It's Christmas Time!

Yes, we did it. Mr. SE and I have already started decorating for Christmas this year. We're hosting a holiday party on December 4th and traveling for Thanksgiving, so this was our last weekend to get the house in shape. Our previous Christmas trees were either from college or hand-me-downs (we have 3)- so we were excited to buy one of our very own.

(all the lights are clear- but the picture makes them look somewhat colored)

We chose a gorgeous 9 ft pre-lit beauty from Home Depot, and scored a great price. The theme for our downstairs area is red, gold, and silver. I've been purchasing little accents to have around the floor, and I'm really happy with the look so far.

The tree still needs to be decorated, so I don't have any pictures to post now. But I'll be sure to document our first Christmas in this house, and our first Christmas as newlyweds. Have you started decorating yet? And did you do anything special to celebrate your first Christmas as a married couple? We're really looking forward to starting some traditions of our own!

Bathroom Makeover

Mr. SE and I are in the middle of updating our master bathroom. Luckily, there isn't anything wrong in terms of functionality- we're just bringing it into 2010. We have white cabinets and nickle hardware. I'm going to do a full reveal once we're all done. But here's a sneak peek.

Have you done any home projects lately? I'm on a big decorating and updating kick right now. Lots of room previews to come!

picture from Lowe's.com

Cooking Light Success

I recently subscribed to Cooking Light and I'm obsessed! The recipes are easy and taste great- we've loved everthing so far. Also, it's great to have seasonal menu options every month. Mr. SE and I have been expirimenting with different dinner meals, and this is what we made last night.

Pork Chops are our new favorite! We've made two Cooking Light pork chop recipes and loved it. Bonus? Pork is cheap! Both of these recipes called for tenderloin, but we made them with chops instead. A+

From the magazine "Sweet spices coat lean pork tenderloin, while apples get a savory treatment with shallots and thyme. Serve with a spinach salad."

Total: 20 minutes

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 pound pork tenderloin, trimmed and cut crosswise into 12 pieces (4 pork chops)
Cooking spray
2 tablespoons butter (Brummel & Brown spread)
2 cups thinly sliced unpeeled Braeburn or Gala apple
1/3 cup thinly sliced shallots
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup apple cider (mix of cider vinegar & orange juice)
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves

Preparation
1. Heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Combine first 5 ingredients; sprinkle spice mixture evenly over pork. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add pork to pan; cook 3 minutes on each side or until desired degree of doneness. Remove pork from pan; keep warm.

2. Melt butter in pan; swirl to coat. Add apple slices, 1/3 cup shallots, and 1/8 teaspoon salt; sauté 4 minutes or until apple starts to brown. Add apple cider to pan, and cook for 2 minutes or until apple is crisp-tender. Stir in thyme leaves. Serve apple mixture with the pork.

Are you inspired to cook seasonally? Let me know if you have any great fall recipes we should try!

Happy Veterans Day

Today is a day to remember and give thanks for the men and women who have served our country. Both of my grandfather's served in our military during several wars. Even though they're no longer here on earth, I'm still very proud of them.

Is there a special veteran in your family? Leave a comment and let us know so we can thank you for their service.

Ode To Old Navy Rockstar Jeans

Hi! Please meet the best thing that's happened for my legs, butt, and stomach. I'm not 15 anymore. Pants will never be purchased if they give me a plumber-caboose. So these were like a dream come true! The rise is high enough to be age appropriate, and they look great paired with boots or flats (haven't tried heels yet). They're easy to pull on because of the stretch, but tight enough that they feel just like Spanx! The best part is that these jeans only ran me $20 a pair.

I purchased them in black and dark indigo. Love.

Is there something you've picked up for fall/winter that you're just as excited about?

Random Tuesday Post

My cousin emailed me the link to her wedding pictures yesterday, and I just love this picture of me and my dad. He looks so proud!

Terra Andina Sauvignon Blanc is the best wine ever. If you live where they sell it, get some!

It's only $7 a bottle. Oh- and please mail some to me in TN?

Tonight is wine night with my two best lady friends! So excited to gap and sip with Jessica and Mrs. Smith.

Winter Coat Success!

My trusty black coat finally reached the end of it's life, which isn't bad considering I purchased it on clearance in 2001. I'd been on the hunt at several of the "usual suspect" stores: Banana Republic, J. Crew, Gap, and Old Navy, but nobody had anything that walked the line between trendy and timeless. Enter this fabulous number...

DKNY Julie Empire Waist

purchased from Dillards in black

I was ready to drop some cash on a new coat that would last a long time if it had the perfect fit. Oftentimes double breasted coats overpower my frame and seem to swallow me. Lucky for me this DKNY style was both stylish, form-fitting, and a great price. The hood is the part that takes this coat to the trendy side, but it's easily unzipped off for a more formal/traditional look.

What do you look for in a winter coat? Do you get something trendy at a great price or purchase an expensive staple that you'll have forever?