Wrap up and Resolutions

We definitely had a December to remember.

We started off the month with our annual trip to Silver Dollar City to see the lights.

I have said it before, and I will say it again...if you ever have the opportunity to go to Silver Dollar City in December do it!!  It truly is spectatular and it will just make you happy, I promise!!


We decorated gingerbread houses

and checked out our competition around the city

not bad, but I still think ours was better.



We went to the Wild Lights at the Zoo

had a Christmas tea with our American Girl Doll

baked some cookies

went ice skating

saw Santa at the symphony, and heard beautiful music

and had a great holiday.

Now that the decorations are down, the kids are back in school, and the new year has started it's time to work on some resolutions

*Read, read, read-this is on my list every year but the benefits from reading; knowledge, vocabulary, intellectual curiosity, improved concentration, I mean its almost like free therapy.  I get my best recommendations from friends, here is what I hope to read in 2016

any other recommendations??

*travel every change I get

Don't you love a resolution that is pretty damn fabulous.  I have been working very hard on this one and have a few trips already lined up

*Try one new restaurant a month- I feel like I already do this, but now that it is official I really have to dine out a lot.  It is a win win for everyone, I get a great meal and the chefs/owners are getting business, just doing what I can to support my city.

Looks like I am good through April

*Have one on one dates with my children and my hubby

family is everything, right!!

and one last one for good measure

*go to the gym- does it count if I already do this??  Is it still a resolution??  

I am not going to lie, I am in it for the cute clothes

Happy 2016

New Start

Hello 2015!!

I realize that a new start can begin any day that we make up our minds to do something, but there is something magical about a new year.  

We open up that brand new, blank calendar and suddenly the world is our oyster.  I try to keep my resolutions relatively simple and obtainable (no sky diving for me and sadly I will not be the next creative director at J Crew) but I always like to throw in the wild card resolution for a little challenge.

Top of my list is always to read more...

this is just a basic fact that was drilled into us since kindergarten, and they were right!!

organize, organize, organize...

dinner as a family...

I am just asking for 1-2 times a week

which of course means I need to do more of this...

totally silly, but anyone who takes bar method can vouch for me.  I totally want to be able to do this

Piano lessons...

I used to play all through high school, then I went off to college and that was that.  I have a piano sitting in my living room and a teacher that comes to my house for my kids every Monday night, why am I not taking a lesson too??


and my wild card...

go back to school and get a nursing degree



Like I said, wild card, not sure if I really want this but definitely worth thinking about!

Catch Up Friday

I thought things were supposed to settle down after the holidays and I would have all the free time in the world, well I was wrong.  Time for a little catch up

Last Friday the hubs went into work, my son was off for a sleep over, and I took my girls and headed downtown for a dance workshop/competition for my daughter Libby.  We checked into a room with a view...

then until 10 pm on Friday, and 8am until 6 pm on Saturday this was basically my view...

the things we do for our kids right!!  It was fun to watch the first 2 hours then it got a little old.

Saturday night I snuck away for a much needed break, and headed off to a paddle tennis party.

It was so fun and I was glad to focus on something else besides first position.

The drink of the night after every set....

fireball whiskey shot

This of course made it slightly painful for me to be back downtown at 8m for more dancing...

After a couple hours of being a dance mom again, I snuck away again for one of my girlfriend's birthday brunch...

after my 5 hour brunch I came home and napped for 2 hours, and that is something I rarely do.

Also this week, my little Scarlett turned 5!!  I cannot believe it.  I feel like I just gave birth, time is fleeting when you have kids, I just want everything to slow down.

and since my baby girl turned 5 it is time for her pastel portrait.  I did my 2 older children right around their 5th birthdays so my wall will be complete in about 3 weeks when her portrait will be ready.

I hardly saw the hubs this past weekend so we had a little date night during the week.  We wanted something totally low key and laid back so we saw a movie, one that has some oscar buzz, it's based on a true story, and one that I highly recommend....

We also saw it in a VIP theatre.  Now I am not a big movie person, I would much rather go to dinner and meet up with friends then see a movie, but if you are going to go to the movies, this is the way to do it...

comfy reclining chairs, full dinner and bar menu, and just a push of a button and your waiter is there for your beck and call.  Now that's how you see a movie!!

I popped into Anthropologie this week and pick up the most amazing smelling candle

Volupsa Mokara

and a very cute skirt

I am already planning my Valentine's Day outfit

A couple weeks ago I was at a friends house and we played the most insane game, Cards Against Humanity

The box says it all "a party game for horrible people" this is the funniest, most politically incorrect, most corrupt card game, and I loved every second.  I am fairly certain a group of really drunk guys were sitting around one night and this game was born.  There is a wait list just to order this game, get your name on that list ASAP, mine arrived this week and I laugh every time I just see the box.

One of my New Year's Resolutions was to try 1 new restaurant a month, I know not very deep and it certainly won't make me a better person but there are so many new restaurants I am dying to try.  This weekend I am crossing one off my list...

Nathalie's.  This looks like an old southern home but actually it was a funeral parlor many many years ago.  This place has gotten rave reviews, it was recently opened by a couple who own a farm about 30 minutes south of STL.  The farm to table concept is so hot right now, I love dining at places where not only is my food fresh and organic but I am also supporting our local farmers.

And for Superbowl Sunday I think I am going to hit this one out of the park for our party...

Brisket Stuffed Jalapenos

How can that be bad??