The 20 Something Society

There are a million awesome things about this time of year and the holidays.  The things that are on my mind are full of calories and totally scrumptious.

Thats right is is definitely time for Starbucks eggnog latte, gingerbread latte, and peppermint mochas!

And just what is the most perfect thing to go with any one of these?  Peppermint bark!  I LOOOVE peppermint bark.  Ghiradelli is yummy and easily accessible, but if you have thirty bucks to drop on chocolate treats my favorite is from Williams-Sonoma.

(p.s. I was browsing the holiday coffee creamers at the grocery store yesterday and there is eggnog latte, maple brown sugar latte, peppermint mocha, white chocolate raspberry, and gingerbread latte!)

WHOA – I haven’t been here in a while.  Sorry!  Been supra busy.  And then there was that week where there was no internet access anyway due to the fact that North Alabama was devastated by a series of tornados.  Trying to get back to my normal bloggy scheduling.  This not will not be regular bloggy scheduling though.  I’ll get back to that hopefully tomorrow.  For now i will leave you with this.  I am craving pancakes.

Just wanted to tell you guys how yummy this Baileys Creme Brulee coffee creamer is!  You should try it.  Doesn’t this look like a lovely morning, a nice big mug of yummy creme brulee coffee, a book, and some leftover valentines day carnations in milkglass?

Is this wedding cake from  Sweet & Saucy not amazing?  I have never seen one like it.  Go ahead gaze and gasp.

If you are ever planning a shin dig in Long Beach, Cali – hire them for your cake/dessert table!  I follow A LOT of wedding blogs and constantly see their work and it never disappoints.   Here are a few others from them.

Last week we were trying to think of something different to cook using ground pork – and came up with a BBQ pizza!  We had some fancy gourmet bbq sauce in the cabinet that we spread over the crust – cooked the meat and crumbled it over top- and then spread coleslaw!  It was yummy, and I eat meat, but I can’t eat a lot of it.  I don’t know what it is, I can’t explain it.  Its….strong? for me.  The husband enjoyed it much more than I.  I ended up taking almost all of the meat off of mine after a little and just having the sauce and coleslaw.

So I am back from my little trip to Chicago.  I was there for a photography workshop which was so fun, so informative, and so worth it.  It has really given me a new little push of excitement.  I got to meet a lot of people who have the same passion as I do and want to learn more.  I got to meet people that I work with (online).  And I got to see people who have taught me in the past and will continue to do so.  I was also able to travel with a couple of gals who I work closely with weekly and we really had a lot of fun together.  We all took a ton of hipstamatics and Imma gonna share some!

We flew out Saturday, checked into the hotel, ate some Chipotle, and went to a welcome party!  Sadly we didn’t get any outfit/party shots.

Started and finished this within the hour.

Chicagoland!

We stayed at the Hilton Garden Inn – and I gotta say – it was nice.  Awesome fitness center, great breakfast, coffee AND flavored creamers, to go cups, sleep by number beds, and really nice bedding.  My husband thinks I’m nuts because I tend to base my hotel selection firstly on the fact that they better NOT have bedspreads.

Sunday was an all day long workshop with the ladies.

just a few of the nice ladies!

Charlie – the incredibly creepy and real looking practice newborn.

After that we had dinner and finally saw Black Swan.  The movie was SO good.  The costumes were beautiful.  The dancing was spectacular.

Monday we awoke to another day of workshop, Chicago deep dish pizza for lunch (!) and then flew out of Chicago just in time to miss the big blizzard.

Started this on the plane.

Some portraits I took during the workshop.

Today I was straightening the kitchen some and decided to take my Cafe Du Monde coffee can out for a little photo shoot.  We bought this on our honeymoon trip to New Orleans!  I have been wanting to go back ever since – maybe next summer….  This summer we are planning on going to visit my mom at the beach and to Atlanta.

While I was daydreaming about New Orleans I dug up some new orleans and saints centric stuff from the files.

New Orleans area code cards from Etsy seller jetsetpaper.

Street music.

“The Quarter” by Etsy seller montagyoo

Beignets

By Etsy seller jillianaudreydesigns

Who Dat banner from Etsy seller jjspeakman

Fabulous Saints headpiece from Etsy seller lovemarigold.

That New Orleans iron lace.

New Orleans view from a streetcar window.

When we were engaged The Husbands family had a shower for us – One of our gifts was a little recipe book that they made for us with family recipes – everyone contributed their favorites!  (what a great idea!)  His cousin contributed a cookie recipe – and this cookie is perfect.  The butter mixed with toasted pecans and toffee!  And do NOT substitute choco chips for choco chunks.  Just dont.  The chunks are IT.

Stop drooling on your keyboard.  Would you like the recipe?

Sometimes the simplest things can feel you with warmth and contentment.  Today it was….CHEESE.  A grilled cheese sandwich to be exact.  I had one for lunch.  I haven’t eaten one in quite a while and probably could have scarfed down three, but alas my calorie counting brain only allowed me the one.  So here it is – a visual ode to grilled cheese.

I’m sure a good time was had by all.  We hosted Thanksgiving this year (for the first time) – had the sis in law, mom, stepdad, and grandparents (along with their dog) over.  It was the first time my family has seen our house!  There was a lot of cooking, a lot of eating, a lot of black friday shopping, and a lot of football.  There was a Skype visit from my Uncle, Aunt, and cousins also.  Everyone except the sis in law packed up and headed home this morning.  Here are just a few shots.