Project 365: Day 311

Happy New Year!!!

We went out to dinner with Aimee, Kevin, and Jess before heading over to our private party at the Whisky Bar. It was great to have Jess in town to celebrate!!!!

 

Bring on 2013! Here's to our best year yet!

Project 365: Day 310

Went to Charlie Browns for the final karaoke of 2012 and made a new friend:

His name was Frank and it was his birthday, so our friend Emma brought him on stage and sang happy birthday to him. After that, he permanently joined us at our table for the rest of the night. He was harmless and we all had a good time! I added a new song to my repetoir as well, Cee Lo's "F*ck You." It is definitely going to make it into my regular rotation!!

Project 365: Day 309

We went to Ben and Carrie's for a Fort Collins holiday party and Nicole decided to wear her monkey halloween costume... and then ate a banana! It was probably one of the absolute cutest things I have ever seen in my life!

Project 365: Day 308

We're HOME! And I finally get my Christmas presents from Nick! First was a 10-class package at my favorite yoga stuido and as if that wasn't already an amazing enough present, Nick got me this:

This might have been a little bit for him too because I can't make a good pot of coffee for the life of me so I'm always bugging him to make me coffee. This will definitely come in handy for Saturday mornings! Thanks babe!!!

Project 365: Day 307

For our last night in Pennsylvania, Nick's brother Joseph came over to celebrate the holiday.

Here's Nick with his sister Julia and his brother Joe! Merry Christmas everyone!!!

Project 365: Day 306

I'm dreaming of a white day after Christmas.....

Thankfully we were already up in Honesdale and had nowhere to be!

Project 365: Day 304

It's my favorite day of the year!! Christmas Eve. And for the first time ever, Nick is here to celebrate with me:

The night wouldn't be complete without Christmas cookies and Allie made some new ones she found on Facebook this year: melting snowmen sugar cookies

 

And of course, what is Christmas Eve without B52 shots!? We discovered these last year when my dad got a book of cocktails for Christmas. They are supposed to be a layered shot of Kahlua, Baily's, and Grand Marnier but ours always turn out a bit muddled, but they're delicious none-the-less.

It was a special treat to have the entire Brecht clan at the house!!!

and even more special that all of my grandparents were able to come:

 

 

Towards the end of the night we carried on the tradition of late-night family games with the Game of Things.

Although we had so many people at the table (and so many cocktails) that we were having a little trouble keeping track of the game, but we had a blast!

AND Buddy and Ashley even played!!!

Then, after everyone left, it was decided that no one wanted to wake up at 8am to open presents with me and Nick (before we drove to Honesdale), so we opened presents at 3am and then went to bed! Merry CHRISTMAS!!!

Project 365: day 303

Sunday Grandpa Frank and Patty came over to celebrate Christmas early. Usually they come the day after Christmas, but this year the plan was for me to drive to Honesdale the day after Christmas so we had to switch it up. It worked out because Nick's family couldn't make it to my shower at the last minute because the roads were bad and since they were supposed to take Nick home for X-mas, we had to change plans. Now Nick and I are spending our first Christmas together (since Thailand) and we'll have to wake up super early on Christmas morning to drive to see his family. SO I'm glad we had planned ahead of time to have Grandpa and Patty come the day before Christmas.

Unfortunately, I didn't get any pictures with our visitors, but I was able to see the little ones and watch them open presents, so that was pretty great! They are getting so BIG!!!

Todd got a 3D zombie book which was "SOOOO COOL"

and it was really cute to watch him so engaged in it. I hope he continues to read!!

And, since it was the last time all three of us would be together around the tree, we gave mom and dad their iPad early. Mom was ecstatic!!!

Project 365: Day 302

Only 70-some days till the wedding and it's time for my bridal shower! My mom, Aunt Laurie, and sister did an amazing job of planning the whole thing. The highlight of which was the amazing cake they got made for me!!!

(Unfortunately Nick ate the snowboard and ski poles and was sick the entire day on Sunday!!!)

I got some amazing gifts for my new marital kitchen and had Tayla as my special deputy present opener.

Allie and my mom and Aunt Laurie got everyone to bring a recipe with them to the shower and gifted me a recipe book to hold all of them, so I'm starting off with some new ideas to try (maybe I'll even Pin them myself!)

 AND all my high school girls came to celebrate!

Thanks to everyone who planned and participated in my shower, it was absolutely wonderful!!

 

Project 365: Day 301

My dad rocked out his gig on Friday night at Caffe Note in Pittsburgh - they were on fire!

Unfortunately, I had to leave after the second set, but I was on my way to pick up Nick at the airport, so I can't complain!

Project 365: Day 300

Late night triscuit party in the kitchen, yay!!!

Triscuits put the CRACK in cracker. YUM!!!

p.s. can you believe it's my 300th day!!?? Only 65 to go! that is crazy!!!

Project 265: Day 299

Home for the Holidays!!!

Of course we saved the special kitty ornament for mom:

we miss you Girlfriend!!!

It was good to have the family together - I'm so excited for Christmas this year!!!

Project 365: Day 298

It's like the Hampton Inn, Des Moines knew I was coming!!

Project 365: Day 297

Wedding tanning trial: Spray Tan Edition!

I'm not sure about this.... but it's a heck of a lot better for you than a tanning bed. Either way, I'm going to have to do something - March is the palest month of the year!!

Project 365: Day 296

Invitations are going out tomorrow... look who got an invite:

As an aside to all who have and will receive an invitation - Please put your RSVP in the mail before January 27!!! Postage goes up 1 cent on January 27th and our RSVP stamps are not forever stamps. You will have to add extra postage or they will get returned to you. I'm SOOOO Sorry!!!! I didn't realize until it was too late, spread the word! :-)

 

Project 365: Day 295

End of the world party! FUN!!!!!!

 Nick busted out his signature dance moves - it was amazing.  :-)

Project 365: Day 294

Karaoke!

This random guy walked off the stage, stopped directly in front of me, and serenaded me in Spanish. it was amazing.

Also, after all of our friends left, I sang a couple duets with some new Karaoke friends including Nicki:

we sang Monica and Brandy's "The Boy is Mine" - Amazing!

Project 365: Day 293

Annual Christmas Girls Night - Cookie Exchange!

AND I made another Pinterest creation (courtesy a of Rachel Ray recipe!) Artichoke, Tomato, and Spinach pizza... YUMMY!!!

Project 365: Day 292

I've been PINNING!!!!

cute and more importantly: YUMMY!!!

Project 365: Day 291

Happy Hanukkah!!!

I love that my building managers always put up an x-mas tree AND menorah in our lobby! They add a light bulb to the menorah every night of hanukkah AND they even wait until sun down to add it. They're on top of it!

Project 365: Day 290

Denver Botanic Gardens Christmas lights!!!!

Good night w/ Ashley, Robyn, and Jessie!