Back from the Road

We got home from our short jaunt to Washington DC last night, and while I'm home today cleaning and doing things I should have done this weekend, Anthony is at work and I'm wishing we were able to spend one last day together.  Our weekend away was fun, but not without hiccups, just like most of our adventures. 

We left on Thursday morning at 5am-ish in the pouring rain, and once we reached the city, the brakes on Anthony's jeep stopped working.  What followed was a terrifying 5 minutes, a tow ride to a repair shop off the map, and then a long cab ride to our hotel with all of our bags to finally check in.  We made the best of the situation (luckily, we didn't need a car to get around), but we were still a bit bummed.  The hotel upgraded our room though, which was a welcome, unexpected and needed treat.

This week, I'll be posting highlights from our trip.  Also, this was the first time I used my iPhone to take candid, off-the-cuff pictures and it was cool and distracting at the same time.  We had a great time, but I'm happy to be home in our freezing apartment with a repaired automobile.

Anthony and I at the ice rink at the Sculpture Garden,

freezing on a cement bench in 32 degree weather

Plugging In

This weekend, I officially jumped on the iPhone bandwagon and turned in my 5-year old flip phone with the broken screen.  I also opened my own Pinterest account so that I can stop lurking on the boards without being able to pin my own images.  I'm excited to now be able to tweet and blog from wherever I am, but I'm feeling a bit cautious too.  I don't like being attached to my phone, and I hate the idea of being 'too plugged in.' 

But for now, I'm embracing this technology upgrade and learning to adapt to my new phone, truly a lifeline to the real world.  It's a far cry from the mustard yellow rotary phone that my grandparents used to have until just a few years ago, but it'll work.  xo



Image via Forever Young

Guilty.

Yes, I watched the first episode of the new season of The Bachelor.  No, I won't apologize for it even though I probably should, and yes, it was bad.  It was so bad that I laughed through most of it; where did the producers find these girls? Why would anyone volunteer to be filmed for this horrible show? And why am I still watching?

I love this compilation of all of the ladies introducing themselves that New York put together.  My personal faves are the girl who literally rode in on a horse and the blogger who sobbed in the bathroom for hours. 

Via New York

In Preparation...

I've been on holiday break from work for the past week so tonight, when I started to put my stuff together for tomorrow, it kind of felt like the first day of school.  My calendar is new, my bag is new and I even have my lunch all packed in the refrigerator.  I feel like I need another few weeks off but if I can get through just a few more days, I will be rewarded with a lovely weekend trip to Washington DC with Anthony. 

Sometimes I wish my office looked like this.  How fun would work be!

Photo via weheartit

Happy 2012!

Last night, we brought in the new year with a yummy dinner and later, champagne, which exploded when Anthony opened it right before midnight.  As we mopped up the alcohol pooling on our living room floor, we laughed, pausing for a kiss as the crowds in Times Square went crazy on the television.  I wouldn't have wanted to bring in 2012 any other way.

Photo courtesy of weheartit

Trees That Will Make You Happy

Maybe it's because we don't have a tree up this year or it could be because I saw a tabletop tree outside Stop & Shop that I am coveting hardcore.  Maybe it's just how joyful these old, leafless branches look, but I'm crushing on these gift-covered trees in a big way.  Leave it to the lovely Swedes to be whimsical in freezing weather. 

Or maybe I'm picturing how hysterical it would be if Anthony and I tried to pull this off ourselves.  I wish the display was closer so I could see the decorations in person. 


Images courtesy of Tottinyon

Hello, my name is Crystal...

...and I am a compulsive gift buyer.  No matter how many presents I get for the people on my list, it never seems like enough.  For my parents, I always feel like I should buy them more and tend to lose track of what I've already purchased.  For my brother and sister-in-law, they are so easy to buy for that I can't stop myself sometimes.  And for someone like Anthony, I just want to show him how much I love him, and get him the best presents ever since he is so generous and wonderful year-round. 

I know this doesn't sound like a huge problem, but I wind up spending tons of extra money on additional gifts that don't have a designated recipient.  Then, at the end of the holiday season, I wind up with a bag in my closet full of presents that I didn't give out (right now, that bag includes a Crate and Barrel vase and two Hello Kitty ornaments).  For the entire month of December, it's like I'm on a constant quest for the perfect gifts. Am I too generous or am I am obsessive shopper?

This only happens to me around Christmastime; I am cautious to a fault with my purchases throughout the year.  But I can't be the only one with this problem, right? How do your shopping habits change around the holidays?



Image courtesy of weheartit via imyeritgirl