Projects completed!

Joe is skiing in Steamboat this week so it is a great time to get some little projects done that I have been meaning to do. I think it's easier to get myself motivated to do these things when he is out of town because a. I have more free time & b. I can spread it all out & make a mess and leave it overnight if I don't get it done in one day ;)

The first thing I was meaning to do it finally put our wedding photo album together, only a year & a half later! I found a great scrapbook at target that reminds me of our Indian theme wedding. It has a cool colorful design on the outside. Project wedding album-check! (sorry for the bad quality photos--from my camera phone because my camera is back in the repair shop)

Project #2, paint mirror. I found this mirror for a few dollars at our local thrift shop. Since I'm obsessed with painted everything yellow I figured I finish up the can of paint I bought back in march & paint this too! In this photo it looks like the frame is nicer that it really is. It's not metal it a cheap brown ugly plastic, I like it way better yellow!

While I'm at it I might as well add another coat to a table I did back in March.

Like I said, I love yellow! (and turquoise!)


Project #3 Thailand Photo Album

I bought this awesome photo album in Thailand & always planned on turning it into a scrapbook, this project took some patience because it is made from soft handmade paper and I had to try a couple ways to get the photos to stick, double stick tape ended up doing the trick. I'm happy with the way it turned out. Project 3--check!!

Christmas 2010

Our annual Christmas Eve tradition, dinner at Houston's on the Plaza

socks!

my new rug!

more socks! these were to throw him off, I really got him a laptop ;)

Chip was exhausted by all the festivities

The newlyweds!

little Auggie!

Green Holiday Decorating

I get weekly emails from this Martha Stewart spin off website called Whole Living, it has great ideas for cooking, relaxation, decorating & much more.

I loved this slide show with good ideas on how to decorate your home the "green" way by collecting branches, greenery & pine cones--bringing nature inside. It's definitely not a new concept for Christmas but I like their ideas for Holiday displays, plus it's a really inexpensive way to decorate--and good for us since we live just 15 miles from Rocky Mountain National Park we have access to plenty of fallen branches, pine cones & pine branches.

http://www.wholeliving.com/photogallery/green-decorating-and-wrapping-ideas?xsc=eml_bas_2010_11_29

I really like the branchy tree ideas so I decided to do one of my own. Here are 2 on the website, hanging cards on branches:

Hanging balls on branches:

Here's my tree:
Even better, I got the vase for the base and the balls at a thrift store so it's extra green & cheap! ;) Right now there are so many good Christmas decorations at thrift stores, great deals!

Fresh Spring Rolls & Tom Kha Soup

One of my favorite things that we had last year on our honeymoon in Thailand was the Tom Kha Goong (coconut milk shrimp soup). I also love fresh spring rolls with peanut sauce, although I was surprised we didn't find them in Thailand--because I love to order them at Thai restaurants here! They are actually Vietnamese Spring Rolls so that explains why we couldn't get them in Thailand.

The other night I attempted to recreate the soup & spring rolls, I think it turned out pretty good, but definitely not exactly like the experts--I can blame it on the fact that I didn't have all of the correct ingredients, like lemongrass, so I improvised with lime juice--it gave it the nice tang that so many Thai dishes have.

We took a cooking class while we were in Thailand that we loved. At that class we made a spicy sour soup (I think it's called Tom Yum Gai) & Pad Thai, it was delicious. We also learned that most Thai dishes have the 3 S's--spicy, salty, sour--that's why it's so good, my favorite flavors!

Congratulations Lilli & Erik!

Lilli & Erik are engaged!! Congratulations you two--we are so excited for you!!

Here's Lilli a couple of weeks ago at Alexis's wedding, I think she is ready to be a bride!! ;)