me!  i'll be sharing my 25 things here and there right up until turkey day...are you up for the challenge?  

1.  off days

2.  my husband, jeff

3.  my sweet boy, jackson

4.  my home

5.  a car that is finally paid off

6.  a few Christmas presents marked off my list

 

What are you thankful for?