Christmas 2013 - A Recap

Hi blog, sorry we didn't spend any time together over the holidays! You've been a huge part of my life in 2013 and the year wouldn't have been the same without you. The holiday's also wouldn't have been the same with you, so I'm happy we took a little break from one another.

Since I'm a horrible holiday blogger, I don't have any photos to share (only the "OMG presents", and "OMG Tree", and "OMG I slept in so late" snap chats) but I can share my top four favorite gifts and share them with you in a collage!

Also, I'm wearing glasses today. That's how awesome this Monday is!

Mom and dad are always so thoughtful, can't thank them enough!

1. Apple TV + brother's iTunes login information

I never watch much TV and didn't know what to think when I opened this gift, but when I realized that the gift included access to my brother's iTunes library, it quickly became a huge hit! My first series has been Game of Thrones and I'm already a season in! 

2. Red Planet SubSonic Speaker

This little guy packs some POWER. It's tiny but don't let it fool you - I've been using it for everything, from amplifying the TV volume, Bluetooth connecting to my phone for music and even playing Pandora in the car on the way into work! Less than $60, it's well worth it!

3. Cash money for a Christmas Wish (any suggestions on how I should use it?)

Mom and dad wrote a check for a "Christmas Wish" and I almost want to just put it in savings and consider it as half of my Mac Book Pro. I know this is the boring way, so what other ideas do you have for a girl who doesn't need anything more?

4. House cleaning help!

I really didn't ask for it, but mom and dad delivered on some house cleaning for 6 months! Mom will be "Maria" and my kitchen will never be cleaner! I'm honestly not too tough on my house, so maybe I won't need 2x a month, let's negotiate!

Hope everyone had a Merry Christmas! Happiest wishes for your last days of 2013!

Elves Working Overtime

Public Service Announcement: My post from Friday about my experience at The Float Shoppe just got sweeter! Leading up to Christmas they have announced a Holiday Sale where you can use the code "perfectgift" and pay only $39. This is such a great price to grab a float for all the loved ones in your family who deserve some extra attention. 

Thing 1 

I am an awful procrastinator when it comes to Christmas gifting. The entire process is a challenge for me. From making a list, physically going out (or online) to purchase gifts and then especially the dilemma I have trying to wrap said gifts. 

Today's the day, friends! And to celebrate wrapping gifts, here's some great links that will hopefully give the grinch in all of us some Christmas wrapping inspiration. 

While my gifts will never be too pretty to unwrap, there's so many ways to take the stress out of wrapping gifts for all of those loved ones. Too time crunched to get fancy? Grab some scissors and tape and get back to the basics. Only have a gift card? Never fear - here's several clever ways to package that thoughtful gift. Good luck on the odd-shaped ones, I can't help you there. 

Thing 2

If you were around here last year, you may remember that my mom creates Christmas miracles every holiday season as a Secret Santa. She adopts families in need, rounds up the wish lists and enlists help from all of her networks to make the holidays magical and memorable.

This year she was at it again, stronger than ever. She adopted 4 families and shopped off the wish lists of all 14 children. Bike, guitar, Ugg's, doll houses, stuffed animals, cozy blankets, board games - so many gifts came in and so many donations were made to make all these gifts possible. 

I'd like to say that I've never seen that many gifts under the tree, but that's not true at all. #Mom&DadRock

How awesome, right? These gifts and much more have been delivered to this year's adopted families. 

Selfish Santa

Uh, so how many of you went shopping the past weekend and ended up coming home with more for yourself than for your loved ones? When I shop in December I'm normally all about glitter reindeer, seasonal hand towels and a new dress for a Holiday party I'll likely not end up going to anyway and I forget that I'm there to get mom something she'll actually use / wear and get dad something that my brother suggested because dad's are sometimes hard to shop for.

This past weekend for Black Friday I was extremely guilty of being a selfish Santa.... again.

Okay wait so hear me out. 

I've been eyeing a new MacBook Pro for some time now but never pulled the trigger. First reason is because I like keeping ALL MY MONEYS and the second reason being that I'm always on my work computer anyway. Why spend those dollars I've saved when all I need to pay for is that high-speed WiFi connection? 

Through my recent life changes I fell into some extra money when I was bought out for some of the bigger ticket items that I'd purchased for us - like a couch and an HP laptop. All the extra money in the bank made me buy-ready for this shiny new super computer.

Okay, so maybe not all the way buy-ready, but it was on my brain that I was going to make the purchase in the next few weeks/months. Thing is that I was using the laptop as incentive to continue to lose some pesky extra pounds through clean eating and a daily sweat session.

Can you tell where this story is going? 

Well I found out that Apple had a Black Friday promotion that if you bought a MacBook Pro at any time of Friday past midnight Thursday, you'd get a $150 gift card. I'm kind of serious about sales for things that don't normally have any special promotion attached to them so Thanksgiving night I set four alarms to make sure the Turkey sleeps didn't take over. Just after midnight I clicked "Buy" on the 13" with Retina Display MacBook Pro and scheduled it for Friday pick-up at our downtown Apple store.

Reward cashed in before the hard work. 

There you have it - my Black Friday shopping experience was all sorts of selfish and impatient - but guys I have a gift card now to spend on things to pimp my mac. #thankful

For a mini redemption, I hit up the Made in Oregon store to get a Christmas gift for my bloggy friend Marisa who I went to coffee with on Sunday morning when she was home over the weekend. I picked up the cutest coffee table book about the city I love: This is Portland.

What kind of shopping do you do for yourself around this time of year? How do you keep on track with buying things for others rather than yourself?

A Christmas Miracle

Year after year I am so impressed by the generosity of friends and family who pull together to make a family's Christmas wishes come true. Mostly though I am impressed by my mother who takes on the alias of "Secret Santa" and spends hours and days of her December pulling together resources to provide gifts, clothes, food, money for electricity and more for adopted families in the community.

^Mom's December Facebook Profile Picture^

This year she stretched above and beyond to adopt three families, all of different walks of life:

• A selfless Single Mom who has lost her job due to grave illness with 2 Girls, Ages 7 and 10.


• A proud and humble Family with 2 Boys, Ages 10 and 14


• Another proud and hard working family with 2 Boys, Ages 8 and 10.

Mom reached out to her Facebook network and watched the love and joy spread like wildfire. People who had previously donated $25 gave more, people who had previously given $50 doubled that commitment. There was even a donation from across the country of $500 - W O W!

Some donated money which allowed my mom to mindfully shop for the families while others did the shopping themselves. The end result was overwhelmingly beautiful and I know that it was a labor of love to wrap all of these gifts for the children to open with wide eyes on Christmas morning.

As mentioned above, money was also allocated for electricity and food so that the families could live easier the days after Christmas with a reprieve from usual bills that may weigh them down.

My mom is a selfless hero and I admire her each and every day - especially when she's operating undercover as Secret Santa!

What a beautiful sight!

<3 JE

Having Myself a Merry Little Christmas

I don't know about you guys but I seem to do this every year. No matter how much my focus is on getting the perfect gifts for others I seem to do a little shopping for myself. Advantages? Free Shipping codes, the falling prices and the fact that I'm out shopping anyway so why not!

This year I can at least justify the spending and attribute the shopping to two non-Christmas events: Getting a New Job and Dan's plan to move in with me in February. You'll see the theme in the items below of Style versus Home and hopefully you agree with me that I have already had a very Merry Christmas.

Here are some of the lovely items I couldn't pass up this year and I'm beyond thrilled! Especially since I had a shipping code or 30% discount on all of them:

Seychelle's Each and Every Day Bootie, $104.99

Steve Madden Morteza, $159.95

Gap Navy Stripe A-Line Dress, $59.95

Start over Tupperware 40 pc Set, $21.99

Moleskine 2013 Planner, $17.05

West Elm Organic Chevron Duvet Cover + 2 Shams, $89.00 / $24 each

Merry Christmas Eve! I am counting down the minutes until I get to see my brother via Skype. I can't wait to see his reaction as he gets to open his gifts a day early... which now that I think of it has always been his dream since it's also his Half Birthday today! Oh, Brother!

<3 JE