Snoqualmie Ridge

Happy 2014 to you all!

Last night I sang the wrong lyrics to Auld Lang Syne as I do every New Years and thought I’d write an epic Christmas re-cap. Because, really. Don’t pretend you’re not dying to know :).

Our story shall begin the eve of my big 30th birthday bash, which incidentally did not take place on December 24th. Because of everyone’s crazy schedules, we decided to celebrate my birthday the weekend before Christmas, on Saturday and then do our early “Christmas” on Sunday.

Nadine, our appropriately named scant Christmas tree had been without a skirt for weeks. Bottomless, Nadine cowered in the corner of our living room, bashfully attempting to hide her bulky tree stand with garish ornaments and extra branches I had haphazardly attempted to attach to her lower branches. Truth.

With family coming the next day, I went to not one, not two, but FIVE stores in hot pursuit of a tree skirt for poor Nadine. Target, Fred Meyer, Pier 1, World Market and Bed Bath & Beyond let me down. Sales clerks shaking their heads and giving me the “They were gone two weeks ago” lecture, I retreated to my car with my tail between my legs. Not a single GD tree skirt on the ENTIRE Eastside? I was beside myself.

Meg, Ben and Nan arrived the next day with armloads of presents and plenty of Christmas cheer. Nan came to the rescue with a creme-colored toile tablecloth she pilfered from her own collection, which we arranged beautifully under Nadine before covering with dozens of presents. And then I realized that Christmas tree skirts are basically useless once you stick a bunch of presents underneath. Oh well.

That night we got cray at my huge, raging 30th birthday party. We wore ugly Christmas sweaters. We took shots of tequila at the insistence of my auntie. We ate bison sliders, goat cheese and Zachary chocolates. ‘Twas perfection.

It is just NOT Christmas without Yankee Candles!

…HE KNOWS…

The next day was “Christmas” with my family, minus Amy and my Dad (which SUCKED). Christmas just isn’t the same without my Dad softly squishing each of presents to ensure it isn’t a “soft” present, i.e socks, underwear and the like.

I got wonderful gifts from my family, Bryan and the Nash’s for both my birthday and Christmas. Here are some highlights!

Bryan also scored pretty huge.

That night, Bryan and Ben decided it was the perfect time to turn our house into a brewery. While Nan, Megan and I watched The Holiday and played Candy Crush, Bryan and Ben were snickering over in the corner like little boys playing with a chemistry set. It was adorable, but our house stunk like hops even with all the windows open. Of course, Nan liked the smell. Oh Nan…!

The next day I bid adieu to my family and reluctantly returned to work, craving more family time. Luckily I work with some pretty awesome people and was greeted by this.

After working a half day on Christmas Eve, the Nashs picked me up promptly at noon and whisked Bryan and I into the city for an afternoon of Christmas fun.

Chocolate croissants and peppermint mochas

We saw a matinee of Oliver! at the 5th Avenue and basically sat in the front row. It was AMAZING. Oh law – these kiddos were talented. The sets were beautiful, the cast was perfect and we all left with huge, goofy smiles on our faces.

Naturally, after Oliver! we went to Oliver’s Bar at the Mayflower Park Hotel. The scene could not have been more perfect – huge windows looking out onto the bustling city streets.

After our delicious cocktails we headed back to Redmond for some dinner, libations and more gifts. We had lasagna, prosecco and I opened even more amazingly thoughtful and wonderful gifts. I truly do not deserve to have these wonderful people in my life but GUESS WHAT? I’ll take em!

The next morning we woke up to our first Christmas morning in our new house. Aw, mems. Then, we went to the GYM. Yes – Bryan and I worked out on Christmas morning. It was indeed, a Christmas miracle.

Upon arriving at the Nash homestead, we were treated to Mary’s famous breakfast casserole and then we happily dove into our stockings. And really, aren’t stockings the BEST?

After the gift giving had ceased, we sat in the Christmas carnage and purveyed our new goods and wares. The day was spent watching The Holiday (again!), The Family Man, playing Monopoly, cooking dinner, making cosmos and a rousing game of Catch Phrase which, btw, is awesome.

It was a wonderful holiday filled with family, friends and tequila. And a tiny unicorn, thanks to Megan.

Having a couple days off from work meant lots of productivity at home.

OH YES

Candy Mountain Bubble Bar asdoijasdionj!

Snowman bath bomb + Ro’s Argan = MAJESTY

OMG Breaking Bad. Just, yes.

Already on Season 3

We even went for a hike up little Si!

My face is completely round

For NYE we decided to head down the street to Salish Lodge and have drinks at the bar.

This picture says everything and nothing

Pretty lobby

Snoqualmie Honey Ale and Brut Rose

In a word, our holidays were…perfect.

How were yours?

YES.

(Most pictures below are courtesy of our broker.)

I Forsee a Red Door…

Bry and I chin-chin’ed over a bottle of champagne and are basically like little kids who just got their own rooms. And in a way, we are.

The “estate” (as I will now refer to it haha JK) features 4 bedrooms. FOUR. And each will be themed. The themes are: America, Irrigation and Nighttime ;). One will be our room, too.

I am really excited to have a girly room. The “ladies” quarters is where us ladies will sit. I will hang up my pink wall decor, I’ll blast the heat.

I’ll unload my complete boxed set of Sex and the City DVDs and string twinkle lights wherever I damn well please. I’ll plug in wallflowers, light my 14.5 oz BBW 3-wick candles and switch on my Scentsy.

It will be an agglomeration of years worth of different obsessions. Unicorn figurines, sequined picture framed photos from spring break 2004 and cupcake paraphernalia.

Various sundries, carefully plucked from the shelves of previous college apartments and memory boxes will be placed on shabby-chic shelving. Not to mention, a vanity along with my entire collection of makeup. It will be as if Rachel Ashwell’s collection threw up all over my room.

And it will smell like peonies.

And BEHOLD, a vision board!

From top left to right: Teacup, Macy’s Chloe Sofa, Pottery Barn Meredith Desk, Pier 1 Hayworth Vanity, Prada Marfa Sign Art, Pottery Barn Throw Blanket, Z Gallerie Nicolette Bed, Peonies, JH Picture, B&BW Candle, Eiffel Tower Lamp, Anthropologie Georgina Duvet.

What else am I excited about?

We will FINALLY have a garage. How can one be so happy about something as boring as a garage, you ask? As the soon-to-be wife of a crazy outdoorsman, I can tell you – it’s pretty darn exciting.

No longer will dirty hiking shoes be mixed into a box of linen duvets and muffin tins. Ropes, belay devices, tents, sleeping bags, GIANT backpacks and muddy boots can all be arranged lovingly in the space, solely devoted to storing things of this nature. Not to mention, our skis, bicycles oh yeah – our MOTOR VEHICLES.

It’s a luxurious life we shall lead.

We will have a separate tub from shower which can only mean that I will be able to shop at Lush and buy those cutely-shaped bath bombs for ten bucks a pop. Thank the lord!

An entryway! Equipped with a table which will proudly display such amusements as a dish of seasonal candies, a mini-Christmas tree, pumpkins dipped in glitter or ugly ceramic Easter Bunny figurines that I thought were cute at the time. Sky’s the limit.

A living room AND a family room which I realize is not very Gen-Y of me. I should be programmed to embrace the “great” room but alas, I cannot. Call me old fashioned, but I like me two rooms. One for sittin’, one for livin’.

A normal-sized kitchen with enough room to store a plethora of gadgets. We can have multiple cutting boards, thus eliminating the cross contamination of cutting up an onion on same surface as my morning english muffin.

A backyard where I can spray paint things to my heart’s delight. Much like Portlandia’s ever-popular phrase, “We can pickle that!” I will exclaim, “I can spray paint that!”.

Lastly, we will have enough room for a family to (hopefully) grow. To welcome a poor, unsuspecting addition to our family in human or canine form. One being slightly more of a responsibility than the other but both subject to ridiculous amounts of love. And candy. And bows.

Come On-A OUR House!

Tag: Snoqualmie Ridge

Christmastravanganza 2013

We Bought a House