Oh the weather outside is frightful...

This is what my commute home, was like, yesterday.

After Christmas Ski!

Hmmmm...



Before the big jump.

After Christmas, Christmas cookies!

What better way to spend some time with family the week between Christmas and New Years, then by making Christmas cookies!!





We may have only got about 25 decorated, but we had a great time doing it!

A few things I learned in The South

For the most part, my southern vacation/visit was not all that unlike any of the other vacation/visits that I have had around the US. The scenery was different, but that happens wherever you travel to, it reminded me of Wisconsin at first, with a touch of Florida. Both places I have spent a considerable amount of time visiting. The grocery stores all had different names, but that is also to be expected.

What I wan't prepared for and didn't even think about until after the fact is that The South has it's own culture, and I don't care what you say, it is indeed different. I have spent time with southern people, have, in fact, had holidays with southern folk, and have heard repeatedly that The South is just a different place. But until I told a southern cook that I thought her green beans were done I didn't have a clue. How was I to know that (as Ryan's grandma quickly informed me) "Southern women cook their veggies to DEATH!" Haha. At least they were patient with me.

The next thing, which I had previously thought to be an over exageration, is the bitterness that southerners feel towards Yankees. I heard all sorts of fun, Yankee banter. One person I visited even used it as a reason that they didn't travel. And described the difference between Yankees and Southern folk as the same as the difference between city and country folk.

What I came to realize is that in The South, there are southern people, most other places have more of a hodgepodge of other cultural influence. Not that this is bad, more that when someone wades on in and settles in The South, they soak up the pride and tradition of the southern folk around them. They become more southern. Now, my week there didn't make me a expert, but this is my experience, and I am happy to say that I am very much looking forward to my next visit ..and that I could get used to being addresses as Miss. Sarah all the time.

Holiday Driving

I found out this holiday season that driving in Utah and Wyoming is very different than driving in Georgia and Alabama!

Sarah is in the south

This is the roller-skate that we get to drive around the state.
We look super fast.
I tried to trade it and the woman at the desk said we could have another color if we liked! ..haha.



Tacky (awesome) lights display, Georgia style.



The first people that we visited. Ryans nephew, sister, brother-in-law and mom.



Us, in the south.



This is their first Chirstmas as a family of three!

Just another day in Missouri.

How to bundle your child...

Find the silliest, cutest hat you can possibly find. Got to as many stores as possible.
Put already adorable child in said hat.
Wrap remaining limbs and trunk of child in multiple layers of matching, warm fabric.
Set adorable child with cutest hat into movable device.
Take him somewhere where lots of people will notice and comment.



Bask in your success.

Erin's House, Part II

A few more cute photos from the Missouri trip!

Morning Commute

These may not be the best photographs, but amazing! ..this was this mornings drive to work.

Erin's House Part I; Tongue and Cheek

Yes, he does tend to have his tongue out a lot of the time.

I've been gone.

Sorry for my lack in posting. I have been away.

This is what has been holding all of my attention:

Happy Birthday Mike!

My wonderful nephew turns 1 today ...hooray! My mom and I are jumping on a plane and heading out to Saint Louis to spend the weekend with him ..and my sister ..and her husband.

Here is the fun invitation that I made for the party!



I'm so excited!!

Happy, Happy Birthday!!!

Christmas month!

I love this time of year. I was thinking this morning while standing right next to the lights below that it would be nice if all of the winter months could be warmed with tiny colorful Christmas lights!



This is my spare bedroom. It's so inviting. I keep wanting to sleep in here instead of my real room.

Ground Leaves

Cutest Dog

Look at this ...how can you not just fall in love with my adorable, best friend.

It's this time again...

Christmas, children, is not a date. It is a state of mind.
-Mary Ellen Chase

Wyoming IV

Has this ever happened to you?

Blog world, meet Beccy! ..Beccy, world.

She makes my life a little brighter.
We share a lot of lunches, and talk about life.
Our houses are an hour apart.
So, we only really hang out at work.
We should think about changing that.

Workin' 9 to 5 ..well, 8 to 5.

Here are some more images from around the office. Our new catalog was just printed, so soon I will be able to do a post of the dresses I have been creating ..yay!

As for now, these are for you...


This really is where all the magic happens! ..that's a popular saying around here.

My Christmas mug!! I use it daily in the studio, and up until now it has been a little out of season. Thanks, Summer!

What work looks like for me.

These are a few of my favorite things...

While living in Fort Collins, Colorado, I had a friend of a friend stop in my house with a trunk full of vintage costume jewelry. I ogled all the individual pieces in that trunk for well over an hour, and spent as much money as I could feasibly let go of. This is one of the treasures that stayed with me that day, and I recently found it buried atop my dresser in a pile of jewelry that needs a good sorting. I love it. Looking back on that evening, I loved all of it. ..what a good experience, and what a great piece of jewelry!

Sunday, Sunday

You will have to bear with me as I get all of my "new snow" photos out of the way!

This was Sunday:

Loads of new snow (are you surprised?)
A morning hike up on the hill to play in it
A random interaction with a broke down traveler from Sacramento and his lovely dog
New vintage sheet and Pendleton Wool shirt from Thriftown
Open-faced turkey sandwiches ..yum!
A lazy afternoon spent at the Leprechaun Bar with friend Rita and football
Not so great bar sandwich
Yummy Bobsled beer (smile)
Drive uptown through the snow and blow and ice and drift
Fantastic outdoor lights display (see the post below)
More driving through snow and blow and ice and drift
Late night pizza brought home by Ryan ..he ran over two snow covered curbs getting it
Cozy couch snuggle to "Get him to the Greek"
Lots of laughing out loud

Lights!

It has been dumping down snow on Salt Lake City for the last few days, and to get out of the house, we ventured out to check out the lights at Temple Square in downtown. It was beautiful. Fun driving there in the snow, and fun wandering around.

Here are the two odd things that happened to us while we were there:

1. Due to the crazy deep snow on the roads, we almost stepped out in front of a train and the conductor tisk-tisked us by gently sliding one finger down the other while giving us a disapproving glance ...completely deserved.
2. Some random group of very well dressed, older visitors started an unaggressive snowball fight with us. No one won.

Happy Turkey Day!!

There are a lot of things that I am thankful for this year, and being able to hop into my car, with Dingo, and drive home to cook and eat with my family (minus the midwest team ...hi Erin, see you soon!) is one of them. Here is a photo tour from my drive home this morning going from SLC into Wyoming.

You will know you are in Wyoming when the road is just ice!











Happy Thanksgiving!