Christmas knitting

This morning I went to a knitting class with my friend Samantha at Blazing Needles.  The little Sugarhouse shop was so cute and had a fireplace in the room in back where everyone knits.  When I walked in, everyone was sitting around drinking coffee and knitting.

 The knitting class is free and you can go every Saturday morning, like Sam does (and I'm going to be joining her from now on!).  I bought a new circular knitting needle set while I was there and three skeins of yarn to make the start of a blanket.

 Also, it was snowing all morning.  Salt Lake City has been a snowy wonderland for the past week.

Sam's second little baby is almost here- I can't wait! 

 Here's one of my favorite ornaments on our tree this year.  This little shell turtle is from Saipan and used to be hanging in our cute little island house that was hot and humid all year round.  It honestly seems a little out of place on our Christmas tree in snowy Salt Lake, but it brings back wonderful memories.

And my other favorite ornament was a pre-Chrismas gift for Brian this year.  I found this in Park City with my parents this fall and had to add a few of my own little messages in permanent marker :)

Etsy Favorites

Wall art / Purple home decor / Lip treatment / Beauty product / Organic Bare Linen XL Diaper Bags / Pillow Pendleton Wool Fabric Orange, Native Geometric Tribal

I love Etsy prints.  When Brian and I first moved to Utah, we bought a really cool Taipei skyline print in bright orange.  Since then I've been saving up ideas of more prints we like, and we just recently got the two pictured above.  The tribal print pillow above is so gorgeous and she also has lots of other cool ones in her shop.

My favorite Etsy store for simple gold stud earrings is here.  And these mason jar wall planters are so pretty and unique too.  They would be perfect for hanging in the kitchen and growing herbs.  

Less than two weeks till Christmas!

 Last night we had our friends Amanda and Martin over for dinner and a scary movie (in honor of Friday the 13th).  We made up a big pot of taco soup and some corn bread and had hot chocolate that they had brought us for dessert.  

 Sam could not believe her luck that her friends were here to play with her and was pretty much glued to Amanda and Martin the whole night.  She loves them.  She would come and give me and Brian just one lick, then go give Amanda like 20 haha!

 They brought us the cutest Christmas gift basket ever with hot chocolate, mugs, fuzzy socks, cookie mix, and the coolest plate on the bottom.  Thank so much, guys- come back over again soon!!

 On Tuesday afternoons, I usually work only a half day, so I went over to JL's for a Christmas baking day.  I had been basically begging Jennilyn to have a baking day with me since about Halloween and we wanted to invite all of the girls in the family to make it even better.  I bought a bunch of baking supplies and ribbon on the way over, and JL already had a couple of recipes ready to make too.  We ended up making chocolate dipped pretzels, oreo truffles, cinnamon crockpot almonds, and a curry nut mix.  

 Heather brought over a ton of mason jars that she didn't need anymore.  We cleaned them up and made little gift jars of our treats with ribbon wrapped around the top.

 Ann made the first jar and it turned out so cute.

Gemma with one of the finished products.  We decided that Christmas baking day has to be a tradition for us each holiday season.

Christmas Wish List

H&M beatle boots, $41 / Zara handbag / Gap Plaid Combo Scarf - red / Body cleanser / Home decor / Red currant candle

I've been going a little bit wish list crazy lately.  My mom always asks for a bunch of internet links for Christmas presents for Brian and I, and it's just so fun to pick stuff out.  Here are some things I've either asked for or am planning to buy right after Christmas.... because next up after the holidays are sales!

Brrrr!

 It's cold in Salt Lake City right now (well, it's cold pretty much everywhere right now).  I adore the snow, but I have to admit that Brian and I have been dreaming lately of moving to warm and sunny Hawaii after I finish nursing school.  Last night, however, reminded me of my love of winter weather.  Salt Lake City is so beautiful when covered with a blanket of clean, white snow.

The sun setting on the west side of the valley over the Oquirrh mountains

Pink sunset touching the tops of the Wasatch mountains

 State Street is lit up by traffic going through the middle of the valley.  From up on a hill, Salt Lake City feels like you are in a gigantic bowl, surrounded by mountains on all sides.  Love.

Salt Lake Thanksgiving Round 2

Brian and I are pretty used to spending Thanksgiving away from home.  While we miss our families and wish we could be with them, we always make the best of wherever we are and really enjoy the holiday.  We've been so blessed to spend all of our last five Thanksgivings with wonderful friends:

2009: Taipei.  We went to our friend Jenny's house and had a mismatched, delicious sort of Thanksgiving dinner.

2010: Our first year in Saipan.  We ate Thanksgiving dinner at Laura and Josiah's parents' house and sang the doxology (which made my friend Amy cry :)

2011: Our second year in Saipan.  We ate at Laura and Joe's parents' new house on their enormous front porch, then played Boche Ball on the front lawn with coconuts.

2012: First year in Salt Lake.  We spent the afternoon at the Kozminski's house, ate a huge Thanksgiving feast, then took a walk around the block.  Afterwards, we went over the the Fuller's for round two of Thanksgiving dinner.  We are so lucky- thank you to our wonderful friends for making our Thanksgivings away from home so special!

 This year for Thanksgiving, we went over the Jamie and Taylor's apartment for lunch, after the guys spent the morning skiing.  It was Brian's first time to ski and he loved it.  My friend Jamie is super creative, and made the cutest little place settings at the table.  Their house smelled delicious when we got there, and Jamie was in the process of making her first turkey.  It turned out great!

me, Ashley, and Jamie

 We took about 10 pictures before we got one that wasn't blurry or weird, but this one is my very favorite.  

 My man.  He loved skiing on Thanksgiving and wants to go again soon- me too!

The best food and the best company!  It was also so fun having Ashley and Kyle there and talking around the table.  We love holidays with friends.  Afterwards, Brian and I decided on a whim to go to Walmart to get into the Black Friday shopping spirit.  We didn't even have anything we wanted to buy- just wanted to see the craziness.  Honestly, it was kind of boring.  We walked through the crazy crowds for a few minutes, then went home and watched a movie together. ❤